Felicia expands into Canada with 800 stores and Ontario pasta plant

Felicia is moving into Canada with a rollout that looks less like a specialty-food experiment and more like a full-scale grocery play. The brand says it is entering the market in more than 800 stores across major national retailers, a sharp signal that better-for-you pasta is no longer being parked in the corner of the aisle for a narrow gluten-free audience.

The bigger story sits in London, Ontario, where Felicia is now using its North American manufacturing base to back that expansion. The company describes the facility as a 65,000-square-foot allergen- and gluten-free plant that has been built up with a $55 million investment. It currently employs 28 people, with staffing expected to reach 40 by the end of 2026, and it has room to produce as much as 15,000 tonnes a year across two production lines. That kind of capacity matters. It suggests Felicia is not just chasing trial; it is building for repeat orders, retailer confidence, and faster replenishment.

That London plant also gives the brand a cleaner story on sourcing and supply than many imported pasta lines can manage. Ontario first announced Andriani’s investment in the city on January 15, 2024, putting the project at $33.6 million and 42 projected jobs. The plant officially opened in October 2025 as Andriani’s first North American production facility, and trade coverage put its size at 61,225 square feet at launch. Felicia’s new materials now place the footprint at 65,000 square feet, a small but telling update that reflects how quickly this operation has moved from provincial investment announcement to scaled manufacturing platform.

Felicia is also leaning hard into formulation, not just health claims. Its Organic Oat Penne is made from 51% whole oat and is described as naturally gluten-free and a good source of fiber and beta-glucans. The company says the product delivers three times more fibre than regular gluten-free pasta on the market, which is exactly the kind of number that can change how shoppers read the shelf tag. This is not about asking people to settle for a substitute. It is about trying to make a different kind of pasta feel like the better everyday choice.

The market timing is favorable. Felicia’s launch materials say pasta reaches 85% household penetration in Canada, which helps explain why the country is attractive for a premium health-focused entrant. The Organic Oat Penne also picked up a 2026 NEXTY Award from Expo West, where nearly 1,000 products were entered across 37 categories, giving the brand an industry stamp that goes beyond marketing copy. Add in the company’s carbon-neutral manufacturing in 2025, powered by renewable energy and resource-efficient systems, and Felicia is clearly positioning itself as a mature category player. For better-for-you pasta, this looks less like a niche launch and more like the next stage of mainstream shelf competition.