There’s something beautifully Canadian about this: a legendary fries company teaming up with our Olympic athletes to create a nationwide cheer squad fueled by golden potatoes. McCain Foods just announced a four-year partnership with the Canadian Olympic Committee, becoming the Official French Fry Partner of Team Canada through the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games and the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Summer Games.
This isn’t your typical corporate sponsorship. McCain is launching a full-blown celebration of “golden moments”: both on the podium and around the kitchen table: that aims to unite Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
Why Fries and Olympics? Because Shared Moments Matter
“McCain has long believed that the simplest moments: like sharing a plate of fries: can bring people together,” says Mike Embir, Marketing Director at McCain Foods. “The Olympic Games create those same shared moments of pride and connection. As a proudly Canadian company, we’re honoured to partner with the Canadian Olympic Committee to help Canadians come together from coast to coast to coast to cheer on Team Canada, one moment: and one golden fry: at a time.”
It’s a brilliant insight. Think about it: whether you’re watching a nail-biting downhill ski run or gathering with friends for a watch party, fries are often right there on the table. McCain is tapping into that emotional connection between food, national pride, and those unforgettable Olympic moments that make us collectively hold our breath.
For food and beverage industry professionals, this partnership is a masterclass in experiential marketing and consumer engagement. McCain isn’t just slapping a logo on Team Canada jerseys: they’re creating multiple touchpoints that encourage participation, celebrate Canadian culture, and build brand affinity through shareable moments.
The McCain Golden Gallery: Your Cheer Counts
Here’s where it gets interactive. McCain is launching the McCain Golden Gallery, a digital platform designed to create what they’re calling “the biggest cheer for Team Canada.” From the Opening Ceremony on February 6th through the Closing Ceremony on February 22nd, Canadians can submit videos, photos, and messages of support that will be featured in this growing digital gallery.
Every submission extends the collective cheer. Every voice adds momentum. And every message becomes part of a national rally cry that athletes can feel, even from thousands of kilometers away in Italy.
The best part? Everyone who participates receives a free McCain fries product as a thank you. It’s a smart incentive that drives engagement while reinforcing brand loyalty: something every foodservice executive and hospitality manager should take notes on.
To join the McCain Golden Gallery, Canadians have two options:
- Visit the McCain FryDay Fanzone in Toronto (more on that incredible pop-up below)
- Share on social media by tagging @McCainCanada with your cheer from anywhere in Canada
You can check out all the accumulated cheers at CheerWithMcCain.ca: a brilliant URL that’s easy to remember and share.
The McCain FryDay Fanzone: An Immersive Team Canada Experience in Toronto
If you’re in Toronto, you need to experience this. McCain has created the McCain FryDay Fanzone, an immersive, Team Canada-themed pop-up space located at 2 Queen Street West in the heart of downtown.
The interactive Cheer Pods at McCain FryDay Fanzone where fans can record their support for Team Canada
The space features eye-catching Cheer Pods where visitors can record videos and snap photos of support that automatically get featured in the McCain Golden Gallery. It’s Instagram gold, literally and figuratively: and the kind of shareable content that amplifies reach organically.
But here’s where McCain really shows its creativity: once you’ve worked up an appetite from all that enthusiastic cheering, you can enjoy complimentary, over-the-top McCain fry dishes inspired by the upcoming Games.
The Olympic-Inspired Menu You Need to Try
McCain’s culinary team went all out with this menu. These aren’t your average stadium fries: they’re creative, playful, and absolutely Instagram-worthy dishes that celebrate both Olympic culture and Canadian food traditions.
Pizza, French Fries
An homage to one of skiing’s most iconic phrases: “Pizza… pizza… french fries!” (every skier knows this as the pizza/wedge vs. french fry/parallel skiing technique). This genius creation features McCain 5-Minute Shoestring Fries topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni. It’s the perfect mashup of two beloved snacks, and honestly, why hasn’t this been done before?
McCain’s “Pizza, French Fries” dish: a creative fusion of two classic comfort foods inspired by skiing terminology
Podium Poutine
A Canadian classic elevated to Olympic status. This loaded poutine features toppings inspired by the colors of the Olympic rings, infused with McCain Bistro Selects Extra Crispy Onion Rings, and topped with gravy for a true podium finish. For restaurant owners and menu innovation specialists, this is a perfect example of how to take a traditional dish and give it a timely, relevant twist that creates buzz.
