Look, we're not going to waste your time with corporate speak. If you're reading this, you probably care about your community's food security. Maybe you're tired of paying $28 for a head of lettuce flown in from down south. Maybe you're worried about elders not getting fresh vegetables. Maybe you've got traditional foods that need proper storage but no good way to do it. Maybe you want to create jobs for your youth that keep them home.
We get it, and we want to have a real conversation about how we can help.
Who We Are (The Short Version)
Canobi is a Canadian ag-tech company based in Ontario. We've been doing this for over 11 years - we're not some startup that's going to disappear next year. Our CEO, Robin, spent 30 years in IT before getting into farming tech. He started solving problems with his aquarium, realized the same tech could grow food, and here we are.
We work with First Nations communities because you folks are dealing with the hardest food security challenges in the country. If our tech works for you, it'll work for anyone. Plus, we actually care about doing this right.
What We Actually Do
Here's the thing most people don't get: We're not just selling you a fancy greenhouse.
Yeah, we have growing systems (VF.1000 for 1,000 plants, VF.100 for 100 plants, and Drop-n-Grow modules that are full buildings). But that's just hardware.
What really matters is Canobi.ONE - think of it like having a really smart farm manager who never sleeps, never forgets anything, and keeps track of everything happening with your food operations.
It monitors your growing environment, but also:
- Tracks all your inventory (seeds, plants, harvested food, supplies)
- Manages your money (costs, sales, profitability)
- Coordinates your team (tasks, schedules, training)
- Keeps records for health inspectors and grant reports
- Works even when your internet is sketchy
- Runs on your phone, tablet, or computer
It's complete food sovereignty intelligence, not just climate control.
Why This Matters for Food Sovereignty
Food sovereignty isn't just about growing lettuce. It's about your community controlling your entire food system.
Growing Fresh Food Year-Round
Grow lettuce, herbs, spinach, kale - fresh, local, way cheaper than flying it in. Our systems work in -40°C winters. One community member told us they hadn't eaten a fresh salad in 6 months before getting their system.
Canobi.ONE tracks what you're growing, when it'll be ready, what it costs, and where it's going (community members, elder care, school lunches, commercial sales).
Preserving Traditional Foods Properly
This is huge and nobody talks about it enough.
You hunt moose? Fish? Forage berries and medicines? You need proper storage and processing facilities that keep traditional methods alive while meeting modern health standards.
Drop-n-Grow modules aren't just for growing plants. Communities can use them for:
- Meat curing and smoking - proper temperature and humidity control
- Fish processing and cold storage - from net to freezer with food safety tracking
- Medicine drying and storage - proper conditions for preserving traditional medicines
- Berry processing - turn seasonal harvests into year-round food security
Canobi.ONE tracks inventory from harvest to storage, distribution, food safety documentation, and costs.
Making Existing Operations Better
Already have a greenhouse or community garden? Great! You don't need to replace it.
Our automated monitoring, automated dosing, and automated control systems retrofit what you already have:
- Add sensors for 24/7 monitoring
- Automate watering and climate control
- Track everything for better planning
- Let elders check on things from their phones
Creating Real Jobs and Training
Food sovereignty means your young people have reasons to stay home. Our systems create jobs: growing operators, processing workers, distribution coordinators, technical operators.
The training isn't just "push this button." It's plant biology, food safety, business management, and modern technology - skills that transfer to other opportunities.
Actually Making Money (Or At Least Breaking Even)
Let's be honest: a lot of food security projects depend on grants forever. That's not sovereignty, that's dependency.
Canobi.ONE shows you the real numbers:
- What does it cost to grow a head of lettuce?
- What can you sell it for?
- Are you making money, breaking even, or losing money?
- What needs to change to be sustainable?
Proving It to Funders
Grant applications want technical specs, budgets, ROI projections, timelines, compliance plans - stuff that's hard to pull together.
We help with that. We know what Indigenous Services Canada and provincial programs require. We provide technical specifications, realistic budgets, implementation timelines, letters of support, and compliance documentation.
Once you get funding, Canobi.ONE generates all the reports funders want - production, costs, community impact, everything.
