Ingrid Peignier Leads a Roundtable at the 2nd Annual Biofood Cluster Meeting

On April 1, 2026, Ingrid Peignier, Senior Director of Partnerships and Research Valorization at CIRANO, actively participated in the 2nd Annual Biofood Cluster Meeting, held at Salle Théâtre La Scène in Saint-Hyacinthe. This event, organized by the Biofood Cluster and INAF, provided an opportunity to explore key sector challenges—workforce issues, food accessibility, communication, and sustainable practices—through panels, roundtable discussions, and networking sessions.

A member of the event’s organizing committee, Ingrid Peignier also moderated one of the roundtable discussions, focused on a question at the heart of today’s biofood challenges: What is the respective share of responsibility of industry, government, and research in supporting consumers in adopting healthier and more sustainable eating practices?

Co-moderated with Lara Gasoi, Strategy Director and Partner at Agro Québec, this roundtable also addressed consumer information tools such as the food magnifying glass (“loupe alimentaire”) and their actual impact on eating behaviors. The discussion contributed to a broader collective reflection on the role of different stakeholders in a context where consumers are increasingly exposed to information but are not always sufficiently equipped to make informed choices.

On this occasion, Ingrid Peignier highlighted several key findings from the Barometer of Quebec Consumers’ Trust in Food, developed at CIRANO in collaboration with Nathalie de Marcellis-Warin (Polytechnique Montréal). Now in its fourth edition in 2025, the Barometer has tracked changes in Quebecers’ perceptions, knowledge, and behaviors regarding food since 2019, helping identify the drivers of trust and inform decision-making by government and actors across the food value chain. These findings supported concrete discussions on the most effective levers for strengthening trust and food literacy among Quebec consumers.