Canadians are rallying behind homegrown businesses — and that pride is becoming increasingly local. While big national brands have no trouble getting noticed, many of the bakers, cheesemakers, and artisans in our own communities don’t have the same platform. That’s the idea behind Maple Leaf Foods’ new Canwich campaign.
Across nine cities, Maple Leaf built a local sandwich with Canadian partners featuring Maple Leaf protein at its core and its new partners’ unique ingredients making up every other layer: the bread, cheese, condiments, and produce.
The sandwiches are running on digital screens in Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver and Hamilton and on Instagram @mapleleaffoods in Calgary, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Moncton and London, with local creators helping spotlight the partner brands. At Canwich.ca, an interactive map shows Canadians where to find each partner’s products near them.
In an interview with Retail Insider, D’Arcy Finley, VP, Brand Growth at Maple Leaf Foods, talked about the campaign.
What consumer trends or research led Maple Leaf Foods to develop the Canwich campaign, and why was highlighting local Canadian food businesses a priority?
Research has been showing Canadians are making a point of buying Canadian, and that support is becoming more local. In February 2026, 63% of Canadians said they had bought a product in the past month because it was made in Canada, and 80% said they plan to do so this year (IMI International). That intent is showing up at the till. Sales of products labelled as Canadian origin grew 3.3% to $24.2 billion in the 52 weeks ending March 14, 2026, while sales of products labelled “Made in USA” fell 6% (NIQ).
Local matters too: 79% of Canadians say “locally made” messaging encourages them to buy, but 59% say Canadian products are hard to find (IMI). Many small local food businesses don’t have the platform to reach those shoppers. Canwich helps put their names in front of Canadians and shows them where to buy.
How were the participating businesses selected in each of the nine cities, and what criteria guided the choice of local bakeries, cheesemakers, condiment makers and produce suppliers?
Partners had to be local Canadian businesses rooted in their market, sell authentic ingredients and deserve more visibility. We chose multiple local partners for each layer of the sandwich: bread, cheese, condiments and produce. Maple Leaf Foods provides the protein.
How does the campaign aim to translate growing consumer interest in supporting Canadian businesses into greater visibility, product awareness and sales for participating small businesses?
The campaign turns growing interest in supporting Canadian businesses into tangible opportunities for discovery and purchase. Partner brands take centre stage in the creative across digital billboards in Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver and Hamilton, as well as social content on Instagram @mapleleaffoods in all nine cities, putting their names and products in front of consumers. At Canwich.ca, an interactive map helps shoppers find nearby retailers carrying each partner’s products, creating a direct path from awareness to purchase. This is particularly relevant given that 59% of Canadians say Canadian products are difficult to find. By combining high-impact visibility with practical ways to discover and shop participating brands, the campaign helps turn Canadian pride into action.
What has the response been from participating business owners so far, and how will Maple Leaf Foods measure the campaign’s impact on their visibility and business performance?
Partners have been enthusiastic from the start. Many are small, local businesses, and being part of a national campaign gives them a platform to share their story and products with Canadians from coast to coast.
We’re measuring the campaign’s impact by looking at how many Canadians we’re reaching, how they’re engaging with the campaign on Canwich.ca and whether that visibility is helping generate greater interest in our partners and their products.
How does Maple Leaf Foods see the role of local partnerships evolving in its marketing strategy, and are there plans to expand the Canwich campaign or continue supporting participating businesses beyond the current initiative?
We see local partnerships playing an increasingly important role in how we connect with consumers and support the Canadian food landscape. Canwich is our first campaign built entirely around bringing Canadian food businesses together, creating a platform that celebrates local brands, introduces consumers to new products and encourages people to support businesses in their own communities.
For us, it’s about more than a single campaign. It’s about finding meaningful ways to collaborate with Canadian businesses, create shared visibility and make it easier for consumers to discover and support homegrown brands. While we don’t have additional Canwich expansion plans to share at this time, the response to the initiative will help inform how we continue to explore opportunities to build on these kinds of partnerships.
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