Cardinal Meats is continuing the Cator family’s century-long legacy of quality and innovation in the meat industry  

With a rich heritage and commitment to quality, Cardinal Meats Specialists (Cardinal Meats) is a proudly Canadian, family-owned and operated company that specializes in producing premium, fully cooked proteins and burgers. The business offers a comprehensive portfolio, including burgers, fully cooked entrées, and custom-formulated products for both retail and foodservice.  

The company’s deep roots in the Canadian meat industry date back to 1925, when Jack Cator started a now three generation family business in meats, serving the Canadian market. It expanded rapidly and transitioned into a meat producer before being branded Cardinal Meats Specialists in 1966 by Ralph Cator. Today, Brent Cator, a third generation Cator who has been with the business for more than four decades, serves as President and Owner.   

“Under family leadership, Cardinal Meats has become synonymous with food safety, innovation, and industry-first technologies,” Brent shares. “We pioneered the commercialization of sous vide in North America, transformed patty production with Tenderform™ and Natural Texture Forming™ burger technologies, and we continue to lead the market as the world’s most diversified burger producer.  

“What truly sets us apart is our commitment to a solutions-first approach; we don’t just deliver products, we solve problems. Whether it’s enhancing food safety, reducing labor in commercial kitchens, or creating innovative new product formats, we partner closely with our customers to support their goals. Our technology is years ahead of industry standards, and while it’s often imitated, it’s never duplicated. Every product we make is backed by rigorous safety protocols and a culture of continuous innovation.  

“We serve a wide range of sectors including food service, retail, industrial clients, co-manufacturing partners, and club stores like Costco. Our flexibility and expertise position us as a strategic partner across the food industry, from co-developing a product with a national restaurant chain to helping a grocery partner launch a new category. As consumer expectations evolve, we’re always evaluating new opportunities to expand our reach and help our customers respond to the market quickly and effectively.  

“When it comes to innovation, staying ahead of the curve is in our DNA,” he adds. “We bring together global partners to share insights, technologies, and trends to fuel our product development and help us predict consumer demands. Built on trust, curiosity, and a shared goal of feeding people better, we’ve also established a collaborative model with our retail and foodservice customers to co-develop new products.”  

Commitment to quality 

Cardinal Meats strives to reduce its environmental impact. Across the business, recent initiatives include replacing refrigerator AC motors with DC variable frequency motors to cut energy use, capturing waste heat from air compressors for winter heating, and installing pipe orifice flow reducers to conserve water and reduce load on municipal wastewater systems.   

Considering the company’s commitment to quality and continuous improvement, Cardinal Meats has not slowed down, instead driving innovation in honor of this year’s centennial Cator family milestone. Brent elaborates: “We recently launched Sous Chef by Cardinal™, a line of fully cooked, restaurant-inspired entrées that are ready in minutes. These are ideal for busy families seeking affordable alternatives to takeout, and they’re now available at major retailers like Walmart and Costco across Canada.  

“To celebrate the Cator family’s century in the meat industry, we introduced the Cardinal Roadhouse Smash™ Burger, honoring my grandfather Jack and his first delivery truck on the package! Cardinal Roadhouse Smash™ Burger is a premium burger designed to bring the ‘smash’ trend home, and it’s available nationally at Costco, Metro and Giant Tiger  and has been enthusiastically received.  

“In response to the rising popularity of global flavors, we also launched a Korean BBQ Burger under the Cardinal Roadhouse label – another product born out of our commitment to flavor innovation,” he reveals. “More product launches are on the way; we’re continuing to mark our 100-year milestone and preparing to celebrate 60 years of the Cardinal Meats brand in 2026 by creating meaningful meal solutions that serve both foodservice and retail markets.” 

On the topic of the centennial celebration, Brent reflects on the company’s longevity. “The ‘Cator 100 Years’ celebration is a monumental milestone for us,” he states. “We launched the ‘100 Years, 100 Stories’ campaign to honor our team and partners, gathering stories from employees, customers, and suppliers across our history, which will be shared on our digital platforms throughout the year. We’re also hosting an employee appreciation week with events like a company-wide BBQ, games, and community engagement with special guests. 

“The family element of Cardinal Meats is foundational to our success. It fosters loyalty, integrity, and long-term thinking, and it’s why our customers trust us as partners, not just providers. We recognize that our team is the true heart of the business, and many of our employees have been with us for over 20 years with an average full-time tenure of more than a decade.  

“As a company built on family values that is woven through every aspect of our business, we prioritize a strong culture that focuses on employee wellbeing, recognition, and development. From appreciation events and team lunches to mentorship and professional growth opportunities, we are committed to creating an environment where people can thrive. We empower employees to bring forward new ideas, and many of our most successful innovations have come directly from staff across various departments. Our culture fosters curiosity, risk-taking, collaboration, and courage and is the kind that invites employees to take ownership, make an impact, and grow with us.”  

You Can with Cardinal 

Looking ahead, Cardinal Meats will continue to operate as a world-class, solutions-first partner. “Our focus remains on providing high-quality, food-safe products that respond to both consumer needs and industry trends,” Brent says. “We’re investing in new technologies, expanding our product lines, and nurturing talent within our teams, all with the goal of feeding Canadian families for generations to come.  

“In uncertain times, reliability matters, and that’s where Cardinal excels,” he concludes. “Our customers and partners know we will deliver, no matter what. That dependability comes from our dedicated team and our relentless pursuit of a better way to do things. As a team, we ‘believe there is a better way,’ and as our mission statement says: ‘You Can with Cardinal.’”   

www.cardinalmeats.com