Big League Food Company Delivers Strong Growth in 2026, Invests for the Next Stage

25% compounded growth since 2024, eight new locations in 2026 and major platform investments

TORONTO, Sept. 21, 2026 /CNW/ -- Big League Food Company ("BLFC"), the food platform behind Dark Horse Espresso Bar, Dear Grain, Village Juicery and Detour Coffee, continues to accelerate its growth across Ontario.

Since its inception in 2024, BLFC has delivered 25% compounded annual growth while investing in the manufacturing and technology platform behind its brands. With eight new locations planned for 2026 and a revenue run rate approaching $70 million going into 2027, BLFC remains firmly on track toward its goal of $100 million in revenue by 2028.

Eight New Locations in 2026

BLFC is on track to grow its retail network to 35 locations by year-end, with eight openings in 2026 alone:

• Village Juicery -- First Canadian Place | May
• Dark Horse -- North London | June
• Dark Horse -- Geary Avenue | June
• Dark Horse -- Sherway Gardens | July
• Dark Horse -- College & Dovercourt | August
• Dark Horse -- 64 Bathurst | September
• Dear Grain -- Summerhill at The James | October
• Dear Grain -- Waterworks, 511 Richmond | Late 2026

Just as important as unit growth is the performance of BLFC's existing stores:

• Dark Horse: +18% same-store sales growth (22 locations by 2026-end).    Great coffee, fast-growing specialty beverages, meaningful food and pastry, and comfortable spaces that drive frequency across multiple dayparts.
• Dear Grain: +25% same-store sales growth (5 locations by 2026-end). Category-leading sales productivity ($150/ft) - combining the ticket size of a premium bakery with the daily frequency of a café.
• Village Juicery: +3% same-store sales growth (8 locations by 2026-end). Broadening beyond plant-based - protein and more everyday menu occasions, expanding the brand's customer base and frequency.

Approximately 90% of store-level growth is being driven by traffic, reinforcing BLFC's confidence that its brands can support significantly larger footprints and continue to grow into regional leadership positions.

Building Today for the Next Stage of Growth

BLFC is investing ahead of that opportunity, building infrastructure designed to support approximately 3x its current scale across its own stores and wholesale business.

A cornerstone is Dear Grain's new 10,000-square-foot bread bakery beside Gage Park in Hamilton. The purpose-built bakery combines significantly greater capacity, state-of-the-art equipment for its team while preserving the craft at the centre of the brand.

BLFC has also launched its new Shopify-powered wholesale platform, now serving more than 650 active wholesale accounts with access to over 700 products, alongside continued investment in manufacturing capacity, its owned delivery fleet and regional logistics network.

"We've consistently grown and executed since coming together in 2024, but the real source of our confidence is the underlying performance of the brands," said Omar Shaheen, Co-Founder of Big League Food Company. "Eight new locations in 2026 is exciting, but strong traffic, same-store sales and customer adoption are what tell us these brands can become regional leaders. We're investing now in the platform required to deliver compounded growth long into the future."

About Big League Food Company

Big League Food Company is a Toronto-based food platform scaling emerging food brands in Ontario. Our current portfolio includes Dark Horse Espresso Bar, Dear Grain, Village Juicery, and Detour Coffee.

Our wholesale network extends these brands beyond our corporate stores, supplying regional partners with high-quality, locally manufactured food and beverage.

Our mission is to build regional champions by preserving the quality, values, and independence that defines them.

SOURCE Big League Food Company

Media Contact: Max Daviau, [email protected], Big League Food Company