Women Entrepreneurs Driving Canada’s Food Future: Meet the 2026 Seed to Scale Cohort
By: Lindsay Toth
Canada’s food and beverage industry is full of entrepreneurs with bold ideas. Turning those ideas into retail-ready products, however, requires more than a great recipe.
Founders must navigate product development, packaging, labelling, food safety, production, distribution, marketing, sales, and the many other decisions that come with growing a food business.
That is where the Seed to Scale Accelerator comes in.
Delivered by FEAD in partnership with the Food Venture Program, Seed to Scale is a free hybrid accelerator designed for women and gender-diverse food and beverage entrepreneurs who are preparing to become retail-ready and scale their businesses.
Over 110 entrepreneurs applied to participate in the 2026 program. From those applications, 21 founders from across Canada were selected to join this year’s cohort.
Some are developing their first prototypes. Others are selling at farmers’ markets, online, or through local retailers. Each founder enters the program at a different stage, but they share a common goal: building a stronger foundation for sustainable growth.
From non-alcoholic cocktails and tea infusions to sauces, snacks, prepared meals, and specialty food products, meet the entrepreneurs participating in the 2026 Seed to Scale Accelerator.
Beverages and Tea
Jenna MacKay, Finally! Non-Alcoholic Cocktails
From rural Shannonville, Ontario, Jenna MacKay is the founder of Finally! Non-Alcoholic Cocktails. With products already available through local retailers, Jenna is building a beverage business for consumers looking for more choices beyond traditional alcoholic cocktails.
Nadine Jopson, Heartberry Soda
Nadine Jopson is the founder of Heartberry Soda in New Westminster, British Columbia. Already selling through local retailers, Nadine brings a growing soda brand to the cohort and will use the program to explore the next steps in production, sales, and distribution.
Kristine Hui, MISS BREWBIRD
Kristine Hui is the professional distiller behind MISS BREWBIRD, a Delta, British Columbia beverage company inspired by an unexpected flavour discovery during her time working at a distillery in India. Her products are already available through local retailers, giving Kristine a strong foundation from which to explore further growth.
Trupti Sedani, Blue Pepper
After nearly two decades working in human resources, Trupti Sedani turned her attention to entrepreneurship and founded Blue Pepper. Based in Oakville, Ontario, the company creates Indian-inspired, naturally caffeine-free tea infusions made with herbs, flowers, roots, seeds, and spices.
Jennifer Koo, League Nutrition Labs Inc.
Jennifer Koo is the founder of League Nutrition Labs Inc., a Calgary-based company developing sports nutrition specifically for youth and developing athletes. Its first product, Hydrate + Go, was designed to offer age-appropriate hydration without artificial sweeteners, dyes, or stimulants.
Jenna MacKay, Finally! Non-Alcoholic Cocktails
Snacks, Sweets, and Baking
Ravjeet Sidhu, Besee Crunch
Ravjeet Sidhu is the founder of Besee Crunch, a Delta-based business creating convenient freeze-dried snacks, fruit powders, and smoothie products made with whole foods. Already selling through local retailers, Ravjeet joins the cohort ready to strengthen the business for continued expansion.
Michelle, Balanced Food Co.
Michelle is the founder of Balanced Food Co. in Ontario. The company’s first product, Dark Roast Granola, is made with simple ingredients and is already reaching customers through local retailers in the surrounding community.
Kristeva Dowling, Tallow & Crumb Inc.
Based in Grovedale, Alberta, Kristeva Dowling is the founder of Tallow & Crumb Inc., a business creating cookie mixes made with simple, animal-based ingredients. Currently selling online, Kristeva joins Seed to Scale with an established product and a clear perspective on the kind of food she wants to bring to the market.
Melissa MacDonald, The Frosty Goat Foods Ltd.
Based in Dalmeny, Saskatchewan, Melissa MacDonald is the founder of The Frosty Goat Foods Ltd., a family-run business offering freeze-dried candy, fruit, and specialty treats. The business also explores freeze-drying as a way to extend the life of food and make fruits and vegetables more accessible.
Elizabeth Scott, Seagull Sweets Co.
