With food prices rising and concerns about food security growing, one Manitoba woman is helping Canadians take control of their grocery baskets — starting with what’s grown right here at home.
Marnie Scott, a longtime advocate for Canadian agriculture, launched CanadianCoolFoods.com in 2015 as a free online tool to help consumers and businesses find homegrown alternatives to imported products. The site now lists hundreds of Canadian companies that produce food, beverages, seeds and other goods made with domestic ingredients — including more than 60 based in Manitoba.
“People want to buy Canadian, but it’s not always clear what is or isn’t local,” said Scott. “The more we know about what we grow, raise, harvest, fish, forage and prepare, the more we can support our communities and reduce dependence on imported products.”
Scott’s roots run deep in Canadian farming. Her site is part passion project, part educational campaign — one that promotes awareness around product labelling, interprovincial trade and the jobs tied to domestic food production.
Unlike online stores or subscription boxes, Canadian Cool Foods doesn’t sell anything. Instead, it offers a curated map and searchable database of Canadian businesses, along with links, company bios and a news section that highlights industry trends and consumer tips. The goal is to make it easier for Canadians to connect directly with producers and make informed choices at the store.
The Manitoba listings alone reflect the province’s rich agricultural diversity. They include:
● Watersong Farms in Stonewall, known for its trout and poultry
● Destiny Road Apiary in Gunton, a family-run honey operation
● Wild Man Ricing in East St. Paul, harvesting wild rice for over 30 years
● Prairie Flora Greenhouse in Teulon, offering native prairie plants and herbs
● Interlake Saskatoons in Warren, specializing in berries and value-added products
● Adagio Acres in Lundar, producing organic oats and granola
● Russell Prairie Market in Carman, and
● Prairie Originals in Selkirk, focused on wildflowers and ecological landscaping
Each profile on the site shares a bit of the company’s history and purpose — giving consumers not just a product, but a story and a local connection. In order to get on the list, “all a company has to do is contact me and let me know what Product of Canada products they produce and sell in Canada in a retail outlet or online, and I will upload their company and Product of Canada products for free,” said Scott. “It’s that simple.”
Scott updates the site regularly based on user suggestions and business submissions. While she works on it independently, she says the demand for Canadian food transparency continues to grow — especially in the wake of global supply chain disruptions and rising import costs.
While buying local is extremely important, Scott also emphasizes the importance of supporting Canada as a whole: “It is shocking how little we know about what one province produces when we are located right beside them. Governments are encouraged to support their local companies, but no one supports a more national approach, and that is what I do,” said Scott. “Supporting Canadian food is about more than patriotism. It’s about sustainability, community health, and keeping our dollars where they can do the most good.”
With planting season underway and farmers’ markets reopening across the province, Scott hopes more Canadians will take time to discover what’s available just down the road.
“You’d be surprised by what’s made right here in Manitoba,” she added. “We just need to look.”
