Winnipeg/Brussels, September 9, 2026, | The Government of Manitoba and EIT Food today announced a strategic framework to explore collaboration that strengthens Manitoba’s agriculture and agrifood innovation ecosystem, support competitiveness, and advance sustainable and resilient growth. The collaboration brings together EIT Food’s experience in ecosystem coordination, knowledge exchange, innovation programming and international collaboration with Manitoba’s work to advance industry–academia collaboration, applied research, innovation adoption and new funding opportunities. EIT Food is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union.

Representatives from the Government of Manitoba and EIT Food during the signing of the agreement, including the Hon. ROn Kostyshyn, Manitoba Minister of the Minister of Agriculture, Raphaël Debleser, Chief Operating Officer at EIT Food and Patricia Willems-Mawenu, Strategic Collaborations, Global & Multi-stakeholder.

This partnership intends to explore programmes, initiatives, knowledge exchange and research activities with the Department of Agriculture of Manitoba (Manitoba Agriculture) to connect their strengths with European networks, partnerships and markets. It also recognises the value of two-way exchange, creating opportunities for European innovators to engage with Manitoba’s agriculture and agrifood ecosystem while supporting Manitoba-based innovators, researchers and institutions seeking links to Europe.

The framework also builds on EIT Food’s growing engagement with the Canadian agrifood innovation ecosystem. In May 2026, EIT Food announced a partnership with AgSphere to support cross-border collaboration between Canada and Europe, including startup immersion programmes and exchanges, training and skills development, and strategic collaboration between the two regions. AgSphere also will join EIT Food’s Next Bite event in Warsaw to connect Canadian agrifood startups with European market opportunities, reinforcing the role of international partnerships.

Five areas for collaboration

Subject to mutual interest and separate written agreement where required, EIT Food and Manitoba Agriculture will explore:

1. Horizon Europe and research collaboration, including links to consortia, partnerships, funding opportunities, pilots and demonstration activities where eligible.
2. Two-way innovation and market connectivity between European and Manitoba-based companies, innovators, researchers and institutions.
3. Application of EIT Food’s Knowledge Triangle model, integrating academia, industry and entrepreneurship, to support ecosystem development.
4. Future pathways and investment readiness, including high-level frameworks and roadmaps for programming, partnerships and investment considerations.
5. Global knowledge exchange and stronger network connectivity between Manitoba and the European Union.

"Manitoba’s producers and processors are the backbone of our rural economy, and this collaboration strengthens the tools they need to stay competitive in a global market. By linking our innovation ecosystem with Europe’s largest agrifood network, we’re opening doors for new research, new technologies and new market opportunities that directly benefit Manitoba farms, local businesses and communities. This partnership helps ensure that the ideas and products developed here at home can grow, scale and succeed on the world stage.” The Hon. Ron Kostyshyn, Manitoba Minister of the Minister of Agriculture in Manitoba, said.

“This agreement offers EIT Food and our European partners a valuable opportunity to strengthen links with Manitoba-based innovators, while bringing fresh knowledge, technologies and market perspectives into Europe’s food innovation ecosystem. By connecting academia, industry players, and entrepreneurs across our regions, we look forward to exploring how this partnership can drive our shared ambition in building a healthy, sustainable and resilient food system.” Richard Zaltzman, CEO, EIT Food, said.

“International collaboration is essential if we are to accelerate innovation across the food system and create stronger connections between regions with complementary expertise. This framework with Manitoba offers a practical opportunity to connect European and Canadian innovators, researchers and institutions, helping ideas, talent and entrepreneurship move more effectively across borders. By working together, we can support new routes for knowledge exchange, market access and sustainable growth.” Benoît Buntinx, Director of Business Creation, EIT Food, said.

This five-year framework marks a shared commitment to turn international collaboration into practical impact. By connecting Manitoba’s agrifood strengths with Europe’s largest food innovation ecosystem, EIT Food and Manitoba Agriculture aim to create new pathways for ideas, talent and entrepreneurship to grow across borders, supporting a food system that is more competitive, resilient and better equipped to deliver sustainable growth for people, places and the planet.

Sidel has introduced Cermex RoboSELEX, its latest bottle collating system for case packers. Ultra-flexible and accumulation-free, it unlocks unlimited lightweight bottle shapes and unlimited batch configurations. This new system delivers high-speed performance of up to 320 products per-minute, while maintaining continuous stable product flow, smooth changeovers and long-term production agility. Designed to address the growing trend towards lightweight and uniquely shaped packaging, Sidel’s latest solution supports manufacturers from the Food, Home and Personal Care (FHPC) market segments.

“Cermex RoboSELEX builds on the proven Cermex ProSelex® concept with a robotic comb collating device, enabling accumulation-free operation and fast, repeatable changeovers thanks to a reduced number of change parts,” said Guillaume Bornard, Packing Innovation and Platform Director, Sidel Packing Solutions.

