New Research Shows Almost Half of Canadians are Confused by Environmental Terminology

Maple Leaf Foods unveils Green Glossary and 'Little Changes, Big Impact' campaign to
educate consumers on positive impacts they can make to support the environment

MISSISSAUGA, ON, April 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (TSX: MFI), a leading North American producer of high-quality, sustainable protein products, and the world's first major carbon-neutral food company, announces the launch of its 'Little Changes, Big Impact' campaign today with a helpful Green Glossary resource to make it easier for Canadian families to learn more about sustainability and what they can do to help the planet.

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The company launched the campaign after a recent study¹ it commissioned revealed that although 92% of Canadians know they have a duty to protect the environment, 52% don't know where to start and nearly half (42%) are confused by environmental terminology, such as 'carbon neutrality' and 'regenerative agriculture'. To help make sense of sustainability, the company introduced the Maple Leaf Foods Green Glossary, which simplifies complex environmental terminology and defines it in a way that the whole family can understand. The glossary also provides some 'Little Changes, Big Impact' tips that offer eco-friendly, easy-to-incorporate actions to preserve the planet for future generations.

Climate Change, Carbon Emissions… and Confusion

For decades, Canadians have been bombarded with messages that paint a picture of a planet in distress, yet the research revealed that less than half (44%) of consumers can accurately define the term 'carbon neutrality'. By building understanding, Maple Leaf Foods hopes to empower Canadians to act.

"Little changes can have a big impact on the environment, not just on Earth Day, but every day. While Canadians have the best of intentions, our research reveals there's a gap in knowledge. It's time to put pride aside, walk the talk and inform ourselves about technical terms," says Tim Faveri, Vice-President of Sustainability and Shared Value, Maple Leaf Foods.

Maple Leaf Foods' sustainability experts compiled a go-to Green Glossary which zeroes in on 12 environmental terms with high search volumes that it hopes will increase awareness, provide simple ways to look after the planet and encourage families to engage on Earth Day and beyond.

The top five most searched for terms per month at the time of compilation² included:

1. Climate Change
2. Global Warming
3. Renewable Energy
4. Greenhouse Gas
5. Fossil Fuels

Why Maple Leaf Foods is Leading the Charge

The protein industry plays an enormous role in nourishing billions of people, but also consumes resources and impacts our planet. As the world's first major carbon neutral food company, Maple Leaf Foods continuously works toward more sustainable food production and a more sustainable protein industry. Maple Leaf Foods is dedicated to finding new ways to make its carbon footprint smaller through successful initiatives, which help to decrease its water and energy use, reduce waste and embrace sustainable packaging.

The company believes the best way to drive change is by addressing the significant environmental and social challenges that we face as a society. This has led to Maple Leaf Foods being ranked third globally and first in North America on the 2021 Coller FAIRR Protein Producer Index, the world's only comprehensive sustainability ranking of the 60 largest publicly traded animal protein producers.

To access the Maple Leaf Foods Green Glossary and learn about little changes everyone can make for a big impact on the planet, visit: https://www.mapleleaf.ca/carbonneutral/green-glossary

About Maple Leaf Foods Inc.

Maple Leaf Foods is a carbon neutral company with a vision to be the most sustainable protein company on earth, responsibly producing food products under leading brands including Maple Leaf^®, Maple Leaf Prime^®, Maple Leaf Natural Selections^®, Schneiders^®, Schneiders^® Country Naturals^®, Mina^®, Greenfield Natural Meat Co.^®, Lightlife^® and Field Roast™. The Company employs approximately 13,500 people and does business primarily in Canada, the U.S. and Asia. The Company is headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario and its shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (MFI).

^{1 About this Study: These are the findings of a study commissioned by Maple Leaf Foods among a nationally representative sample of 1,532 Canadians who are members of the online Angus Reid Forum, balanced and weighted on age, gender, region and education. For comparison purposes only, a sample of this size would yield a margin of error of +/- 2.4 percentage points at a 95% confidence level. The study was conducted in English and French from March 17-21, 2022.}

^{2 Data drawn from Google on March 15 2022.}

SOURCE Maple Leaf Foods Inc.