MISSISSAUGA, ON, Dec. 18, 2019 /CNW/ - Plant-Based Foods of Canada (PBFC) is pleased to announce that the Certified Plant-Based program is now available to companies in Canada. As the exclusive licensing agent for plant-based products, we look forward to working with the innovative companies who are bringing more plant-based choices to Canadian consumers.
The Certified Plant Based protocol, which is owned by the U.S.-based Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) focuses on plant-based alternatives to animal-based foods and specifies the criteria required to make a certified plant-based food claim. NSF International serves as the certifying agency, supporting the program.
Foods eligible for certification include meat alternatives such as plant-based meat, poultry, and fish; egg substitutes; milk alternatives; and other dairy alternatives such as plant-based cheese, yogurt, butter and ice cream.
Changing consumer attitudes, innovation and new entrants to the plant-based foods category have driven strong growth over the last few years. Research conducted by PBFC indicated that the term "plant-based" reinforced to consumers that the products were not from animal sources.
"The Certified Plant-Based seal will increase consumer confidence and help consumers looking to include more plant-based options in their diets to easily identify these products," explains Leslie Ewing, PBFC Executive Director.
According to Nielsen, the plant-based foods category in Canada was valued at $412M at the end of 2018 with growth of 11%. The introduction of this program will only accelerate this growth, supporting transparency and a clear standard for industry to follow when making a plant-based declaration.
"We are thrilled to share the Certified Plant Based program with our Canadian colleagues," said Michele Simon, Executive Director of the Plant Based Foods Association. "The program has already received significant positive response, with major brands and retailers adopting the seal to give consumers confidence in the plant-based label. It makes sense to spread that trust across the border given our overlapping markets," she added.
Since launching in 2018, PBFC has played a key role in shaping the development of regulatory discussion about the plant-based food industry in Canada, including regular presentations to government, thought leadership at industry events and analysis of emerging issues and trends.
Plant-Based Foods of Canada, a division of Food & Consumer Products of Canada, works to educate consumers, government and industry partners about the benefits of plant-based foods, in order to modernize industry regulations and make plant-based eating accessible to all. To find out more visit www.plantbasedfoodscanada.ca
