Niagara College has received over $1.6 million to help fund cutting-edge beverage research equipment for the College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute Innovation Centre (CFWI IC), which will be housed within the College’s new Marotta Family Innovation Complex. This infrastructure will directly support applied research and world-class training specifically for the wine, beer, spirits and non-alcoholic beverage sectors in Niagara.
Through the CFWI IC’s Beverage Innovation Excellence research program, the new tech will equip three distinct research labs within the new 49,000-square-foot complex, which is set to open later this year:
- A Beverage Processing Lab will allow research staff and students to prototype and test new beverages with business clients. The lab will include industry-standard pasteurization, canning, bottling and other equipment that will allow researchers and NC’s industry partners to test the market for products, determine viability, and prove a market exists before the company scales up production.
- A Beverage Analysis Cluster Lab will allow for detailed analysis of beer, wine, spirits, cider, and juices for chemical contents and sensory attributes. Researchers will be able to dive deep into the molecular makeup of beverages to determine alcohol content, oils and acid content, gas content, viscosity and other attributes.
- Industry incubator space will provide equipment for food and beverage companies that need to further their product development. Businesses will be able to temporarily locate to the Complex to carry out collaborative research projects with our staff and students, with immediate hands-on access to equipment and resources to help expedite success.
Of the more than $1.6 million in funding, $816,000 comes to the College through the Canadian Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) College-Industry Innovation Fund (CIIF). The Fund is intended to support substantial research infrastructure projects that will augment the existing applied research and technology development capacity of colleges, and allow them to respond to important sector industry needs.
Another $816,000 will also be provided through the Ontario Research Fund. The $1.6 million contributes to a total cost of just over $2.6 million, the remainder of which comprise cash donations from the College, as well as industry contributions.
“Over the past several years, Niagara College has proven itself to be a powerhouse for applied research for Canada’s food and beverage industries,” said Marc Nantel, NC’s associate vice-president of Research & Innovation. “This equipment will allow us to build upon that reputation and continue to conduct world-class research that will make significant contributions to this industry, right here in Niagara and across the country.”
The projects build on strong demand from regional beverage manufacturers and more than six years of recent capacity-building for food and beverage research and development at the CFWI IC. Since 2012, the CFWI IC has conducted more than 65 applied research projects, the products of several of which are now available on the market nationally and internationally. The staff and faculty who conduct these projects with students and industry partners are proven experts in food and beverage engineering, science, product development, and sensory analysis; food safety and regulatory affairs; nutrition; microbial and chemical analysis; and more.
Part of Niagara College’s $64-million campus redevelopment project, the Marotta Family Innovation Complex will significantly enhance the College’s ability to support the growing competitiveness of Niagara’s agri-business sector. In addition to agri-food research and innovation laboratories and incubation space for business, the new complex will also feature specialized training facilities for student engagement and entrepreneurship, and will house a student fitness centre and gymnasium.
Niagara College’s Research & Innovation conducts research projects with industry partners through its Agriculture & Environmental Technologies Innovation Centre, Canadian Food & Wine Institute Innovation Centre, and Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre. The division also offers support in the areas of digital media and web solutions and business and commercialization solutions. For more information on Research & Innovation, visit www.ncinnovation.ca
Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.
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