Canada Post Publications Agreement Number: 40609661 The official magazine of the Alberta Food Processors Association AFPA ACTION inin Staying Strong Winter 2020-2021 Please share this magazine within your organization.4 AFPA in ACTION Alberta Food Processors AssociationWinter 2020-2021 AFPA in ACTION 5 contents The official magazine of the Alberta Food Processors Association Winter 2020-2021 AFPA ACTION inin AFPA in ACTION Published for: The Alberta Food Processors Association 5123 Marian Road NE Calgary, Alberta T2A 2Y1 Phone: (403) 201-3657 Email: info@afpa.com Website: www.afpa.com Published By: Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Return all undeliverable addresses to: 309 Youville Street Winnipeg, Manitoba R2H 2S9 Toll-Free: (866) 999-1299 Toll-Free Fax: (866) 244-2544 www.matrixgroupinc.net Canada Post Mail Publications Agreement Number: 40609661 President & CEO Jack Andress Operations Manager Shoshana Weinberg sweinberg@matrixgroupinc.net Publishers Jessica Potter, Julie Welsh Editor-in-Chief Shannon Savory ssavory@matrixgroupinc.net Senior Editor Alexandra Kozub akozub@matrixgroupinc.net Editors Jenna Collignon, Kaitlin Vitt Finance/Administration Lloyd Weinberg, Nathan Redekop, accounting@matrixgroupinc.net Director of Circulation & Distribution Lloyd Weinberg distribution@matrixgroupinc.net Sales Manager - Winnipeg Neil Gottfred Sales Manager - Hamilton Jeff Cash Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Account Executives Andrew Lee, Bonnie Petrovsky (in memoriam), Brian MacIntyre, Cheryl Klassen, Colleen Bell, Frank Kenyeres, Jim Hamilton, Jon Beroud, Rob Gibson, Sandra Kirby, Tanina Di Piazza, Tenisha Myke Advertising Design James Robinson Layout & Design Travis Bevan ©2020-2021 Matrix Group Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Printed in Canada. On the cover: Featuring Calgary Co-op and Calgary Italian Bakery A note from Calgary Co-op: Calgary Co-op is pleased to partner with many local vendors, including Calgary Italian Bakery. Sourcing products locally is as important to us as it is to our members. Creating our own brand was about ensuring we reflect the unique needs of our city. Our Cal & Gary’s family of products, including Organics, are carefully curated for our members offering high-quality and unique attributes that are often not replicated in mainstream brands. Our Founders & Farmers family of products give members everyday quality and value. Eating local has been a trend for a while but for more than 60 years, it has been our mission. Cal & Gary’s and Founders & Farmers are unique to Calgary Co-op and showcase our local flavour and commitment to our community. Up Front 37 Board of Director’s Message 37 AFPA Board Members Features 38 The Impact of COVID-19 on Alberta’s Food Processing Industry 10 Five Keys to a Rigorous Food Safety System Food Safety 12 COVID-19 and the Rising Need for Food Safety Software Workplace Safety 14 The Food and Beverage Industry MUST Embrace Health and Safety! AFPA Member Profiles 16 Valbella Gourmet Foods 17 Wabi Sabi Brands Ltd. AFPA BENEFITS 18 Corporate Members 18 Affinity Members 18 AFPA Online Directory 19 Index to Advertisers To update your mailing information, please email info@afpa.com.Winter 2020-2021 AFPA in ACTION 7 I want to thank all of you who continue to support our vital association, and welcome to all of the new companies that have joined over this last year. Our industry is truly made up of fantastic and supportive individuals who work together to create an endur- ing force to supplement our food and beverage segment. AFPA continues to be a strong link for sharing industry information, supporting food and workplace safety, and being a conduit to the industry and government in this time of COVID-19. To say that there have been challenges since the pandemic began is an enormous understatement. These circumstances have stopped, restarted, renewed, and rejuvenated our programs and direction for the future. We continue to work for you, our members, amidst the current turmoil and operational changes. We have streamlined to create an unending climate of provision. We have been there for the food and beverage sector since 1967, and we continue to support our members, who make up this vital piece of the food chain. Government, of course, has been inundated under the strain of this pandemic. I am proud that AFPA has been actively engaged in conversations for industry support and updates on how we are faring. We continue to welcome your comments, concerns, and suggestions, as we have avenues to interact with government chan- nels on these items. In light of the events of 2020, we are evolving to address our mission of program delivery and support of our established cur- ricula. Our Food Safety and Workplace Safety focus is taking on a new face in regards to the circumstances we are in, as we look for the best ways forward. We