Imagine representing the entirety of retailers that do business in Canada. That’s the role of the Retail Council of Canada (RCC), led by president and chief executive officer Diane Brisebois. RCC represents 45,000 retail businesses and online merchants, and food is no doubt a big part of that. “Food, on its own, represents more than… Read More
Category: Canada’s Agriculture Day
Enrolment in 4-H is holding steady in Canada despite geographical challenges, and the organization is offering a wide range of programs beyond the traditional. “I think much like agriculture, 4-H has evolved — who would have thought that technology would play such a big part in agriculture, and who would have thought 4-H had drone… Read More
The spread of African swine fever (ASF) heightened starting in 2007, with the start of its spread across several countries in central Asia, into China (2018), and Europe. It is highly contagious, spreads rapidly, and is of grave concern to pork producers worldwide. To date, ASF has not been found in Canada. “If we sit… Read More
Think about the food future you would like to curate. That’s the challenge Michiel Bakker, Google’s director of global programs for real estate and workplace services, gave to Canada’s Agriculture Day attendees at Ottawa, Ont., this year. “So think about 2050 — what is your dream of what your food future should be from a… Read More
For a company that proclaims its loyalty to Canadian ranchers on the back and sides of its transport trucks, navigating a foray into the plant-based market is going to be somewhat tricky. McDonald’s marketing director Jean-Guillaume Bertola fully understands that the company has to strike a balance between adapting menus based on changing consumer preferences,… Read More
With just a few regulatory hurdles to go, AGT Foods and Ingredients will soon revert back to a private company. Led by Murad Al-Katib, founder, president and CEO, the Saskatchewan-based pulse and grain processor has big plans in the years ahead, including a “scale up and grow” plan that includes heavy investments into infrastructure and transport… Read More
They’re the generation we love to hate: Millennials. Often called entitled and lazy (largely by Baby Boomers who can’t open a PDF), Millennials are the next huge generation both in numbers and influence. And because of that sway and market power, David Coletto, of Abacus Data, warns that any industry that ignores their preferences, interests,… Read More
Oleen Smethurst doesn’t choose what food trend consumers should hop on, but in her quest to provide new flavours and convenience for Costco’s Canadian customers, she’s inadvertently part of the push. Smethurst is assistant vice president, buying and operations — produce for Costco Wholesale Canada, based in Ottawa. Leading a team of nearly 30, it’s… Read More