Celebrating Resilience, Growth, and Community: Reflections on the 2026 SPICE Graduation

The SPICE Graduation was an evening filled with pride, resilience, and hope, a celebration not only of business growth, but of the women behind each journey. 

“One of the most memorable moments of the evening was witnessing the expressions on the graduates’ faces as they prepared their food tables. There was a visible sense of pride, determination, and excitement as these women realized they were showcasing their food to an audience beyond their existing customers, friends, and families. After months of hard work, dedication, and perseverance, the event marked an important milestone, a moment where their efforts were not only seen but celebrated,” said Natalie Frederick-Wilson, SPICE Lead. 

As Fernanda Cedraz, owner of Maravilha Bakes, beautifully shared in her speech, “Baking became my language when I didn’t have words. It became connection, community, and last year, a business.” 

Equally impactful were the reactions from guests attending the event. Natalie shared that, “watching attendees encourage the women, engage with their stories, and express genuine delight as they tasted new dishes and experienced unfamiliar flavours for the first time was deeply meaningful. The evening created a space for connection, celebration, and recognition of the talent and passion each participant brought to the program.” 

While the graduation marked a significant achievement, it is also an important point within a longer journey. 

“The SPICE program continues to provide 12 months of support, and participants are currently six months into that process. The hope moving forward is that the skills, knowledge, and tools they have gained remain at the forefront as they continue building their businesses. 

Entrepreneurship requires discipline and consistency, and it can be easy to fall back into old, familiar ways of doing business. With continued focus and commitment, these women now have the foundation to stay the course and turn their plans into lasting success,” Natalie explained. 

After finishing the SPICE program, Fernanda reflected that, “SPICE gives women more than business tools: it gives us permission. Permission to dream bigger. Permission to take space. Permission to believe that we can go beyond the mountains we once thought were impossible to cross.” 

This event beautifully reflected the core values and spirit of the SPICE program. Above all, it was a celebration of resilience. 

Natalie expressed that “these women have overcome significant challenges, including language barriers, self-doubt, prejudice, and financial hardship caused by limited access to opportunities. Seeing them stand proudly in a space created to honour their achievements captured the very essence of SPICE.” 

While Fernanda shared that, “the mountains I thought I couldn’t go beyond were never just physical. They were fear, doubt, language barriers, and the belief that I couldn’t go further. But I did. And so did all of us.” 

From the beginning, the program was designed to create meaningful, transformative change, to impact lives, and open doors for women who have historically been underrepresented in the food industry. 

“This program didn’t just teach us about business: it reminded us of our strength, our resilience, and our ability to create opportunities not only for ourselves, but for others,” Fernanda shared. 

That is the heart of SPICE: creating a community where women feel supported, seen, and empowered to succeed. 

Natalie expressed that “the SPICE program simply would not exist without the commitment of funders, sponsors, advocates, mentors, and cheerleaders. Every contribution, whether financial or otherwise, plays a role in changing the status quo for underrepresented women in the food industry.” 

“Every dollar invested helps create opportunities, challenge barriers, and build confidence in women who may not otherwise have access to these spaces. The mentorship and advocacy surrounding the program are equally invaluable, helping women enter new markets, build connections, and access resources that go far beyond financial support.” 

That sense of collective support is what makes SPICE so transformative. 

“There is so much to celebrate in the strength and determination of these women as they continue building their businesses and their futures.” 

“At the same time, it is important to acknowledge the realities they still face. Prejudice, injustice, racism, and bullying continue to impact many of these women’s experiences. There are still voices that question their access to support and communities that continue to withhold resources and opportunities.” 

“This reality cannot be ignored, and it is one of the most important reasons this work must continue,” Natalie shared. 

Perhaps the most powerful takeaway from the evening came from Fernanda: “sometimes we don’t need to see what’s behind the mountains to start walking. We just need courage to take the first step.” 

We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to Minister Greg Morrow and Janine Fraser, Vice President of ACOA, both of whom delivered inspiring speeches at our graduation. The continued support from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and the Department of Agriculture has been instrumental in making the SPICE program possible. We are truly grateful for your ongoing support.  

The SPICE Graduation was not only a celebration of accomplishment, it was a reminder of the resilience of these women and the collective responsibility to continue building a more inclusive and supportive future.