The latest Grocery Trade Report tells the story of more sales to the U.S., Canadians choosing to cook at home, and a (perhaps surprisingly) small shift to online food sales. Kevin Grier, with KG Market Analysis and Consulting, says that 2017 was a pretty strong year for the grocery industry in Canada. Of note, packaged… Read more »
Category: Food
Quebec farm transitions through 11 generations
The road that runs along the St. Lawrence River’s north shore from Montreal to Quebec City is known as the Chemin du Roy (King’s Road). Built during the French regime, it was the colony’s very first road. In 1667, shortly before marrying a fille du roy (king’s daughter) named Élizabeth Crêtel, Nicolas Langlois acquired land… Read more »
Canadians’ trust in food retailers wavers following bread price-fixing scandal
While it stands to reason that Canadians may have become slightly jaded after a wide-spread price-fixing scandal was revealed late last year, a new study from Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Management confirms it. The report, released today, finds that consumers are less likely to trust national food retailers than they were in November 2017, before… Read more »
Cricket powder begins mainstream journey with foray into Loblaws
Loblaw Companies Limited today announced it has made a “move into sustainable insect protein,” introducing President’s Choice 100% Cricket Powder. “With our President’s Choice brand we’re always looking to bring the new and the next to Canadians,” said Kathlyne Ross, VP of product development and innovation, in a release. “By making products like Cricket Powder… Read more »
More than pretty landscapes: how Canada stacks up globally on sustainability
Canada is internationally know for its clean water, Rocky Mountains, and endless prairie skies. Our agricultural groups use this “clean and pristine” currency to their benefit whenever they are selling our wares overseas, but does a blue sky and waving grain really sell more crops? More than that, can we quantify Canada’s record on soil,… Read more »
Nestle upgrading Haagen-Dazs and Drumstick ice cream plant in London, Ont.
Nestlé is spending over $51 million on upgrades to its ice cream factory in London, Ontario that supplies all of Canada with Haagen-Dazs, Parlour and Drumstick products. Groundwork has started on an expansion that will increase the plant’s footprint by 9,000 square feet, while adding 12 new jobs and shifting 45 seasonal part-time positions to… Read more »
The business of peddling fear and fake hope
The first time I read it, it seemed like some kind of sick joke. A man, convicted in the death of his son, was recently slated to speak about healthy living at a “wellness expo.” Some backstory: David Stephan and his wife believed herbal treatments would cure their son’s meningitis. When they finally called 911,… Read more »
The farming problems the shared economy can solve
We live in an age of disruption. Middle man getting in the way? Just work around them. Whether it’s ride-sharing such as Uber, house rentals via Air BnB, or crowdfunding to make something happen, several established industries are in the midst of a I-can-do-it-myself revolution. For highly competitive, highly regulated industries, such as taxis and… Read more »
PepsiCo announces closure of Bow Island Spitz plant
Two years after the closure of its Medicine Hat distribution facility, PepsiCo has announced it will close the Spitz International Inc facility at Bow Island. PepsiCo first acquired the Alberta-based company ten years ago. The food and beverage giant sent this statement to RealAgriculture, February 16: “Yesterday we announced our difficult decision to close our… Read more »
Who do we think we are? Canada’s shifting demographics shape food demand
For decades, the average Canadian was of British, western European, or even American descent. Over time, most people’s idea of “average” has stayed the same, but the actual demographics have shifted, and in some ways, the change is quite dramatic. Canadians are much older, more suburban, and more multicultural than ever. Instead of European influence,… Read more »
Celebrate the food you love on Canada’s Agriculture Day
February 13 marks the second annual Canada’s Agriculture Day, a day to “celebrate the food we love.” Everyone involved in the agriculture and food industry is encouraged to celebrate in their own way — from hosting an event, to posting their agriculture pride online and through social media channels, or by engaging with customers and… Read more »
Health Canada launches consultations on food warning labels
The federal government has launched consultations on regulations for new “front-of-package” food labels designed to communicate if a food is high in sodium, sugars, or saturated fat. “The consultations launched today are geared towards helping Canadians make healthier food choices. Identifying foods that are high in sodium, sugars, or saturated fat is not always easy,… Read more »
“Ideological activism” driving revamp of the Canada Food Guide, says Conservative shadow minister
Health Canada is in the process of revamping the Canada Food Guide, with an emphasis on encouraging Canadians to eat more vegetables and plant-based protein, potentially at the expense of dairy and meat consumption. The government has come under criticism for not seeking input from the agriculture and agri-food sector, as no witnesses from the agriculture sector… Read more »
Do we really need to double food production by 2050?
If you’ve been attending agricultural and food conferences over the last decade you’ve likely heard countless references to “feed the 9 billion” or to double production by 2050 to meet the appetite of a growing global population. Is it time we revisited this oft-cited food prediction? Penn State University’s Mitch Hunter thinks so. Hunter and… Read more »
Nominations wrapping up for $100,000 ag and food prizes
Nominations are closing this week for two unique global food innovation awards — and there’s every reason to believe Canadian agriculture could produce a winner. The awards are the first Arrell Global Food Innovation Awards, from the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph. The institute was created from a $20-million donation from the… Read more »