IGA launches an accelerator for Quebec companies

IGA launches the Local Accelerator, an initiative aimed at supporting Quebec agri-food companies that are developing products with the potential to shake up the industry.

To stimulate innovation and help Quebec entrepreneurs get their products onto store shelves, IGA will inject $1 million into this project annually.

From merchandising to marketing, logistics and finance, each acceleree will receive customized support and exclusive access to IGA resources to maximize the chances of successfully bringing their product to market.

“We have so many brilliant, creative and ambitious entrepreneurs in Quebec. We want to reach out and invest in their projects by lending our expertise and resources. We are aware of the challenges start-ups face when developing new products, and the IGA Local Accelerator is a concrete way to help them overcome these challenges. I invite companies that create stand-out food products with the potential to shake up the industry, and that are appealing and tasty, to submit their project,” said Mireille Thibodeau, VP-fresh merchandising, Sobeys/IGA.

IGA has also joined forces with partners such as Mycélium, a creativity accelerator for food companies that supports entrepreneurs during their start-up phase; and Université Laval’s Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (INAF), one of the largest groups of researchers dedicated to food and health research and innovation.

Interested companies can apply at https://accelerateur.iga.net/en.