The 2025 Alizés Awards in Toronto - Group Export launches the new Canadian Market Award

Group Export Agri-Food officially opens the nomination period for the 2025 Alizés Awards, presented by FCC. The awards, open to all Canadian agri-food companies, will be presented on April 29, 2025, at SteamWhistle’s Locomotive Hall, alongside SIAL Canada.

New this year, the jury will also reward a company for its excellent out-of-province market development in Canada. “The Group Export supports Quebec exporters in their international expansion and assists them in marketing their products outside the province. It was therefore only natural for the association to create the new Canadian Market Award, in partnership with National Bank,” explains Martin Lavoie, President and CEO of Group Export. “This award, presented in front of an audience made up of numerous buyers, will certainly enable the finalists to propel themselves in into new markets.”  

In addition, Group Export has decided to streamline the application form, to make it easier for agri-food businesses to submit their applications. The new web-based format of the application form will also simplify the submission process. Winners will be chosen by a renowned jury specialized in the agri-food export sector. A company can compete in two of the following four award categories:

• SME Fonds de solidarité FTQ – Awarded to a company with sales of less than $50 million that has achieved notable international export accomplishments in recent years.
• Large Company FCC – Awarded to a large business with sales over $50 million, whose international export strategy and successes have enabled it to position itself well in markets outside Canada.
• New* Canadian Market Award – Awarded to a company with an exemplary out-of-province market development strategy. Sales exceed more than $1 million.
• Innovative Export Strategy Inno-centre – Awarded to a Canadian agri-food company that put forward innovative export strategies, while integrating sustainability and GHG management concepts into its operations.

Louis Turcotte, FCC National Vice President, Corporate Finance and Major Accounts, adds that, ”agri-food companies from coast to coast are invited to submit their application for the Alizés Awards. All jury members look forward to reviewing the applications and highlighting those that stand out for their innovative market development strategies and approaches.”

This year, to keep up with international trends, the jury will be paying particular attention to the sustainable development and greenhouse gas emissions reduction initiatives of candidate companies. Indeed, ”decision-makers and buyers now place great importance on the ESG initiatives of agri-food companies,” adds Eric Waterman, Vice President of Agri-food at Inno-centre.

Canadian agri-food exporters are invited to visit lesprixalizesawards.ca to submit their applications. Nominations close at 5 p.m. on February 21, 2025.

Group Export wishes to thank FCC, presenter of the Alizés Awards, the ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ), Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Inno-centre, the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, National Bank, Export Development Canada (EDC), L’actualité ALIMENTAIRE, Agro Québec and SIAL Canada for their support in making the Alizés Awards and the Alizés Evening a success.

About Group Export Agri-Food

With over 450 members, Group Export Agri-Food offers a wide range of services to help Quebec agri-food exporters gain access to Canadian and international markets. The initiator of the Alizés Awards and the Summit on Agri-Food Export, as well as one of the shareholders of SIAL Canada, the association is a key player in the industry.

SOURCE Group Export Agri-Food