are seeking out best procedures and direction. We have been grounded in providing these services for many years and we are working with a wide array of contacts in these fields. Until next time, I wish you safety, health, and happiness. Please be sure to connect with AFPA if you have any questions. BOARD OF DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE Eric Haak AFPA Chair Sunrise Bakery Ltd. 2020-2021 AFPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS AFPA provides knowledge, leadership, and networking opportunities to grow your business and increase your company profile. And it’s affordable! JOIN AFPA! To learn more about the many benefits of membership, and to sign up online, visit https://www.afpa.com/join-afpa. These circumstances have stopped, restarted, renewed, and rejuvenated our programs and direction for the future. We continue to work for you, our members, amidst the current turmoil and operational changes. LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: @AFPAFOOD FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @AFPA_FOOD DEAR AFPA MEMBERS, Louis Bontorin Calgary Italian Bakery Michael Poynton BDC Brian Espiritu Foothills Creamery Jerry Bigam Kinnikinnick Foods Inc. Dietrich Kuhlmann Kuhlmann’s Market Gardens & Greenhouses Ltd. Scott Exner MLT Aikins LLP Krystal Cardinal MNP Eric Haak Sunrise Bakery Ltd. Bill Moore Farm Credit 8 AFPA in ACTION Alberta Food Processors Association FOR CALGARY’S COCOCO CHOCOLATIERS, the disruption caused by COVID-19 has been tremendous, causing closures and forcing significant modifications and restrictions to the way the company does business. “When the first wave of Public Health orders came in, we had to close the majority of our stores, and they stayed closed until the middle of September,” says company President, Brian Beck. “And now that we have emerged from the closures, we’ve done so at about 50 per cent the size we went in; half the stores, half the volume, half the employees.” Although there was some scale-back at the factory level, Cococo did not have to entirely cease production during the crisis. During this time, the company was proactive in making arrangements related to COVID-19; encourag- ing social distancing (made easier because of a skeleton crew), providing masks to its employees well before masks were mandated, and looking ahead to what may be the “new normal” going forward. “The pressures of 2020 have created a real need to focus on the core of one’s business, and to cut away any extra activities,” says Beck. “That has meant narrowing product lines, refin- ing distribution, and looking at those things that ultimately make the most sense and con- tribute the most. Focus on what you do best, and do it as well as you can do it.” When COVID-19 arrived in Alberta in the spring of 2020, it created a steep increase in demand and lead time for Camfil Canada’s products and services; so much so that the CFO at the Camfil Americas corporate office in New Jersey has had to step in and help out on the production line. “Many people have turned to Camfil during the pandemic due to the expertise we have in air filtration and the impact airborne contaminants have on human health,” says Camfil Territory Sales Manager Alberta, Jon Holmes. “There is considerable confusion in the general public as it relates to air filtration and Camfil is commit- ted to ensuring that our customers are equipped with the information they need to make the right decision for their given application.” If there is one positive to have come out of this pandemic experience, it has been an increased public awareness across North Amer- ica about how air quality can directly impact wellness; a fact that – until now – the Canadian public has largely taken for granted. “COVID-19 has raised the awareness that it’s not just outdoors where quality air is need- ed,” says Holmes. “We spend 90 per cent of our time indoors, and this virus has shown us how critical it is that we have the best air quality pos- sible, without breaking the bank. It’s a benefit to everyone’s health.” Considered an essential service, BioNeutra North America Inc. was able to continue man- ufacturing its lead product, VitaFiber® IMO throughout the pandemic at its Edmonton plant, as well as at its two co-manufacturing facilities offshore. Social distancing was easily maintained thanks to the company maintain- ing just five employees per shift working along the block-long production floor, and by asking other non-production staff to work from home. “We adjusted as best we could,” says War- ren Michaels, Vice President/Communications at BioNeutra. “We provided company-issued cell phones and computers, and our regular departmental meetings and senior management meetings continued through the use of Zoom and other equivalents. And, as a publicly-traded company, we held our AGM virtually.” BioNeutra is a