Sprague’s Pantry Upgrade Starts Here

How a shared commitment to quality, innovation, and deeply rooted Canadian values unlocked new possibilities across soups, chilli, and more, bringing together the legacy of five generations of food craftsmanship with cutting food innovation to reimagine what clean-label comfort food can look like.

This partnership didn’t just enhance existing products; it created a new benchmark for taste, nutrition, and sustainability in shelf-stable foods.

Sprague Foods team showcasing canned soups and baked beans, highlighting clean-label, mycelium-enhanced products developed in partnership with Maia Farms for sustainable, fungi-powered nutrition.

Sprague Foods production leader standing in front of industrial canning equipment with canned goods, showcasing food innovation and manufacturing capabilities behind Maia Farms' mycelium-powered product integration

Before Maia: The Challenge

Sprague Foods—a fifth-generation, family-owned Canadian company has built its legacy on transparency, nutrition, and uncompromising quality. As plant-forward demand accelerated and their national retail presence grew, Sprague identified an opportunity to modernize key recipes with future-focused ingredients.

Their goal was clear: upgrade a series of soups and chilis, Thai Coconut “Chicken,” Chicken & Rice, Triple Bean Chili, White Bean Chili, Sloppy Joe Chili, and Hot Dog Chili, using a clean-label protein that offered rich nutrition, satisfying texture, and aligned with their commitment to Canadian sourcing and sustainability.

What they needed wasn’t just an ingredient. They needed a partner, one that could scale, innovate, and bring these new formulations to life without compromising what Sprague stands for.

Enter Maia Farms: The Solution

Maia Farms partnered with Sprague to integrate FORM™, our clean-label, mycelium-based protein made from whole oyster mushrooms and Canadian-grown peas, into a wide range of ready-to-eat products. Available in GROUNDS and SHRED formats, FORM™ offered the neutral flavour, satisfying texture, and versatility needed to perform across diverse applications.

From the shredded bite in Chicken & Rice, to the depth of flavour in Thai Coconut “Chicken,” to the structure required in hearty offerings like Sloppy Joe Chili, Hot Dog Chili, and Triple Bean Chili, FORM™ delivered consistent results. It held up through long cook times, layered seasonings, and complex processing without the need for binders or flavour masking.

This partnership was more than transactional, it was an integrated collaboration focused on thoughtful iteration, rapid development cycles, and deep respect for the craft of food making.

Key Results

Improved Texture & Mouthfeel
FORM™’s natural fibrousness replicated the chew and density of shredded chicken, elevating sensory experience across all four SKUs.

Clean Label, Better Nutrition
Maia’s ingredients enhanced protein content without fillers or binders, keeping Sprague’s label simple and its nutritional panel strong.

Retail-Ready Differentiation
These upgraded SKUs opened the door to new conversations with retailers seeking plant-forward innovation and sustainability stories that resonate.

Category Leadership
With Maia’s FORM™, Sprague reinforced its role as a leading Canadian innovator, balancing heritage with forward-looking solutions.

Sprague family team standing beside a branded delivery truck holding a case of Sprague canned goods, representing trusted Canadian food manufacturing partners of Maia Farms.

Why it matters

Sprague’s expansion into plant-forward meals wasn’t just about meeting demand, it was about leading it. By choosing Maia Farms, they proved that better-for-you products don’t need to compromise on taste, functionality, or label integrity. We delivered high-protein, shelf-stable meals that reflect where the market is going: toward clean, nutrient-dense, and scalable solutions.

This collaboration sets a new precedent for what’s possible when food makers and ingredient innovators work together, grounded in values, committed to quality, and focused on building a better food future, one meal at a time.

"At Sprague, we’ve always believed you can’t cut corners when it comes to good food. Working with Maia Farms allowed us to improve our products while protecting everything that makes them special, flavour, texture, integrity, and trust. Together, we’re proving that innovation and tradition can absolutely coexist"

Rick Sprague - CEO

Mycelium-Based Protein

Maia’s FRESH™ Mycelium is the result of years of dedicated R&D, using liquid-state biomass fermentation and a strategically selected strain. Unlike others in the space, Maia has intentionally taken a different approach, optimizing both strain selection and process innovation to deliver a fresh mycelial material that stands apart.

Mycelium vs. Soy

Traditional plant proteins such as soy are extracted directly from soybeans and often come with significant drawbacks. Soy can present allergen risks, fluctuating nutritional quality, and environmental concerns due to resource-intensive cultivation. In contrast, our mycelium-based protein is cultivated from the intricate network of edible fungi. This process naturally produces a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids, along with abundant fiber, and minerals. The result is a nutrient-dense ingredient with a true umami flavor and meaty texture that elevates every culinary creation while sidestepping soy’s common pitfalls.

The Science 

Groundbreaking research meets centuries-old wisdom. At the heart of Maia Farms' innovation is our Fungal Intelligence Lab, where we harness cutting-edge biotechnology to optimize mycelium cultivation. By integrating AI and machine learning with fermentation science, we continuously refine our processes to enhance nutrition, texture, and scalability.

Why Maia FRESH™ Mycelium Wins

Our mycelium-based protein stands apart as a whole-food, naturally occurring ingredient that requires minimal processing. It offers a neutral taste profile and delivers superior nutritional and functional benefits without the allergenic risks of soy or the quality and safety challenges associated with mold-based fermentation. Food manufacturers seeking to overcome these common industry pain points can trust our mycelium-based protein as a superior, dependable foundation for innovative culinary creations.

Mushroom Mycelium vs. Mold-Derived Mycelium

Many competitors rely on mold-based fermentation to produce mycelium, a method that can lead to inconsistent flavor profiles and safety concerns. We instead use strains derived from food-grade mushrooms. This deliberate choice ensures a neutral, clean taste and strict quality control, making our product a reliable choice for robust soups, artisanal sauces, and innovative meat alternatives. Our mushroom mycelium integrates seamlessly into recipes, delivering consistent, high-quality protein without the off-flavors or variability often seen in mold-based fermentation.