« The GTA Food and Beverage Cluster  »

By: Melissa  Brasil

According to 

Michael Porter 

•A cluster focuses on competitive strategies for governments and organizations

According to 

Richard Florida

•clusters are based on creativity

Overall

•A cluster is concentration of companies and industries in a geographic region, which are interconnected by the markets they serve, and the products they produce, as well as the suppliers, trade associations, government and educational institutions. 

What is a Cluster?

GTA Clusters

• Aerospace• Automotive• Apparel and Textiles• Biomedical and

Biotechnology• Business and

Professional Services

• Financial Services• Food and Beverage

Manufacturing• IT&T• Media• Tourism

About the Food and Beverage Cluster

Created 4.5% increase in Employment

Over the last five years, 

experienced a growth rate of about 4.5%

Over 2000 food and 

manufacturing establishments

Annual sales of 

$17 billion

Food and Beverage Cluster Composition

GTA Cluster Members

Maple Lodge Farms Ltd. 1,700  Quality Meat Packers Limited 680

Cadbury Chocolate Canada Inc. 800  Cargill Foods 1,000 

Campbell Soup Company Ltd. 650 Peek Freans 600 

Trade Shows

Competitor One:  Chicago Food Processing  Cluster

Food processing is when you change raw ingredients into food that can be consumed Transformation includes activities such as enhancing the 

flavour, adding nutritional value, and preservation

The processed food industry is one of the largest manufacturing sub-sectors in the US economy 

The industry employed 1.44 million people in 2004 and with an output of $470 billion

industry sales were estimated to be $784. The industry has expanded output by 1.2% CAGR in the period 1994-2003

Competitor Two: Food and Beverage Cluster in New Zealand  

There is a long and proud history the food industry has a long and proud history in New Zealand’s development 

The country has always had bountiful resources and food and beverage processing has evolved into a vibrant industry sector

Food and beverage processing is one of the largest industry sectors within the southern sector of Auckland, New Zealand 

There are over 5,460 people employed in the southern sector of Auckland and over 73,000 in New Zealand growing at a rate of 5% a year

RecommendationThe recommendation for the GTA Food and Beverage cluster is to follow the three critical success factors and focus on reaching the ideal cluster: 

Strong skills base Innovation and R&D capacity Networks and Partnerships 

ImplementationShort-Term

Create seminars about the food and beverage clusters to be presented in food and beverage specialty programs (I.e. George Brown College of Culinary Arts) Establishes partnerships and innovation

Create a booth and the Canadian Food and Beverage Show with resources such as innovation centers and centers of excellence

 Long-Term  Acquire new financial resources

Open more innovation centers and centers of excellence

Implement a mandatory cluster course in the school curriculum

Work towards food tourism

Thank You