For over 15 years, Groupe Export Agri-Food has been celebrating excellence in agri-food export through the Alizés Awards, presented annually during a prestigious gala held alongside SIAL Canada. For Rustica, recipient of the 2024 FCC Large Company Award, this recognition marked a true turning point in their journey.
Based on the island of Montréal, Rustica specializes in the production of frozen pizzas. The company has experienced remarkable growth, particularly in international markets, driven by a combination of product innovation, agile management, and a strong export strategy beyond Quebec.
After years of operating under private label contracts, this proudly Quebec-based company launched its own Rustica brand. In just three years, the brand has landed in the freezers of Canada’s three largest grocery chains and has become the #2 frozen pizza brand in Canada—and the #1 in stuffed crust pizzas!
Participating in the Alizés Awards gave Rustica valuable visibility and recognition within the agri-food ecosystem far beyond its usual network. “Winning an Alizés Award gets you noticed. It helped us showcase our strategy and know-how,” says Isabella D’Ovidio, Director of Sales and Marketing.
Even more significantly, this recognition contributed directly to the company’s evolution. Key investors like EDC and the Fonds de solidarité FTQ approached Rustica after discovering them through the Alizés Awards. These two organizations went on to become major financial partners in the company’s new $65M plant project. “It was an unexpected lever. The award clearly helped reassure and attract investors,” Isabella adds.
The impact has also been felt internally: greater team pride, increased engagement, and a stronger employer brand. “All departments were in the spotlight. It became a reason to celebrate.”
Rustica’s story is a clear example of everything an Alizés Award can offer. Groupe Export and its partners encourage Canadian companies to apply for the next edition the call for entries will open soon. Visibility, credibility, reach, new partners: participating is more than just a trophy—it’s a powerful growth accelerator.
