On November 20 in Vancouver, St. Jean’s Cannery was officially inducted into the BC Food & Beverage Hall of Fame during the 2025 Rise Awards. This honour recognizes more than six decades of West Coast tradition, innovation, and community leadership in Canadian seafood. We’re proud to share the full announcement below.
BC Food & Beverage Announces Winners of the 18th Annual Rise Awards
Vancouver, BC (November 21, 2025) – BC Food & Beverage proudly hosted its 18th annual Rise Awards Night on November 20th at the Rocky Mountaineer in Vancouver. The nearly 400 business leaders in attendance celebrated the achievements of BC’s food and beverage processing industry, featuring inspiring speeches, gourmet local products, and ample networking opportunities among industry leaders, producers, and supporters. It was a heartfelt night of celebration that honoured the hard work and dedication of all award finalists and winners.
“The Rise Awards shine a spotlight on the remarkable people and companies who are shaping the future of BC’s food and beverage community,” said James Donaldson, CEO of BC Food & Beverage. “This year’s winners embody the innovation, passion, and commitment that inspire others and continue to grow BC’s reputation for setting a high bar for innovative food and beverage products.”
The Rise Awards recognizes top leaders, companies, and products across 17 diverse categories. This year, Karen Flavelle of Purdys Chocolatier was honoured with the inaugural Doug Ramsay Award of Excellence, while St. Jean’s Cannery was inducted into the BC Food & Beverage Hall of Fame, celebrating over sixty years of quality and innovation in seafood.
BC Food & Beverage congratulates all winners and finalists. We’re excited to continue supporting growth, innovation, and collaboration in the industry and look forward to celebrating many more successes ahead.
LIST OF THE 2025 RISE AWARD WINNERS:
Hall of Fame Inductee – St. Jean’s Cannery
Doug Ramsay Award of Excellence – Karen Flavelle, Purdys Chocolatier
Best in Brand – SmartSweets
Circularity – Greater Vancouver Food Bank
Emerging Business of the Year – Atome Bakery
Export – Blume
Indigenous Led Business of the Year – Sriracha Revolver
Innovation – Mountain Munchies Inc./Enercheez
Leadership – Janik Livera, Maverick Estate Winery
Outstanding Workplace – Health & Safety – Olympic Dairy (Lactalis)
People’s Choice – Purdys Chocolatier
Social Impact – GnuSanté Creations
Sustainability – Joosy – Fresh Direct Produce
Woman Entrepreneur of the Year – Tami Nasu, withinUs Natural
Product of the Year Gold – SURGE™, VEGAIN Nutrition
Product of the Year Silver – Bake-from-proof Traditional Sourdough Loaf, Atome Bakery
Product of the Year Bronze – Tocha Original, Tocha Foods
For more information, visit Rise Awards.