From Esquimalt, British Columbia, Elizabeth Scott is building Seagull Sweets Co., a confectionery business known for treats including salted caramels and marshmallows. With products already reaching local retail customers, Elizabeth is preparing the business for its next stage of growth.
Aanchal Rawal, Oh Snack Up
Aanchal Rawal is building Oh Snack Up in Mississauga, Ontario. With an established presence in the local market, Aanchal joins the cohort ready to develop the strategies and relationships that can help bring the company’s snack products to more customers.
Ravjeet Sidhu, Besee Crunch
Sauces, Spices, and Pantry Staples
Juliet Frimpong, Bold Earth Foods
Based in Langley, British Columbia, Juliet Frimpong is the founder of Bold Earth Foods. The company creates frozen flavour cubes made with real ingredients, helping busy families and home cooks bring more flavour to everyday meals with less preparation.
Felicia Dewar, Miskamâsowin Foods Inc.
Felicia Dewar is the founder of Miskamâsowin Foods Inc., an Edmonton-based Indigenous food business offering ready-to-make bannock and fry bread mixes. A member of Sucker Creek First Nation, Felicia created the business as part of her own journey of reconnecting with culture, identity, family, and food.
Rushanthi Kesunathan, Kaaya
Based in Markham, Ontario, Rushanthi Kesunathan is the founder of Kaaya, a naturally vegan food brand inspired by Indian and Sri Lankan flavours. Its growing collection of pantry staples includes sambols, chutneys, signature blends, warming beverages, and specialty curries.
Saba Mushtaq, Zing Food Inc.
Saba Mushtaq is the founder of Zing Food Inc. in Milton, Ontario. The company creates small-batch, globally inspired sauces and marinades designed to bring bold flavour to everyday meals.
Humaira Chowdhury, Truly Didas
Also based in Milton, Humaira Chowdhury is the founder of Truly Didas, a Canadian small-batch food brand rooted in family and tradition. Currently connecting with customers through farmers’ markets, Humaira is preparing to bring the company’s growing range of pantry products to a wider audience.
Mariam Ayob, Askawayrecipes Inc.
Mariam Ayob is the founder of Askawayrecipes Inc. in Huntsville, Ontario. What began as a place to share recipes and ingredient knowledge has grown into a line of versatile ramen sauces that can be used in broths, marinades, dips, stir-fries, and other everyday meals.
Tolu Onalaja, Koshe Inc.
Tolu Onalaja is building Koshe Inc. in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Through Koshe QuickMart, the business connects customers with oils, spices, sauces, and ingredients used in traditional African cooking.
Felicia Dewar, Miskamâsowin Foods Inc.
Prepared Foods, Fresh Ingredients, and Emerging Ideas
Delali Adiamah, Dehls Gourmet Foods
From New Westminster, British Columbia, Delali Adiamah is the founder of Dehls Gourmet Foods. Drawing on her Ghanaian heritage, Delali offers prepared meals, sauces, seasonings, and specialty food products that introduce customers to West African and Afro-fusion flavours.
Tonya Edwards, Lake Country Gourmet Mushroom Farm
Based in Kelowna, British Columbia, Tonya Edwards is the founder of Lake Country Gourmet Mushroom Farm. With products already reaching local retail customers, Tonya is joining Seed to Scale to continue strengthening the systems and strategies behind her specialty mushroom business.
Manali Banerjee, Nutrigrow
Manali Banerjee is developing Nutrigrow in Calgary, Alberta. As one of the cohort’s concept and prototype-stage businesses, Nutrigrow represents an earlier point in the entrepreneurial journey and an opportunity to build strong product, production, and market foundations from the beginning.
From Strong Ideas to Sustainable Growth
Over the course of the accelerator, these 21 entrepreneurs will take part in sessions covering some of the most important areas of food business growth, including recipe development, packaging and labelling, food safety and traceability, co-packing, branding, marketing, sales, and distribution.
The program will conclude with a pitch competition, giving participants the opportunity to share what they have built and how their businesses have evolved.
Seed to Scale is not simply about growing faster. It is about helping entrepreneurs understand what sustainable growth requires, make informed decisions, and build businesses that are ready for the opportunities ahead.
We are proud to welcome the 2026 Seed to Scale cohort and look forward to sharing more of their journeys throughout the program.
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