What if Canada's food insecurity crisis isn't actually about a shortage of food? On this episode of The FEED powered by Loblaw, Michael LeBlanc travels to Vancouver to meet David Long, CEO of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, who's transforming one of Canada's largest food banks into an innovation powerhouse. From freeze-dried strawberries and surplus mandarin juice to fresh food partnerships with farmers and retailers, David is proving that the future of food security is about smarter distribution—not more waste. It's an inspiring conversation about leadership, sustainability, and reinventing an entire sector.
On this episode of The FEED powered by Loblaw, host Michael LeBlanc travels to Vancouver for a remarkable conversation with David Long, CEO of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, about reimagining what a modern food bank can—and should—be.
Forget everything you think you know about food banks.
Under David's leadership, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank has transformed from a traditional emergency food provider into one of North America's most innovative food recovery organizations. Rather than relying on donated canned goods and expired pantry items, David has built a sophisticated operation focused on rescuing fresh, nutritious food, reducing waste, supporting farmers, and creating sustainable new revenue streams.
David shares his extraordinary journey from apprentice chef in Ireland to leading one of Canada's largest food banks, revealing how a passion for leadership and systems thinking inspired a complete rethink of food distribution. Today, more than 80% of the food distributed by the Greater Vancouver Food Bank is fresh, with some weeks reaching an incredible 90%.
Michael and David explore why food insecurity isn't caused by a shortage of food, but by a failure of distribution. They discuss innovative partnerships with farmers, retailers, distributors and food manufacturers that rescue millions of pounds of perfectly good food before it reaches landfill. David explains how provincial farmer tax credits are unlocking surplus production, why infrastructure—not food supply—is Canada's biggest challenge, and how strategic investments in refrigeration, warehousing, freeze-drying and transportation could fundamentally reshape food security nationwide.
The conversation also highlights remarkable examples of innovation, including freeze-dried strawberries, fresh mandarin orange juice created from surplus fruit, partnerships with retailers including Loblaw, collaborations with organizations like YMCA BC, and new approaches that transform rescued food into premium products that help fund future operations.
David also offers an honest assessment of Canada's growing food insecurity crisis, explaining why demand has tripled during his tenure while emphasizing that solutions already exist—if governments, industry, charities and consumers are willing to work together. The discussion covers rising demand among seniors, working Canadians, newcomers and families, while making a compelling case that innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurial thinking—not simply more donations—represent the future of food security.