The Conestoga Food Research & Innovation Lab (CFRIL) recently partnered with Toronto-based Mildred’s Temple Kitchen to package a selection of its menu items for retail purchase.
The Conestoga Food Research & Innovation Lab recently partnered with Toronto-based Mildred’s Temple Kitchen to package a selection of its menu items for retail purchase. Photo credit: Mildred's Temple Kitchen.
The partnership has helped the iconic brunch restaurant in the heart of Toronto’s Liberty Village respond to growing customer demand for boutique grocery products, as well as the need to shift its business model in the face of pandemic-related challenges.
“Mildred’s leveraged CFRIL’s experienced team of culinary and food science experts and advanced facilities to solve problems and clear regulatory hurdles that are crucial for bringing a product to market, such as determining shelf-life and nutritional profile as well as optimization of packaging,” said Nicole Detlor, director, CFRIL.
CFRIL also helped adjust Mildred’s pancake mix so the retail version is more practical, removing the need to use liquid buttermilk while maintaining the same taste and quality of the original mix. The mix has been packaged as part of a pancake kit which also includes maple syrup and the restaurant’s well-known blueberry compote. The kit, and other products CFRIL developed with Mildred’s for retail sale, are part of the Get Brunch’d pantry items available on Mildred’s website and at select retailers.
“Their team provided regular updates and developments on the project, shared valuable expertise and delivered results on-time and on-budget,” said Donna Dooher, owner of Mildred’s Temple Kitchen.
“As a result of the project, we’ve partnered with several best-fit retailers and can ship direct to customers across the country, increasing retail sales by 85 per cent.”
Among the retailers selling Mildred’s pancake kits is Bloom, Conestoga’s student-run restaurant and café located at the Waterloo campus.
“It was rewarding for us to work with such a reputable Toronto establishment to foster business growth and allow their great products to be enjoyed by a wider and more diverse clientele while maintaining their high standards in cuisine,” noted Detlor.
Detlor also added that CFRIL continues to take on more projects, building on its base of local and multinational clients to further develop the lab’s reputation as an industry leader in research.
With labs at Conestoga’s Cambridge - Fountain Street and Waterloo campuses, CFRIL partners with small, medium, and large businesses, providing them with innovative solutions and support throughout the product development cycle, including formula development, shelf-life studies, packaging testing, and scale-up using its pilot plant equipment.
In 2023, CFRIL was awarded the Minister's Award of Excellence and the Excellence in Research and Innovation award from Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.