Gold Medal Sliders
These championship-worthy sliders feature one Montreal-style smoked meat slider and two smash burger patty sliders: all sandwiched between McCain Smiles (those iconic smiley-face potato treats). Topped with a stack of winning toppings, these sliders represent Team Canada with every bite. The use of McCain Smiles as buns is pure marketing genius: playful, memorable, and perfectly on-brand.
For food and beverage directors and procurement professionals, these menu items demonstrate how to create limited-time offerings that generate excitement and social media engagement while showcasing product versatility.
From the Slopes to the Screen: Laurence St-Germain’s Golden Journey
McCain is also rolling out a heartwarming commercial throughout the Games featuring Team Canada alpine skier Laurence St-Germain and her real-life father. With some special help from McCain fries, every moment spent together on her Olympic journey becomes a golden one.
This storytelling approach reinforces McCain’s core message: that the simplest shared moments: like enjoying fries together: are often the most meaningful. For hospitality industry professionals, it’s a reminder that emotional connection drives brand loyalty far more effectively than product features alone.
What This Means for the Food and Beverage Industry
McCain’s Olympic partnership offers several takeaways for food service industry professionals and hospitality technology innovators:
Experiential Marketing Works: The FryDay Fanzone creates a physical brand experience that generates authentic content and lasting memories. For restaurant marketing teams, pop-ups and immersive experiences can drive significant ROI.
Community Building Drives Engagement: The Golden Gallery taps into Canadians’ national pride and desire to participate in something bigger than themselves. Whether you’re a food and beverage company or an independent restaurant, creating opportunities for customers to be part of your story builds deeper connections.
Limited-Time Creativity Generates Buzz: The Olympic-inspired menu items at the Fanzone demonstrate how timely, creative offerings can generate media coverage and social sharing: without requiring permanent menu changes.
Incentivized Participation Amplifies Reach: Offering a free product for participation is a small cost compared to the earned media and user-generated content McCain will receive. Restaurant owners can apply similar strategies with contests, hashtag campaigns, and loyalty rewards.
Multi-Channel Integration is Essential: McCain seamlessly connects physical experiences (the Fanzone), digital platforms (the Golden Gallery website), social media (user submissions), traditional advertising (the St-Germain commercial), and product sampling (free fries) into one cohesive campaign.
Looking Ahead to LA 2028
While the immediate focus is on the Milano Cortina Winter Games in February, McCain’s four-year commitment means we can expect another round of golden moments when Team Canada heads to Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Olympic Games.
It’s a long-term brand-building strategy that demonstrates McCain’s commitment to Canadian athletes and culture beyond a single event. For food and beverage companies considering sponsorships, this approach offers more value than one-off activations.
Join the Golden Gallery
Whether you’re in Toronto visiting the FryDay Fanzone or cheering from your living room in Vancouver, St. John’s, or Whitehorse, McCain wants your support to be part of Team Canada’s Olympic experience. Head to CheerWithMcCain.ca to see the growing gallery of Canadian pride: and add your own golden moment.
For location and hours of operation for the McCain FryDay Fanzone, visit McCain.ca/TeamCanada.
As we count down to the Opening Ceremony on February 6th, one thing is clear: McCain Foods has found a creative, authentic way to unite Canadians around our shared love of sports, national pride, and yes: perfectly golden fries.
The Games are about to begin, and thanks to McCain, every Canadian can be part of the cheer that propels our athletes to greatness. After all, in a country where winter and fries are both celebrated institutions, this partnership makes perfect sense.
Go Team Canada! 🇨🇦🍟🥇
Want to see how other food and beverage brands are creating memorable experiences? Check out our article on menu innovation trends or explore how hospitality technology is reshaping customer engagement.
About McCain Foods
McCain Foods Limited is a family-owned business founded in 1957 in Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada. Today, the company is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of frozen potato products and a global leader in prepared appetizers and snacks. Its products can be found in restaurants and retail stores in more than 160 countries around the world. The company has major production, retail and corporate operations around the world, employs approximately 22,000 people, operates 49 production facilities on six continents, partners with 4,400 farmers and generates annual sales in excess of $16 billion CAD.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” for founding American Wholesale Floral. Politz is also the founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