North American supplier of high-quality fibre ingredients and products, which are used as ingredients in products across the continent. While its employees were work- ing from home, BioNeutra removed doors and installed motion-activated lights in washrooms to reduce potential touch-points, thoroughly wiped down various surfaces, and cleaned out its air-cir- culation system. The company also developed a return-to-work plan with strict policies to protect employees from contracting the virus. This began with expanding the barriers to employee cubi- cles and creating sign-in stations equipped with wipes, masks, gloves, and hand-sanitizers that would offer more effective contract tracing in the case of an outbreak at the plant. “We also, sadly, cancelled our Company Christmas Turkey Dinner for our staff and spouses,” says Michaels. “In its place we plan to bring in personalized pizzas that each employee will be able to eat at their work space.” At the onset of COVID-19, Ontario-based private equity firm, CIEL Capital, closely exam- ined the impact of the pandemic on its various business entities, as well as its ability to carry on business as usual should an outbreak occur. Seeing a need for better screening, the compa- ny dispatched service teams to a number of its The Impact of COVID-19 on Alberta’s Food Processing Industry Safety is the priority on Cococo Chocolatiers’ production line. Both photos courtesy of Cococo Chocolatiers. Cococo Chocolatiers was proactive in encouraging social distancing and providing masks to employees.Winter 2020-2021 AFPA in ACTION 9 front line customers and set up Health Canada- certified thermographic (thermal imaging) cam- eras within their facilities to help in temperature screenings. “Certified by Health Canada, these ther- mal imaging devices proved an accurate way to provide autonomous 24/7 monitoring of anyone entering our or a customer’s facilities, checking to see if their temperature is at an abnormal level,” says CIEL Strategic Advisor, Chris Weatherhead. “It is an effective preventa- tive measure that can help identify and restrict someone who may be sick from entering your facility, and acts as an additional line of defence against the spread of COVID-19.” Recently Category 5 (managed by CIEL) partnered with Quebec food processor Nutri- groupe to test the efficacy of autonomous ther- mal screening solutions vs. manual screen- ing solutions already in place. The case study definitively showed that by switching from a manual to an automated process, using ther- mal cameras for screening, Nutrigroupe would be able to save itself (based on an employee population of 100 and screening twice daily) more than 70-hours of labour per month with an improved screening accuracy of between 0.6 and 1.4 degrees Celsius, in addition to the cameras being able to detect improper per- sonal protective equipment (PPE) use among employees. As cruise lines, restaurants, and entertain- ment centres were shuttered because of the pandemic, Kinnikinnick Foods’ food service business ground to a virtual halt. At the same time, the Edmonton company’s direct home delivery program rose by as much as 600 per cent in the span of just a few weeks, and its regular business experienced significant growth over the last six months, both in Canada and the United States. On the other hand, Kinnikinnick also experienced a significant increase in costs after installing new sanitation stations across its plant, as well as in ensuring there was an adequate supply of PPE for staff. This was particularly true at the beginning of the crisis, when serious questions arose about meeting the growing need for masks. Fortunately, Kinnikinnick did not have to look far to find an answer. “It turned out that Eden Textiles – which is right next door to our plant – had some super-fine, high mesh Egyptian cotton and they agreed to make our first masks,” says Kinnikinn- ick CEO, Jerry Bigam. “We passed Eden’s name on as a supplier and many other food plants in Edmonton got their PPE from Eden.” Kinnikinnick saw the great value the Alberta Food Processors Association (AFPA) brought to its members during the pandemic, particu- larly for Alberta’s smaller food processors that may not have the resources to support in-house health and safety departments. “For the first few months, it was a zoo in terms of new regulations, new concerns, and new policies to implement,” says Bigam. “The associa- tion would post important information and cur- rent health and safety requirements on its website related to COVID-19. The level of uncertainty and concern that was out there at the beginning gave many smaller companies a real challenge to sort out, and AFPA was there for them.” A BioNeutra reception desk is equipped with plexiglass to keep everyone safe. A BioNeutra worker with mask and gloves at a control station. Both photos courtesy of BioNeutra.Next >