Every week, millions of Canadians enjoy their morning toast, lunch wraps and pasta dinners without realizing they’re consuming one of the country’s most exported crops. Canada produces high-quality, nutritious wheat for tables across the globe, yet a surprising disconnect exists at home. While 93 per cent of Canadians regularly consume wheat products, few are aware of the health benefits of this ingredient.
When it comes to hot Canadian commodities, flour takes the cake. Over the last several years, domestic demand for flour and baked goods has steadily grown. As factors such as immigration, higher personal incomes and the evolution of consumer tastes drive this trend, the industry hopes a healthy appetite for flour will be baked into our economy for years to come.
A recent Ipsos Five survey revealed a significant decline in wheat consumption among millennials as compared to baby boomers. While boomers consume wheat-based products more than 10 times per week, millennials do so just once or twice. “Wheat foods have many short- and long-term health benefits and based on the survey, there are gaps for millennials in understanding the nutritional benefits of wheat,” said Elaine Sopiwnyk, vice-president of technical services for Cereals Canada. Sopiwnyk also sits on the Canadian Wheat Nutrition Initiative (CWNI) leadership team.
Canada is a world leader in the production of safe, high-quality, nutritious wheat and its value-added products. Continued investment in wheat research by the value chain helps to increase farm gate profitability and competitiveness as well as maintain a secure domestic and global food supply.
The newly launched What about Wheat? campaign is intended to promote the nutritional benefits of wheat and the positive practices employed by the farmers who grow it. Partners in the value chain-led initiative include Cereals Canada, the Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC), Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, Manitoba Crop Alliance, Grain Farmers of Ontario and the Canadian National Millers Association with support from Synthesis Agri-Food Network.
