YSpace Markham's Food Accelerator pop-up shop
YSpace Markham was one of many sites participating in the second annual Doors Open Markham event on Saturday, Sept. 7. Doors Open is a national program managed by Heritage Canada, giving Canadians a chance to explore institutions and organizations with cultural, architectural or historical significance – free of charge. Most of the participating buildings and sites are typically closed to the public or charge an admission fee, which is waived during the event.
This year, YSpace hosted tours and showcased its startups to more than 150 Doors Open Markham guests. Eight food and beverage vendors were present and offering samples of their products during the Food Accelerator pop-up shop. The community innovation hub recently launched its Food Accelerator program and saw this event as a great opportunity for its startups to gain exposure in the local community. From alcohol-infused gourmet popcorn to sugar-free and plant-based vitamins and Japanese flash-frozen iced coffee, there was plenty of variety up for grabs.
“YSpace’s support has been instrumental to our success as a company," said Ryan Chan of OHH! Foods, one of the startups featured at the event. "Opportunities like this give us a great chance to connect with the local community and let them know about our allergen-free snacks that are both delicious and safe for schools.”
One of the first of its kind in the Greater Toronto Area, YSpace Markham’s Food Accelerator helps food and beverage consumer packaged goods ventures build their strategies, grow their networks and scale their businesses. To learn more about the program, visit yspace.yorku.ca/food-accelerator.