About Ideovation

ABOUT IDEOVATION

Established in 2011, Ideovation is a growth strategy consultancy known for its global expertise and visionary approach to designing transformative B2B platforms, partnerships, and campaigns in an ecosystem context. Our diverse clientele spans food-tech and climate-tech innovators; food & beverage manufacturers; foodservice chains, retailers and distributors; investment and financial services firms; agriculture and agri-food associations; business networks; research and innovation hubs; public-private partnerships; and governments.

Examples of our work.

Advisor & Matchmaker for the launch of Bioenterprise's Sustainable Growth and Adoption Program (SGAP) and FoodShift Program: Contracted to help over 60 Ontario agri-tech and food businesses deploy a range of proven technologies that lower costs and CO2e footprints (Scope 1, 2 & 3). Funded in part by Canada's Federal Economic Development Agency of Southern Ontario.
Marketing team building & leadership summit for Tim Hortons (Canada): Included over 20 one-on-one interviews; individual and team dynamics assessments; team-building exercises; long-term brand category and organizational strategy development exercises; and graphic recording.
Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN): Ideovation team developed and executed branding, marketing and communications plans for this new national organization, which helped secure $32 million in funding (over 5 years) from the Government of Canada as well as attract an independent board of directors, innovation advisory council and full-time management team.
Ontario Ingredients for Success: On behalf of Gordon Food Service and in collaboration with six Ontario producer associations (representing 30,000 farmers), 3 Ontario academic institutions and foodservice chains, Ideovation led the design and implementation of a campaign to help foodservice operators (chains and independents) promote their use of local ingredients.
Facilitated co-creation of a "Sustainability Innovation Centre" concept for Partners in Project Green to make it easier for Toronto area IC&I organizations to pilot, adopt and propagate clean techs and eco-solutions. The strategy development project involved interviews and workshop (with corporate leaders in business, sustainability/ ESG, Finance, ICT, Clean Tech and Eco-solutions); model design and report writing.
Global Summit Plant Powered Menus: Produced and hosted by Ideovation, this inaugural Summit was an exclusive gathering of foodservice leaders and their suppliers diving into new plant-inspired trends, ideas, strategies and innovative ingredients.
Wrote a discussion paper on Canada’s Innovation Ecosystem in Support of Food & Beverage Processors for the Government of Canada. Findings were presented at a forum in Ottawa, including federal & provincial government representatives, as well as industry, associations academics
Research and strategy design for a leading North American Food & Beverage Innovation Centre.
Adviser to Agriculture and Agri-food Canada on commercialization of patents.
Championed re-branding of a Canadian producer and processor association with deep interconnected roots into the fabric of food culture.
Marketing and global growth strategies for innovative new products and technologies.

Peter Henderson - Ideovation's Founder, President & CXO

Before starting Ideovation in 2011, Peter's work included the who's who of Canadian food and beverage brands, including: Nestle, Stouffers, Catelli, Healthy Harvest, Classico, McCain, Buy BC, BC Wine Institute and Lynch Foods. Peter helped develop hundreds of new products, brands and categories, generating over $150 million in profit.

Peter has always had a passion for innovation, entrepreneurship and good public policy.

Peter was a Director on the board of the Agri-food Management Institute (AMI) from 2014 to 2019. AMI's mandate was to help enhance business management practices within Ontario's agri-businesses and food & beverage processors; including leadership, innovation and collaboration.

Between 2015 and 2020, Peter wrote 35 articles on Rethinking Innovation for Food in Canada magazine.

In 2013, Peter designed and taught a new 14 week course on Culinary Innovation at Niagara College. The course introduced 3rd year Culinary Innovation and Food Technology students to all aspects of strategic product innovation; from how to uncover insights and generate worthwhile ideas, through to understanding the customer's, end-user's, and consumer's experience with the brand and product.

Peter has curated, emceed, moderated and/or spoken at events, such as:

The Future of Climate & Energy
The Future of Buildings and the Built Environment
Ingredients for the Future of Food
The Future of Plant-Based Foods
Implementing Supply Chain Digitization to Optimize Food Safety Protocols
Global Summit Plant Powered Menus
Capitalizing on Plant-Based Menus: This is Just the Veganing
Local Food Innovation Symposium
The Process of Successful Innovation
Lead with Health, Sustainability and Innovation to Drive Profitable Growth
Socially Conscious Brands Build Customer Appeal and Profits
How to Lead with Innovation in a Competitive Foodservice Market
Driving Sustainable Food Systems through Regional and Culinary Innovation