More than 200 restaurants across the country are participating in the Canada Beef Burger It Forward campaign aimed at relieving the growing food insecurity in Canada.
Now in its second year, the national campaign seeks to support local restaurants under inflationary pressures while also raising funds for food banks regionally and nationally.
This year, restaurant registration has nearly doubled across Canada with restaurants participating in all provinces, outside of Quebec.
Each participating restaurant will feature a select burger for the campaign from Feb. 1 to 29.
In Cambridge, Wilks' Bar at the Langdon Hall Country House Hotel and Spa is taking part with the Wilks' Burger.
It features a pan-roasted chuck and brisket patty topped with bacon molasses compote, smoked Mont Jacob cheese and Worcestershire mayo served on a toasted bun and topped with a gherkin pickle, red pepper and cocktail onion garnish.
For every campaign-featured burger purchase, Canada Beef will donate the equivalent of one meal to Food Banks Canada, up to a maximum of 20,000 meals (based on Food Banks Canada’s meal metric of $1 being the equivalent of two meals.
As well, provincial cattle associations and/or partners such as Atlantic Beef Products Inc. and Dairy Farmers of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have made commitments to regional food banks with either ground beef donations or cash contributions.
A press release said local cattle associations have also committed to making donations of ground beef or cash to regional food banks.
“In 2023, Food Banks Canada identified that food bank use rose to the highest levels in Canadian history – up by over 78 per cent since 2019,” said Joyce Parslow, executive director of consumer marketing at Canada Beef. “Fresh meat is in demand at food banks but harder to access than non-perishable donations. Ground beef is nutrient-dense, easy to prepare and is familiar across many cultural cuisines so it’s valued by many food bank clients. Through the ground beef and cash contributions from the beef partners in the Burger It Forward program, we’re helping put meat on the table for those in need.”
Burger It Forward runs from Feb. 1 to 29. More information and full list of participating restaurants can be found here.
