Exclusive: Canadian plant-based seafood startup Konscious Foods ceases operations

Canadian plant-based fish and shellfish start-up Konscious Foods stopped procedures previously this year, AgFunderNews has actually discovered.

E-mails to business directors currently cause a computerized action clarifying that, “Like lots of in the North American food market, unanticipated adjustments in US-Canada profession relationships integrated with headwinds in the plant-based food industry have actually dramatically affected Konscious Foods.

” It is with remorse that we share our key guaranteed lending institution has actually released a need letter and a notification of objective to apply their protection. This activity has actually inevitably caused the cessation of Konscious procedures and the pending transfer of our possessions.”

The primary number at the company’s head office is no more in solution and the site is down.

One market resource informed AgFunderNews that the company– which generated previous Daiya chief executive officer Michael Watt as head of state and COO in very early 2025– had actually been “proactively looking for possibilities for funding/merger/re-capitalization” and checking out co-manufacturing possibilities overseas, yet had actually probably been not successful. “All the workers I recognized that dealt with them are gone. They are no more in service.”

Potvin and Watt did not reply to ask for remark.

‘ Eventually you need to earn a profit’

Konscious Foods was started in 2020 by food market professional and characteristically experienced cook Yves Potvin– that developed and offered 2 effective brand names: Yves Veggie Cuisine ( offered to Hain Celestial in 2001) and Gardein ( offered to Peak Foods, currently component of Conagra Brands, in 2014).

It increased CAD$ 26 million ($ 18.9 million) in mid-2023 from backers consisting of Protein Industries Canada, Zynik Capital and Walter Group, and introduced a more CAD $5 million in late February 2025 from government financial growth firm Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan) although AgFunderNews recognizes these funds were gotten a lot previously.

The company, which ran a 34,000 square feet center in Richmond, British Columbia, made icy plant-based sushi, onigri treats, and poke bowls for retail and had actually likewise developed a foodservice service. The dishes were 100% plant-based, and “natural where feasible.”

Speaking With AgFunderNews after introducing the financing round in 2023, Potvin claimed he wanted to enter into 4,500 grocery stores in The United States and Canada by the end of the year: “We are a plant-based service, yet that’s not just how I consider the affordable collection. I’m running a food service; it has to do with procedures, margins, branding, and customer trust fund, which holds true whether you’re plant-based or otherwise.”

He included: “It’s wonderful to alter the globe. However you’re still running a service and eventually you need to earn a profit.”

The article Exclusive: Canadian plant-based seafood startup Konscious Foods ceases operations showed up initially on AgFunderNews.