TORONTO’S FOOD & BEVERAGE CLUSTERCeline Kirkoc

A BRIEF OVERVIEW

The City of Toronto recognizes the importance of its Food and Beverage industry.

The food cluster has annual sales in excess of

$17 billion.

In the Toronto CMA, there are over 2,000 food and beverage manufacturing establishments (2004).

CLUSTER COMPOSITION

Top Food & Beverage

Bakery 28%

Meat 18%

Beverages/Other 12%

EMPLOYMENT WITHIN FOOD CLUSTER

Toronto ranks as #3#3 in top 10 locations of employment in 1999

FOOD CLUSTER LEADERS

TORONTO HAS SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGES

According to the 2006 KPMG Competitive Alternatives Study, Toronto has lower overall business costs in food processing than in any large US city.

The average Toronto cost advantage is 5.5% in food processing.

HELPING CLUSTERS GROW

GFTC is Canada's only not-for-profit, non-subsidized food technology centre.

GFTC provides creative, confidential technical solutions, training, consulting and auditing to the Canadian agri-food industry in the areas of R&D, product development, packaging, shelf-life, food safety, quality, and productivity improvement.

Each year, GFTC assists over 500 companies and organizations, and provides training to more than 3600 people.

KEY LINKS

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada http://www.agr.gc.ca Food and Consumer Products

Manufacturers of Canada http://www.fcpmc.com Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food http://www.omaf.gov.on.ca The Alliance of Ontario Food Processors http://www.aofp.ca

THANK YOU