Brampton, ON – February 24, 2026 — Cardinal Meats proudly marks its 60th anniversary this year, celebrating six decades of growth, innovation and high-quality products.

Founded in 1966, Cardinal Meats has grown from a regional processor into a nationally respected supplier, best known for its signature beef burgers, and fully cooked products that have become staples in Canadian restaurants and households. The company, still family owned and operated, has built its reputation on delivering consistent quality at scale—earning long-standing partnerships with major national retailers and foodservice operators.

“This anniversary is about much more than a number,” said Brent Cator, President and Owner, Cardinal Meats. “It represents 60 years of building Cardinal Meats as a brand Canadians recognize for quality burgers and trusted protein products—and more than 100 years of family experience in the meat industry that continues to shape how we operate today.”

Cardinal Meat’s industry milestones include:

1966 – Cardinal Meats company founded by Ralph Cator in Mississauga

1986 – Developed the now, industry standard Tenderform Burgers

1988 – Launched Canada’s #1 Premium Branded Burger: Roadhouse

1990 – North America’s 1st Sous Vide processor: Kettle Cooked

1998 – Cardinal becomes Canada’s first HACCP-recognized, diverse protein solutions processor, setting a national food safety benchmark

2003 – Introduces 1st DNA lab technology for advanced meat microbiology testing

2008 – First to introduce N60 testing, setting North America’s new standards for CFIA and USDA ground beef safety policies

2010 – Developed 1st in World Natural Texture Forming (NTF) burger capabilities

2011 – Opening of current Cardinal head office at Hedgedale Rd. in Brampton

2012 – Invention & commercialization of the first stuffed burger

2018 – Cardinal purchased The Elite Meat Company

2019 – Cardinal launches world-leading new innovations with inline Safe Sous Vide capabilities

2023 – Cardinal Meat’s Stanfield Rd. location in Mississauga merges with the Hedgedale Rd. location in Brampton

2025 – Cardinal celebrates Cator-family centennial legacy in Canadian meat industry

2026 – The Cardinal Meats brand celebrates 60 years of innovation, leadership, and industry impact     

 As the company looks to the future, Cardinal Meats recognizes its 60th anniversary as a moment to honour its past while investing in what comes next—advancing product innovation, strengthening retail and foodservice partnerships and continuing to evolve alongside Canadian food culture.

“Our history gives us a strong foundation and perspective,” added Brent Cator. “Our future is about being trusted and proudly Canadian—while our team of wonderful talented people, continue to deliver the burgers and innovative meat product solutions, Canadians have relied on for generations.”

In celebration of its 60th anniversary, Cardinal Meats is reflecting on its legacy through employee recognition, storytelling initiatives, and a forward-looking focus on protein manufacturing. To commemorate the milestone, Cardinal Meats is launching Ralph’s Diner Burger, the original product that marked the company’s entry into foodservice.

“The same values that guided Cardinal in 1966 still guide us today,” said Cator. “Integrity, respect for people, relentless improvement, and pride in what we make.”

Vancouver, BC, February 19, 2026 – On March 3, 2026, Le Crocodile by Rob Feenie is hosting a one-night-only dining experience to celebrate the return of Choucroute Garnie, an iconic dish from Alsace. Traditionally built around sauerkraut, cured meats, and Riesling, the five-course menu by chef Rob Feenie is a refined take on a classic – highlighted by the team’s dedication to French technique and a contemporary West Coast perspective.

“Choucroute garnie is a dish that brings people together,” explains Feenie. “It was one of my most memorable meals in Alsace and having the opportunity to enjoy it with the locals made it extra special. For this menu, we wanted to honour its classic roots while adding our own French technique and West Coast touches.”

The evening will feature two seatings – 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Reservations can be made exclusively through .

Choucroute Garnie
$125++ per person; optional wine pairings available

Amuse Bouche
Pickled Herring Tart
celeriac puree, frisee

Foie Gras Terrine
quince, grapes, radish

Mid Course
Barbeque Duck Consommé
foie gras, truffle, caramelized onion ravioli

Main Course
Choucroute Garnie

Dessert
Sorbet Poire William
Pear William sorbet

Fromage Blanc Tart
crème anglaise

“It’s going to be an evening of celebration, and I hope our guests will enjoy every bite of our homage to this annual Alsatian tradition,” adds Feenie. 

Le Crocodile by Rob Feenie is open daily for dinner service, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m and will reopen for lunch on March 4, 2026.

Reservations can be made online at

Vancouver, B.C., February 19, 2026 – In celebration of its first anniversary, Sumibiyaki Arashi, Vancouver’s first omakase yakitori restaurant, will host a special collaboration dinner series with two of Japan’s most revered master chefs. Lineage of Fire: Six Hands, One Fire, presented by S. Pellegrino, exclusively takes place over three consecutive nights from March 26 to 28, 2026, bringing chef-owner Pete Ho together with Torishiki’s Yoshiteru Ikegawa and Kentaro Nakahara of Sumibi Yakiniku Nakahara for their first-ever appearance in Vancouver.

