After stiff backlash from its decision to ditch Alberta beef in favour of hormone-free U.S. meat, it seems Earls has learned its lesson.

The restaurant’s president Mo Jessa said the company has learned a lot from the experience and has taken swift efforts to clean up its act.

“I think people are generally accepting of an idea, but what they taught us is that where it comes from matters,” Jessa said, in an interview with BNN.

He says the company has pivoted its business to allow for more locally imported products.

“We’ve already done a deal where we bought maple syrup from a single source from Quebec, we’re buying honey from a guy that’s raising honey in the canola fields in Alberta, and even our soap … it’s made right here in Canada,” he said.

“So I think it’s going to be a new way of doing business for us.”