A Canadian food consolidator that represents hot spots all over the city has just made a major new acquisition.

On Friday, Sept. 6, Sean Black, CEO of Happy Belly Food Group, who represent a number of up-and-coming Canadian food and restaurant brands, took to LinkedIn to announce that the group has now acquired IQ Foods.

"Today, we are pleased to announce the 100% acquisition of IQ Foods," he writes. 

"Alongside our wholly owned Lettuce Love Café brand, and our binding acquisition agreement for Salus Fresh Foods announced on July 29th, we are taking our first steps in executing the next phase of our business strategy by consolidating emerging brands within sectors, in addition to developing emerging brands."

Founded in 2011, IQ Foods has solidified itself as a leader in the city for quick-service clean eating, boasting options like wraps, toasts, smoothies and bowls using local and seasonal ingredients.

Among the brand's enthusiastic customer base is a strong contingent of Financial District workers, regularly getting their hands on healthy eats from IQ locations in major business centres such as First Canadian Place and 18 York.

Alongside those locations, Happy Belly Food Group will also be adopting IQ Foods locations at Equinox Gym locations on Avenue Road and Bay, for a total of four currently operational locations.

"This is a key moment in our company's growth as we embark on consolidating sectors, starting with the premium healthy and clean eating vertical," Black writes in the announcement.

As noted in Black's announcement, the group is attempting to corner the healthy eating market in Canada, representing brands like Salus Fresh Foods, another quick-service clean eating establishment with locations all across the city and Lettuce Love Café, a plant-based eatery chain that's set to open its first Toronto location in the coming year.

Suffice it to say, IQ Foods is in good company among Happy Belly's roster of other wholesome food brands, but that's not to say that clean eating is the company's only interest.

They also represent Toronto smash burger go-to, Rosie's Burgers, for which expansion plans are rapidly underway, and Italian street food chain, Via Cibo.

Happy Belly Food Group is based in Vancouver.