Real Examples: Muskeg Lake Cree Nation - Saskatchewan
Muskeg Lake has taken a comprehensive approach to food sovereignty. They've installed a VF.1000 system for growing fresh greens and herbs, and they've also invested in a Drop-n-Grow module to address their traditional meat processing needs. This shows the flexibility of our approach - one community using our systems for both modern indoor growing and traditional food preservation.
Steve Wiggs from Muskeg Lake: "We can't say enough about Canobi Tech's efforts to support us. Robin and his team far surpassed my previous experiences with consultants. We appreciate their business ethics of caring for the earth and people alongside running a business."
That's the relationship we're building - actual partnership, not just selling equipment.
We Work With What You Have
We don't force proprietary systems. Got a greenhouse? We'll add sensors and automation. Got outdoor gardens? We'll help you manage them better. Want to start small? Get a Canobi 100 Plant System and scale up later.
We're technology-agnostic - we work with over 100 sensor types and equipment brands. No vendor lock-in.
We Understand Remote and Northern Challenges
- Sketchy internet? Our systems work offline and sync when connectivity is available
- Extreme cold? Drop-n-Grow modules rated for -40°C to +40°C
- Hard to get parts? Lifetime parts replacement with active subscription
- Need support? 24/7 remote monitoring plus on-site technicians if needed
We Actually Care About Getting This Right
- We listen first. Every community is different
- We move at your pace. Community decision-making takes time - that's fine
- We respect traditional knowledge. We support traditional foods and medicines
- We build capacity. Train your people so you're not dependent on us
- We're transparent. You own all your data. No hidden fees. No surprises
The Money Actually Works
We're not going to lie - our systems aren't cheap upfront. But:
- VF.1000 systems typically pay for themselves in 18-24 months
- Processing facilities can become sustainable through value-added sales
- Existing operation upgrades often pay for themselves in one growing season
And we help you access government funding that covers most or all of the initial cost.
What Happens Next?
1. Let's Have a Conversation (Free)
Call, email, video chat - whatever works. We want to understand your community's goals, current operations, challenges, and funding opportunities.
No pressure, no sales pitch. Just a real conversation about whether we can help.
2. We Do a Feasibility Study (Also Free)
If it seems like a good fit, we'll do a detailed assessment: systems recommendations, complete costs, revenue potential, funding programs, implementation timeline, and ROI projections.
You get a complete report for grant applications or community decision-making - even if you decide not to work with us.
3. You Decide What Makes Sense
Start small with a VF.100? Retrofit your existing greenhouse? Go big with a Drop-n-Grow facility? Like Muskeg Lake, combine growing and processing? Need time to pursue funding? This isn't the right time?
Whatever makes sense for your community, that's what we support.
4. If You Move Forward, We're With You
Grant application help, professional installation, complete training, ongoing support (24/7 monitoring, remote help, on-site visits), connection to other First Nations communities, and regular check-ins.
The Bottom Line
Food sovereignty means controlling your own food system - from seed to table, from hunt to storage, from harvest to sale.
Canobi provides the intelligence platform that makes that possible: monitoring, automation, inventory management, financial tracking, compliance documentation, team coordination - everything you need to run professional food operations that serve your community's goals.
Whether that's growing fresh vegetables year-round, properly processing traditional foods, improving existing gardens, creating jobs, or building commercial food enterprises - we can help.
We're not selling equipment. We're partnering with communities to build real, sustainable food sovereignty.
Let's Talk
No sales pressure. Just honest conversation about how we might be able to help your community.
📧 Email: partnerships@canobi.one
📱 Phone: 1-800-CANOBI-1 (1-800-226-6241)
🌐 Website: https://www.canobi.one
Tell us:
- Your community name and location
- Your name and role
- What food security challenges you're facing
- What you're thinking about doing
We'll get back to you within 24 hours to set up a conversation at your convenience - phone, video, or in person if we're in your region.
Want to talk to other First Nations communities using Canobi? We can connect you with folks willing to share their experiences - the good, the challenges, and what they've learned.
We've been making farms smarter since 2013.
Now let's make your community's food system stronger.