KUNANA BANANA MILK TAKES THE SPOTLIGHT AT SIAL INNOVATION CANADA
Since its first edition in Paris in 1996, SIAL Innovation has become one of the food industry’s leading platforms for identifying the products and ideas shaping tomorrow’s market. The competition acts as a global barometer of culinary innovation, highlighting the solutions that respond to changing consumer expectations, new uses, sustainability challenges and emerging business opportunities.
Each year, juries of experts across SIAL Network events evaluate products according to strict criteria, including originality, quality, practicality and potential market impact. The winners of national SIAL Innovation competitions are then given wider visibility through the SIAL Network and the World Champions Tour, connecting standout innovations with international buyers, distributors and food industry professionals.
Food innovation can begin with a simple question: what if an overlooked ingredient could become something entirely new? At SIAL Canada, Kunana’s banana milk stood out as one of these innovations. Made from upcycled bananas, dairy-free and designed to perform like milk, the product brings a fresh proposition to the plant-based category. Available in unsweetened and chocolate versions, Kunana combines smooth texture, subtle taste, plant-based protein, potassium, electrolytes and vitamins, while addressing the issue of food waste.
Santiago Stacey, Chief Banana Officer at Kunana, explains how childhood memories from Ecuador and the search for better plant-based options came together to create what the brand calls the “banana revolution.”
Can you tell us the story behind Kunana and how the idea of creating banana milk first came about?
I grew up in Ecuador, one of the largest banana-exporting countries in the world, where bananas are part of everyday life. One of my favorite childhood drinks was a homemade banana shake called “platanada.” Years later, after moving to Canada I kept thinking about two realities happening at the same time: consumers were searching for better dairy alternatives, while millions of bananas were being discarded simply because they didn’t meet cosmetic standards.
That became the inspiration behind Kunana: rescuing and transforming overlooked bananas into something delicious, functional, and sustainable. We wanted to create a product that combined nostalgia, innovation, and purpose in a completely new category.
Kunana’s banana milk was designed to “perform like milk.” What does that mean in practical terms for consumers and foodservice professionals?
From the beginning, we knew Kunana couldn’t just taste good, it also needed to function like traditional milk in everyday use. For consumers, that means a creamy texture that works naturally in coffee, smoothies, cereal, baking, or simply enjoyed on its own.
For foodservice professionals, especially cafés and smoothie shops, “performing like milk” means frothing well for lattes and cappuccinos, blending smoothly, and delivering consistency in recipes. One of the biggest surprises after launch was discovering how well Kunana performs as a barista option, which has opened opportunities within coffee culture and foodservice.
Why did you choose to participate in the Innovation Awards competition and how was your experience at SIAL Canada 2026?
It was an incredible experience. It was the first major stage where we introduced banana milk to the industry at scale, and the response from retailers, distributors, buyers, and consumers exceeded our expectations. It confirmed there was real excitement around both the product itself and the mission behind the brand.
In your view, why do you think the jury chose Kunana Banana Milk? What makes Kunana successful today?
I believe the jury recognised that Kunana is bringing genuine innovation to a mature category. Most dairy alternatives today are incremental variations of oat, almond, or soy. Kunana introduces bananas as an entirely new base while combining sustainability, functionality, and strong consumer appeal.
The product also connects emotionally with people. There’s a nostalgic familiarity to banana milk, but at the same time it feels modern, fresh, and mission-driven. Consumers understand the problem we’re solving around food waste, but they also come back because the product tastes great.
What makes Kunana successful today is that balance between purpose and product. Sustainability may spark curiosity, but taste and performance drive repeat purchases.
What’s next for Kunana? Are there new flavours, formats, or product developments that you are working on?
We see Kunana evolving into a full banana-based platform. Right now we’re focused on scaling our current lineup and expanding distribution across Canada, but we’re already exploring additional flavours, functional products, and new formats. Our goal is to continue building products that rescue and transform bananas into innovative foods people genuinely love consuming every day.
Have you seen any impacts since winning the Innovation Award?
Absolutely! Winning the SIAL Innovation Gold Award created immediate credibility for the brand. It accelerated conversations with retailers, and strategic partners while also increasing consumer curiosity around banana milk.
For a young company launching a completely new category, that kind of validation matters. It helped position Kunana not as a novelty, but as a serious innovation within the dairy alternative space.
Do you have a message you would like to share with retailers, distributors, and consumers discovering Kunana?
We believe the future of food belongs to brands that combine great taste with meaningful impact. Consumers today want products that are functional, sustainable, and exciting, but ultimately they still need to deliver an amazing experience.
Kunana was created to show that rescued ingredients can become premium products people genuinely crave. To retailers and distributors, we see banana milk as an opportunity to bring real innovation and excitement into the category. And to consumers discovering us for the first time: welcome to the banana revolution!