About this Event
Join us in Toronto for the next installment of The Brand is Female Conversation Series, presented by TD Women in Enterprise! Meet two F&B entrepreneurs at very different stages of the journey for a candid conversation about finding opportunity in crowded categories, building brands people come back to, and staying relevant as consumer tastes and expectations evolve.
Meet the panelists:
Janet Zuccarini – Founder & CEO, Gusto 54 Restaurant Group
Janet Zuccarini is one of Canada’s most influential restaurateurs and the founder and CEO of Gusto 54 Restaurant Group. Since opening Trattoria Nervosa in Toronto in 1996, she has built a portfolio of celebrated hospitality concepts in Toronto and Los Angeles. With three decades of experience in the industry, Janet brings a unique perspective on what it takes to turn an idea into an enduring business, build customer loyalty and continue evolving without losing what made a brand special in the first place.
Paige Cey – Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Benny
Paige Cey is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Benny, a Canadian better-for-you functional energy drink brand on a mission to disrupt Big Energy. Co-founded with longtime friend Julie Letizia, Benny swaps synthetic stimulants and sugar crashes for a naturopathic-doctor-formulated blend of natural caffeine and adaptogens.
Based in Toronto, Paige leads marketing, growth, partnerships and investor relations, helping take Benny from a bootstrapped $250K start to more than $4 million in lifetime revenue and national distribution across Target stores in the U.S., with Canadian retail expansion, including Whole Foods Canada, underway. Her work has earned her recognition including Forbes 30 Under 30, BC Business 30 Under 30, Young Entrepreneur of the Year and an RBC Women of Influence award.
Why you should join: Janet and Paige offer two complementary perspectives on building in one of the most competitive consumer sectors: one has spent decades creating hospitality brands with staying power, while the other is scaling an emerging beverage brand and taking on an established category. Together, they’ll explore:
- How to spot opportunity in categories that already feel crowded
- What it takes to create an F&B brand that genuinely stands out
- How changing consumer tastes and behaviours shape business decisions
- How to stay close to your customer as you grow
- When to protect your original vision and when to evolve
Event details:
When: Wednesday, October 14, 2026
What time: 9AM networking breakfast, followed by a panel from 9:30AM to 10:30AM
Where: TD Tower, 66 Wellington W.
The panel will be moderated by Eva Hartling, Founder, The Brand is Female.
Event venue & nearby stays
Toronto Dominion Centre, 66 Wellington Street West, Toronto, Canada
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.