Halifax-based Sperri , which makes plant-based meal replacements, has donated 120,000 meals to food banks across Canada. The company said on LinkedIn that it has recently rebranded and decided to donate the meals rather than allow them to go unused past their expiry dates.

“To date, we have partnered locally with Feed Nova Scotia and nationally with the Toronto Vegetarian Food Bank, Food Banks Alberta, and Food Banks BC,” the company said.

Born out of the Sobey School of Business at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Sperri’s drinks are available in supermarket chains and are used by health authorities. Sperri is said to be Canada’s first organic and allergen-free plant-based meal replacement beverage and was founded on the principles of medical nutrition therapy, which uses specific nutrition plans to treat chronic conditions.

The company was co-founded by CEO Gregg Curwin and Dr. Mary Lynch, physician and pain management specialist. A serial entrepreneur, Curwin was the founder of indoor farming company Trueleaf Sustainable Agriculture, which has been taken over by McCain Foods and now does business as Good Leaf Farms.

Curwin teamed up with Lynch in 2019 to found Novagevity, Sperri’s corporate name. Lynch is an expert in pain management who had previously co-founded Panag Pharma, which exited for about $27 million in 2018.

Back in September last year, the company closed a round worth more than $4million to fund a U.S. expansion, and drive product innovation. The round was led by Nàdarra Ventures and supported by Invest Nova Scotia. Sperri also announced in September 2022 it had closed a seed round worth $2.5 million.