First an appearance on Dragon's Den got it onto the launch pad; now an organic cereal made in B.C. will literally take off into space for snacking on by astronauts on the International Space Station.
The Canadian Space Agency has approved Holy Crap cereal – so named when Dragon's Den's Jim Treliving said, "Holy crap, is this ever good!" before agreeing to invest in the product – as one of 12 Canadian foods to accompany Canadian astronaut and Mission 35 Commander Chris Hadfield in December when he travels to the International Space Station for a six-month stint.
"We originally developed the cereal for emergency kits because of its healthy nutritional content and long shelf-life, so it seems more than fitting for it to go up to the space station," said Corin Mullins, CEO of HapiFoods Group, which makes the cereal.
Food and other provisions used on the space station must meet strict criteria to ensure they are safe for astronauts, as the space station has no refrigerator. All foods need to have a one-year shelf life.
"On a long-duration space mission, snacks can be a great morale booster," said Hadfield. "Sharing this food will not only lift our spirits, but it will also give me the chance to tell the crew a little bit about the diversity and richness of the natural and cultural landscapes of Canada."