Responding to changing market demands
In a rapidly changing packaging landscape, differentiation through innovative container design is now essential, all while regulations limiting plastic use are driving lighter packaging solutions. These trends create challenges in conveying and handling uniquely shaped bottles, which must remain stable and undamaged during processing.

Production cycles are also becoming shorter, with a growing number of formats and Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), alongside diversified case counts from small to large batches. As a result, manufacturers are prioritising fast, repeatable and easy changeovers, without compromising efficiency or product integrity.

First introduced to customers at interpack, Düsseldorf in May, Cermex RoboSELEX has been engineered to directly address these challenges by ensuring continuous, optimised product flow into case packers.

Advanced robotic collating for maximum simplicity
Based on the proven Cermex ProSelex concept, Cermex RoboSELEX builds on a comb-collating device mounted upon a robotic arm. The system uses two Delta robots to deliver a continuous motion process without accumulation, reducing friction and eliminating shocks, scratches and product jamming.

Capable of handling complex bottle shapes – including conical, asymmetrical and small-base designs – the solution enables unlimited lightweight bottle design possibilities and batch configurations, ranging from small (3 × 1) to large (8 × 6) case counts, depending on product size. Batch orientation is completed at the source, eliminating the need for an intermediary rotating table.

In addition, the system’s smooth and precise handling allows for the removal of pucks, even for unstable or complex bottle shapes. Today, bottles that cannot be accumulated typically rely on pucks for transfer between machines, adding complexity through puck's management during changeovers as well as their own manufacturing costs and the footprint needed for their storage. By contrast, Cermex RoboSELEX eliminates this constraint, reducing operational complexity and associated costs.

Faster changeovers and simplified operations
Cermex RoboSELEX has been engineered for fast, repeatable changeovers, typically taking as little as one minute for collation changes and no more than two minutes and 30 seconds for switching to different bottle format. 

Its streamlined mechanical concept reduces the number of parts involved, creating changeovers without the need for intensive operator training. Only the comb mounted on the robot needs to be replaced when shifting formats, using a quick-release system and without additional mechanical adjustments, with full ground-level access to the core system. As the comb is the only format-specific part, it helps to reduce part costs when introducing new formats. This also supports faster time-to-market for new product launches by shortening tooling design and manufacturing timelines. Operators also benefit from simplified manual or motorised adjustments of the upstream guides.

To find out more, visit the Sidel website.

CALGARY, AB, Sept. 8, 2026 /CNW/ -- Noble Premium Bison and the National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture and Food (NCIAF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a multi-year partnership focused on increasing Indigenous participation across Canada's bison value chain.

The partnership will explore opportunities in Indigenous bison production, producer education and mentorship, market development, procurement, value-added processing and product innovation. The organizations will also look for opportunities to collaborate on research, food security initiatives and the development of domestic and international markets for Indigenous-produced bison.

NCIAF will help connect Noble with Indigenous communities, producers and businesses interested in participating in the bison sector, while Noble will contribute its experience in bison production, processing and marketing.

"Our relationship with buffalo goes far beyond agriculture," said Kallie Wood, President and CEO of NCIAF. "By working with Noble Premium Bison, we can help create pathways for Indigenous producers and communities to build capacity, access markets and grow sustainable bison enterprises while strengthening the cultural connection to buffalo."

The partnership brings together NCIAF's relationships and community knowledge with Noble's experience across the commercial bison value chain.

"There's a lot of opportunity to grow the Canadian bison industry, and Indigenous producers can be an important part of that growth," said Kelly Long, CEO and co-founder of Noble Premium Bison. "Our job at Noble is to build markets and connect producers to those markets. Working with NCIAF gives us an opportunity to share what we know, learn from Indigenous producers and communities, and open more doors for participation in the bison industry."

Together, NCIAF and Noble Premium Bison are committed to strengthening Indigenous participation in Canada's bison industry, honouring the buffalo's enduring cultural significance, creating meaningful economic opportunities, and nourishing future generations through collaboration, innovation, and reconciliation.

Escalation of the U.S. trade war is casting a cloud over Canada’s economic prospects. Farm Credit Canada’s new economic analysis is looking at why bond yields are rising and whether that concerning trend will continue. 

Part of the problem seems to be tariffs, which have raised the U.S. inflation rate. That’s bad news for bond investors because inflation erodes the real return on Treasuries. Bond investors are also asking for extra compensation for enhanced risks associated with Treasuries which is now at a 12-year high. 

Given the interconnectedness of global bond markets, bonds of other countries, including Canada, are being impacted. For Canadian households and businesses, this means fixed mortgage rates and longterm financing costs will remain much higher than levels prevailing during the 2010s.