Sep 2023
19 Sep
Eliminating plastics should not jeopardize food security
Addressing plastic pollution in Canadian grocery stores is vital, but we must carefully consider the potential consequences
14 Sep
Want to learn about grocery competition? Look at the U.S.
Kroger, a U.S. grocery chain, had to divest nearly 15% of its stores over the weekend just to secure a chance at regulatory approval for acquiring a competitor
11 Sep
Dollarama is challenging the traditional grocery store model
In a world of rising costs, Dollarama's stealthy grocery revolution is offering consumers a financial lifeline they can't afford to ignore
07 Sep
Farmland politics: The undeniable power of the Greenbelt
The Greenbelt isn't just about farms; it's about securing our food, preserving our environment, and bridging the urban-rural gap – an imperative we can't afford to compromise
05 Sep
The bitter truth about a sugar tax
Rather than resorting to moralistic measures, we should prioritize education and informed choices to foster healthier eating habits
01 Sep
Was Amazon's Whole Foods bet a bust?
The Canadian market remains in search of a game-changer to reshape the grocery industry landscape
Aug 2023
28 Aug
Is Canada sobering up?
Canada is redefining its relationship with alcohol, as declining sales are influenced by factors such as weather, health concerns, and the growing popularity of non-alcoholic alternatives
21 Aug
Climate change and its impact on Canadian eating habits
Canadians are becoming increasingly aware of the connections between climate change and their diet
16 Aug
Decoding Canada's food inflation maze
While some Canadians may be hesitant to acknowledge it, there is a gradual improvement taking place
14 Aug
Unveiling 'skimpflation': The latest consumer squeeze
“Skimpflation” signifies a subtle alteration in the nutritional composition of certain products. While the term may be unfamiliar to many, the practice itself has a decades-long history
08 Aug
Dealing with our plastic addiction
We need to explore the need for industry innovation, consumer expectations and the delicate balance between environmental responsibility and food safety
July 2023
24 Jul
Are Canadians not screaming for ice cream?
The declining popularity of ice cream in Canada is surprising, as shifting dietary preferences, health concerns and evolving market competition threaten this beloved frozen treat
18 Jul
Weaponizing food insecurity, again
Russia's recent termination of the Black Sea grain agreement, allowing tonnes of Ukrainian grain to be shipped to 45 nations, raises concerns about global food security
17 Jul
Urban core-based food retailers to face significant challenges as foot traffic declines
Cities will need to embrace new transformative strategies to overcome the challenges of downtown empty spaces and food deserts
10 Jul
Rising interest rates and the silent hunger
The disturbing link between Canada's housing crisis and food insecurity
04 Jul
IARC's "cancer" noise is unnecessarily irresponsible
As a result of numerous alarming announcements regarding potentially carcinogenic food products and ingredients, the IARC is being increasingly disregarded
June 2023
26 Jun
Farmers in lab coats
The United States has become the second country, following Singapore, to permit the commercialization of cultivated meat
22 Jun
Food fraud on the rise in Canada
If you buy honey and cooking oil in Canada, you basically have a one in four chance of purchasing a fraudulent product
15 Jun
The ‘greedflation’ campaign needs to end, now
Instead of incessantly engaging in finger-pointing, our efforts should be directed towards fortifying the food industry
09 Jun
Canada's infant formula embarrassment and the untapped milk reservoir
Canadian parents with newborns have been grappling with a persistent shortage of infant formula – a predicament that remains far from resolved
06 Jun
Our restaurant industry’s revival
New reports reveal that consumers are dining out more since the beginning of the year, despite inflation. Is the restaurant sector experiencing a revival?
05 Jun
Canadians' conflicting perspectives on AI in the food industry
Number of Canadians who don’t trust food companies with AI is almost double that of Canadians who do
01 Jun
With lower commodity prices, why aren’t food prices dropping?
Research tells us that the correlation between commodity prices and food retail prices is weak at best
May 2023
24 May
Canadians are buying less food. Now what?
The data is clear: Canadians are buying less food, and that trend won’t end anytime soon
08 May
With gene editing, Ottawa made the right call
Ottawa is recognizing how powerful gene editing can be to help Canadian farmers address global food security challenges
01 May
The expensive non-gluten world
May is Celiac Awareness Month. And for people with the disease, buying food is even more expensive than for the rest of us
Apr 2023
25 Apr
Are Canadians buying less food?