For Ho, the anniversary collaboration carries deep personal significance as both Ikegawa and Nakahara are his former mentors. Having both chefs cook alongside him reflects the culmination of a 10-year-journey, when Ho first discovered his love and respect for the craft of Japanese charcoal grilling culture.

“I am here today because of these two masters. No Nakahara-san, no meeting Master Ikegawa. No Torishiki, no Sumibiyaki Arashi,” explains Ho. “In 2015, a friend introduced me to Sumibi Yakiniku Nakahara in Tokyo. That night, Nakahara-san welcomed me like an old friend. Over champagne, we discovered I shared the same birthday as his restaurant. From there, our connection grew into years of learning, travel, and mentorship, eventually leading me to Master Ikegawa of Torishiki.”

“After enjoying Master Ikegawa’s yakitori, everything changed for me. It was eye-opening the discipline, the hospitality, the love poured into every detail – it reshaped how I saw cooking. When I decided to open my own charcoal-grilled restaurant, I knew yakitori was always going to be at its heart.”

Lineage of Fire: Six Hands, One Fire will be held over three evenings, March 26, 27, and 28, with two seatings per night, 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tickets can be reserved on OpenTable starting at 12 p.m. PST on February 26, 2026. In addition, Premium Members will have exclusive first access to bookings for March 27th’s 5 p.m. seating via the DINR app.

The multi-course experience features a menu meant to engage all five senses with the three chefs presiding over the fire together as they showcase the artistry of charcoal grilling.

Yoshiteru Ikegawa of Torishiki in Tokyo

Yoshiteru Ikegawa was born in Tokyo in 1972. He was enamored with the idea of becoming a yakitori chef in his teens but went to university and joined a staffing agency company after graduation. Over three years, he learned about society’s many norms and rules and gained insight into customer demands and the kinds of stores that appeal to people. He spent his spare time exploring yakitori restaurants around Tokyo and was floored by one experience – that of Nakameguro Toriyoshi. He took a chance and knocked on the door. After seven years of training, in 2007, he opened his very own restaurant, Torishiki, earning many accolades over the years, and being known as one of the first yakitori restaurants to receive a Michelin star.

Kentaro Nakahara of Sumibi Yakiniku Nakahara in Tokyo

Kentaro Nakahara is a self-taught butcher and chef renowned for transforming Japanese yakiniku into fine dining at his Tokyo restaurant Sumibi Yakiniku Nakahara. With obsessive attention to wagyu sourcing, cutting, and charcoal grilling, he’s earned acclaim both in Japan and internationally, and his culinary influence extends to other projects like Henry’s Burger in Tokyo.

Pete Ho of Sumibiyaki Arashi in Vancouver

Born in Taiwan and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Pete Ho began his career as a chef in 2008. In 2014, through training at the famous Tokyo restaurant "Ryugin Japanese Cuisine," he became deeply captivated by the appeal of charcoal grilling. In 2017, he met Yoshiteru Ikegawa and continued to train in various parts of Japan. In 2025, he opened Sumibiyaki Arashi in Vancouver – his personal ode to Japanese charcoal grilling.

“This collaboration and celebration embody the very essence of what S. Pellegrino stands for; honouring chefs, their journeys, and the craft to which they devote their lives. We are proud to stand alongside the team at Sumibiyaki Arashi in celebrating lineage, mentorship, and the shared pursuit of excellence that brings this collaboration to life,” says Kelly Gallo, brand activation manager, S.Pellegrino Canada.

For more information about Sumibiyaki Arashi, please visit .

This event is also generously supported by and .

Toronto, ON – February 19, 2026 – Coffee remained Canada’s most-consumed beverage in 2025, with 71% of Canadians reporting they drank a coffee beverage yesterday, according to the Coffee Association of Canada’s Canadian Coffee Drinking Trends study.

Despite economic pressures and rising food and beverage costs, coffee continued to be a daily staple. Consumers are adjusting how and where they purchase their coffee—cutting back on out-of-home spending, stocking up when it’s on sale, and trying new brands at home—rather than giving it up altogether.

“Even in challenging economic times, coffee continues to play an important role in Canadians’ daily routines,” said Robert Carter, President of the Coffee Association of Canada. “What we’re seeing isn’t a decline in consumption, but a shift in behaviour as consumers adapt to higher prices and seek value.”

Traditional coffee remains the most popular choice, with 45% of Canadians consuming a traditional coffee beverage yesterday, followed by 29% enjoying espresso-based drinks. Eight in 10 Canadians noticed coffee prices rising, and more than half report cutting back on non-essential spending, including socializing less.

“These trends highlight the resilience of coffee demand in Canada,” added Carter. “Consumers are still choosing coffee, but in new ways—buying on sale, experimenting at home, and making thoughtful choices about where they spend their money.”

All data is from Winter 2025 and reflects adult Canadians aged 18+, from the Coffee Association of Canada’s proprietary Canadian Coffee Drinking Trends study.

Previous years’ infographics, back to 2016, can be found on the CAC website: https://coffeeassoc.com/coffee-facts/.

Attachments:

CAC 2025 Canadian Coffee Consumption Infographic.pdf

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