Episode 42: Scaling Women-Led Food Businesses, Insights from Industry Expert Greg McLaren
Wed Jan 21 2026
In this episode of Friends of FEADies, host Lindsay Toth is joined by Greg McLaren, Managing Director of Farm Food Drink Inc., for a grounded and insightful conversation on what it truly takes to support and scale women-led food businesses in Canada.
Drawing on his extensive experience working across the food industry, Greg shares why women-led businesses are critical to food sovereignty and resilient local food systems, and why clear pathways, strong support structures, and access to the right information matter at every stage of growth. Together, they unpack the unique challenges women founders face when scaling, from production efficiency and financial tracking to market research and operational readiness.
More
In this episode of Friends of FEADies, host Lindsay Toth is joined by Greg McLaren, Managing Director of Farm Food Drink Inc., for a grounded and insightful conversation on what it truly takes to support and scale women-led food businesses in Canada. Drawing on his extensive experience working across the food industry, Greg shares why women-led businesses are critical to food sovereignty and resilient local food systems, and why clear pathways, strong support structures, and access to the right information matter at every stage of growth. Together, they unpack the unique challenges women founders face when scaling, from production efficiency and financial tracking to market research and operational readiness.