Retail sales data reveals changing consumer behavior in Canada's food retail industry during and after the pandemic. But are higher food prices making Canadians buy less food?
17 Apr
Our grocers' demographic party may end sooner than expected
The food industry needs to embrace the massive social change that is about to hit the world
Mar 2023
29 Mar
Handout nation: Grocery rebate a ‘mirage for the needy’
The Bank of Canada cannot solve inflation on its own. Governments need to assist in this, but it can be overdone
24 Mar
The carbon tax could impact Canada's food affordability
We need to assess and forecast how the carbon tax will burden our food suppliers over time
20 Mar
Death, taxes and shrinkflation
Shrinkflation has bothered many people for a very long time. The taxman has given another reason why we should hate shrinkflation even more
13 Mar
What ChatGPT and AI could do for the food industry
ChatGPT is retailing AI for all of us, and that could impact how the food industry embraces new technologies in the future
Feb 2023
15 Feb
Farmland is getting expensive, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing
A new era in farmland management is emerging, an era in which capital investment expertise is becoming part of food production
06 Feb
Canada can easily fix its milk dumping problem
We can fix this by addressing the issues of normalizing farm milk waste and hiding data
Jan 2023
20 Jan
Will alcohol be the next tobacco?
The CCSA’s recommendations will likely be received by many Canadians with great skepticism. Still, when looking at the scientific literature and the links between alcohol consumption and cancer, the findings in recent years are overwhelming
09 Jan
We all pay for grocery theft
With food inflation at record highs, it is no surprise to learn there are cases of theft occurring, but that trend could mean more cameras, security guards and perhaps even anti-theft devices directly on food products
Dec 2022
19 Dec
Ottawa’s tariffs on Russian fertilizers cost Canadian farmers millions
Sanctions should be punitive. But for tariffs on fertilizers, there was no evidence that Russian companies were impacted at all
11 Dec
On COP15’s absurd proposed ‘planetary diet’
Dialogue is important, but it appears as though ecologists are all for debates until someone disagrees with them
05 Dec
Should poutine, one of Canada’s most beloved dishes, be on the UN’s cultural heritage list?
A total of 140 countries have at least one dish, cuisine or ingredient on this prestigious list, but not Canada
Nov 2022
28 Nov
As Canada’s avian flu outbreak worsens, expect turkeys to cost more this holiday season
The avian flu has been wreaking havoc on the country’s poultry sector since early this year, and the pressure for some producers has become unbearable
17 Nov
Let's romaine calm: Lettuce shortage an opportunity for Canada to rethink trade
Canada's current approach to getting leafy greens over the winter months is no longer sustainable
13 Nov
Why Canada’s agrifood sector deserves more recognition
Canada has the potential to become the second largest exporter in the world as the human population reaches eight billion
01 Nov
Milking Canadians no longer that simple
The Canadian Dairy Commission held a press conference to announce to Canadians what is likely to happen to dairy prices next year. This is a refreshing approach – let’s hope the Commission continues on its path to reforming itself
Oct 2022
16 Oct
Loblaw price freeze overdue, but decision may encourage other grocers to follow suit
Following the path of many grocers around the world, Loblaw became the first Canadian grocer to voluntarily freeze food prices. While non-cynical Canadian shoppers will appreciate the grocer’s empathetic gesture, such a move was long overdue
03 Oct
On being thankful, even as higher food prices reshape holiday menus
Despite the rising cost of groceries, Canada has an enviable food security situation, and we should be thankful for that
Sep 2022
25 Sep
Canada's food affordability problem
The 2022 Global Food Security Index has just been released, and Canada ranks 7th in the world like last year, but there is an index indicator that’s more worrisome than others
20 Sep
Grocers, it’s time to freeze food prices
Perhaps it’s time for Canadian grocers to take a cue from their European counterparts and freeze prices as consumers take drastic measures to cope with meteoric food inflation
15 Sep
Restaurants are slowly recovering, but the sector is still not out of the woods
The sector is clearly redefining itself, but the bleeding continues
11 Sep
Politicizing protein is a dangerous game
Protein is divisive these days, but it's also mostly politicized. Prioritizing food is one thing, but imposing food choices is not worthy of a democracy that respects its citizens
05 Sep
Are Canadians drinking too much alcohol?
Health Canada's low-risk drinking guidelines could be outdated, according to new research from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction