Canada to require nutrition warnings on some packaged food

Starting in 2026, Canada will require that nutrition warnings are posted on the front of pre-packaged food with high levels of saturated fat, sugar, or sodium. According to the Canadian Press, the key reasoning behind the move is to help grocery shoppers make healthier choices with just a glance. The policy has been in the […]

Concept Watch: Brands are building identities that extend beyond the menu

By Sophie Mir The emphasis on local, seasonal food has become de rigueur industry wide. What started as a trendy, nose-to-tail movement has been co-opted by giants like McDonald’s, which, amongst other things, touts its Canadian beef (from independent farmers, no less). It’s a good thing, but when everyone’s doing it, it ceases to differentiate […]

Trend Watch: Non-traditional pizza, seeds and tofu

By Sophie Mir Healthy food need not be light, leafy and unsatisfying, and restaurant operators are driving that fact home. Pizza chains, which are rarely spoken about in the same breath as health food, are taking steps to change that (although they’re not leaving the classic cheese-laden slice behind, either). Protein-packed seeds are popping up […]

Unique ingredients give pasta a healthy makeover

By Sean Moon Long the go-to meal for doting Italian grandmothers, spaghetti-loving kids and comfort-food aficionados, pasta has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years. Today, the use of pasta in Canadian restaurants is less influenced by Nonna and more by such modern factors as clean-eating, plant-based or gluten-free diets and a world of unique […]

Hopscotch’s third Toronto location now open on Queen Street

The health-conscious concept donates all opening proceeds to Toronto Foundation for Student Success Press release The Ontario-based health food concept, Hopscotch, has officially opened their newest location at 224 Queen Street West in Toronto. The fast casual restaurant, known for their affordable, chef-inspired menu boasting fresh and locally-sourced ingredients, donated all opening proceeds to Toronto […]

Ontario’s Hopscotch Restaurant Group hires Ward McKay as new chief operating officer

The industry veteran brings 30 years of restaurant franchising experience to the position Press release Hopscotch, the popular health-conscious, fast-casual concept based out of Ontario, has hired Ward McKay to lead and grow the concept’s franchising efforts as Chief Operating Officer. The franchise industry veteran and self-proclaimed ‘foodie’ brings a diverse collection of skills to […]

Q&A: Wyatt and Aiden Booth, founders, Hopscotch

By Kavita Sabharwal-Chomiuk Hopscotch, an Ontario-based, healthy fast casual concept, is expanding. The company, which currently has two storefronts in Ontario and three opening soon, recently signed two multi-unit franchise deals for the Toronto and Edmonton markets. The company will open three franchise locations in Toronto over the next four years, and will introduce the […]

Bold flavours and healthy ingredients add a creative touch to sauces and bases

From adding their own unique ingredients to jazz up a standard sauce base to answering the call for healthy, ethnically influenced recipes, Canadian chefs have a growing number of options for topping their creations with delicious sauces. Canadian Restaurant & Foodservice News spoke to chefs and industry suppliers to get their take on the latest […]

For ethnic variety or better-for-you choices, finger foods fit the bill

By Laura McGuire There’s something that makes finger foods hard to resist. Perhaps it is the breaking from the formality of utensils, or maybe it is the often-indulgent positioning associated with these offerings. It could also be that finger foods come in such varied shapes and sizes—ranging from poppable snack bites to more substantial handhelds. […]

Hopscotch announces sale of multi-unit franchise deal in Edmonton

The popular health-conscious concept gears up for expansion in major U.S. and Canadian markets Press release Hopscotch, the popular Ontario-based, health-conscious fast-casual concept, built on a commitment to better food, better communities, and a better planet, has announced the sale of a four-unit franchise for the Edmonton, Alberta market. Founded by brothers Wyatt and Aiden […]