Food Ventures Program

The Food Ventures Program provides financial support for the acceleration of innovative and safe Nova Scotia local products to market using Perennia’s food safety and product development services.

This program is for Nova Scotia registered farms and agri-food and beverage businesses with head offices in Nova Scotia.

The Food Ventures Program has two components:

  • Technical Support, Resources and Training
  • Cost-Shared Funding for Perennia Services

Program Components

Technical Support, Resources and Training

The first component offers support from Perennia quality and food safety and product development specialists to answer technical questions and inquiries. These can be initiated through the following:

In some cases, where a product’s food safety is a high risk and needs to be addressed quickly, some of those costs can be covered without an application. These decisions are made solely at the discretion of Perennia.

In addition to technical consultations, Perennia specialists also develop resources and training. These can be found on our Product Development and Quality and Food Safety resource pages.

Cost-shared Funding

The second component is cost-shared funding. This component has six categories. Some categories have specific eligibility requirements. PLEASE READ the program guidelines for more information.

Funding is available in the following categories:

  • Quality and Food Safety Program Development or Revisions – Coaching and Assessments
  • Food Safety Product Testing and Reviews
  • Environmental Monitoring of a Processing Space/Food Facility
  • Nutrition Facts Table Development
  • Improving a Current Food or Beverage Product
  • Creating a New Food or Beverage Product

NEW FOR 2024-25 Businesses with gross annual income between $1,500 and $15,000 are now eligible for Food Ventures Program funding to help them reach new markets. Businesses with gross annual income over $15,000 are still eligible for the program. Please see the Program Guidelines for more information.

How to apply for cost-shared funding

The Food Ventures Program application process has moved online.  To apply, please visit https://www.beta.perennia.ca/foodVentures.  Please note that you must create an account and log in to fill out the application form. The application must be completed in one sitting – there is no option to save and return at another time. Please make sure you have your information available when you are ready to apply, including details about your business, your farm registration number and expiry date (if applicable) your Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stocks number and expiry date (if applicable), your business’s annual gross income and details about the reason you are applying.

To help you navigate the new online application, we’ve created a how-to-guide.

If you are not able to use the online application form, download the PDF application form, complete it, and email it to foodventures@perennia.ca

If you have already created an account and would like to access your submitted application and information, please click here.

Note that if you were approved for the 2023-24 Food Ventures Program, in order to start a new project you must reapply.

Please review the program guidelines for more information.
The first intake period for application is open until November 30, 2024