Charity BBQ Day first started in 1989, when the founder of M&M, Mac Voisin, wanted to give back to the community. He decided to support the CCFC, to help raise funds and support research into inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD has "no know cause or cure," and "Canada has among the highest reported prevalence of IBD in the world" In 25 years, M&M Food Market has raised more than $24.3 million for medical research dedicated to finding a cure for IBD.