Israeli food technology company Eshbal Functional Food Inc. has partnered with Toronto-based Queen St. Bakery to produce its Barili gluten-free pita bread and expand its North American footprint. The collaboration is set to begin commercial production in the first quarter of 2026, following final packaging approvals.

Under the agreement, Eshbal provides proprietary production equipment and product-specific know-how, while supplying its proprietary flour blend. Remaining ingredients will be sourced locally to optimise cost, quality, and supply chain efficiency. Avi Markus, Chief Commercial Officer for North America at Eshbal, stated: “This agreement represents a significant operational milestone for Eshbal as we continue to build our North American platform. Working with Queen St. Bakery enables us to localize production, align shipment schedules and ensure first-rate quality with a trusted manufacturing partner.”

Queen St. Bakery, founded in 2018 by Giovanni Angelucci, produces certified gluten-free baked goods, including bagels, bread, muffins, and buns enriched with superfoods such as chia, flax, and millet seeds. Tony Ayala, President of Queen St. Bakery, said: “We’re excited to partner with Eshbal to support the local production of their gluten-free pita products. We believe these products fill a significant gap in the market. We look forward to working closely with the Eshbal team.”

The partnership supports Eshbal’s strategy to grow North American operations, complementing recent acquisitions including New York-based Dare 2 Be Different Foods and Israel-based Swonder Bread. The company now operates a 60,000-square-foot facility in Israel producing over 300 SKUs, including more than 80 proprietary gluten-free items, and is targeting mainstream US grocers with efficient distribution from Toronto.

Follow the full details on how Eshbal’s Canadian partnership is transforming gluten-free food manufacturing across North America.

(Photo Credits to Eshbal Functional Food Inc.)