The Food Professor

In the latest episode of The Food Professor Podcast, our special guest live from Winnipeg is Paul Hagerman from the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, sharing insights from his extensive experience in agriculture and food security across various regions, including Canada, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. 

The episode covered a range of pressing topics, starting with the Bank of Canada's decision to pause interest rates again. It also addressed the escalating global health problem of obesity, now surpassing global hunger. A significant focus was placed on integrating AI in agriculture, probing its potential to enhance productivity. The conversation shifted to the notable departure of Oprah Winfrey from WeightWatchers, alongside her decision to donate her shares to the National Museum of African American History, which coincided with a decline in the company's stock value. This move came against the backdrop of WeightWatchers' acquisition of Sequence, a telehealth company, indicating a strategic shift for weight management.

The episode also highlighted the unfortunate destruction of the Covered Bridge Potato Chips factory in Hartland, New Brunswick, by fire, emphasizing its impact on local employment and tourism and the supportive response from government officials. Further discussions included the comparison of Canada's GDP productivity to the U.S., the portrayal of food costs and consumer behaviour through characters like Tony the Tiger and the Cookie Monster, and the looming disappearance of plastic bagged milk, reflecting on the evolving landscape of dairy and dairy substitute consumption and production practices.

About Paul

Paul Hagerman joined the Canadian Foodgrains Bank in 2007 and now oversees advocacy work on food security issues within the organization. Prior to his work with the Foodgrains Bank, Paul worked in agriculture for over 20 years in Canada, Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. While most of this time was spent in agricultural extension, he has also been involved in agricultural education and research.

Paul has a Masters in Agriculture degree from the University of Guelph in combined agricultural pest management with rural planning and development. Paul is a member and music leader at Knox United Church in Winnipeg.

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

In this episode we welcome Colleen Martin, Chief Revenue Officer for Caddle, as a new regular contributor. Colleen brings a wealth of business acumen and insight, offering listeners custom research and industry perspectives. She will return as a regular feature guest with customers, never seen before research debuted on the pod in the coming weeks and months!

The episode dives into the contentious issue of dynamic pricing, spotlighting a controversial (but misunderstood?) statement from Wendy's president. Sylvain unravels the complexities of dynamic pricing strategies, questioning why such a standard business practice stirs significant public uproar.

Further stirring debate, the president of Kellogg's off-the-cuff suggestion for economic relief through cereal dinners sparks criticism. The hosts dissect the implications of such statements on consumer perceptions and brand image.

The conversation shifts to accolades and industry developments, highlighting H-E-B's triumph in Dunnhumby's Annual Retailer Preference Index report, asserting its dominance in the U.S. grocery sector with a unique blend of price, quality, and convenience.

In more sombre news, the episode covers the U.S. Justice Department's lawsuit to block the Kroger and Albertsons merger, emphasizing potential consumer and employee impacts. Additionally, the hosts tackle a concerning New York Times article on lead contamination in applesauce, exposing gaps in the food safety system.

Finally, big congrats to a friend of the pod, Aeryon Ashlie, on her nomination for the RBC Women of Influence Awards!

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

In the latest episode of the Food Professor Podcast, presented by Caddle, the show delves into the evolving landscape of the food industry, emphasizing innovative approaches to food production and consumption.

This episode features a special guest, Ori Cohavi, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of Remilk from Israel, discussing the groundbreaking development of lab-grown milk recently approved for sale in Canada by the CFIA, marking a significant step in food technology.

The podcast also explores recent research conducted with Caddle, focusing on food discounting and rescue. Key findings include a 32% increase in average visit frequency since 2018, highlighting a shift towards more frequent shopping, potentially influenced by cash-flow shopping, deal hunting, and or the increase in remote work allowing for less batched shopping trips.

Further discussions touch upon the latest figures on food inflation, with Canada's food inflation rate at its lowest since October 2021, presenting a comparative analysis with other countries and highlighting the global perspective on food prices. The episode also humorously references Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay, and his viral lobster-eating picture from his Malaysia promotional tour.

Lastly, Beyond Meat's latest product iteration aims to revitalize the brand with healthier options. This episode of the Food Professor Podcast presents a comprehensive overview of current trends and challenges in the food sector, blending expert insights with critical analysis of consumer behaviour, industry practices, and technological innovations.

About Ori

Dr. Ori Cohavi’s career has been shaped by a belief in the power of science to save lives, solve today’s most pressing challenges, and transform the world we share. Cohavi received his doctorate and PhD in biochemistry, with a focus on functional structure of proteins, from the world-renowned Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.

Cohavi spent the early part of his career developing life-saving drugs for rare diseases before shifting focus to address one of our world’s most pressing and fundamental challenges: food security.

As Chief Technology Officer, Cohavi and fellow co-founder Aviv Wolff are reimagining the future of food and disrupting the 900+ billion-dollar dairy category. Remilk pioneered an environmentally friendly yeast-based fermentation process to produce animal-free milk proteins free of lactose, cholesterol and growth hormones. Cohavi heads Remilk’s R&D strategy and leads the a team of accomplished scientists and researchers. This team already has submitted several patent applications in connection with their work. 

Prior to joining Remilk, Cohavi served as head of Mitoconix Bio’s drug development team, and as a senior researcher at Semorex Technologies.

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

In the latest episode, we take a solo dive into a week filled with significant news and developments in the food industry, promising the return of guest interviews in the upcoming episode. The episode, presented by Caddle, encapsulates a variety of topics highlighting the dynamic nature of the food sector.

We begin with an insightful discussion on a survey about farmers' trust, revealing a concerning gap in confidence across generations. Sylvain expresses his trepidation upon reviewing the survey results, emphasizing the importance of understanding these generational differences. The conversation then shifts to legislative changes, specifically C-282, which aims to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development Act to provide immunity to supply management during trade deals. This legislative development is currently on its second reading in the Senate, indicating significant implications for the food industry.

The hosts also discuss U.S. food inflation, which decreased to 2.6% in January, and ponder its implications for Canada.

Highlighting business success, Sylvain and Michael discuss Restaurant Brands International's remarkable improvement in Tim Horton's profitability, attributing part of this success to operational efficiencies like reducing drive-through times. Moreover, the episode covers MTY Food Group Inc.'s impressive financial performance despite a slight decline in same-store sales, reflecting consumer discretion in spending.

The episode also sheds light on the agricultural sector, particularly Ukraine's resilience in maintaining cargo volumes from its deep-water ports at two-thirds of their pre-invasion levels. This resilience is a testament to the country's agricultural robustness and strategic significance.

Lastly, the podcast pays tribute to Bob Moore of Bob's Red Mill, who recently passed away at 94. Moore's legacy of giving the business to his employees through an employee stock ownership plan is celebrated, highlighting his innovative and employee-focused approach to business.

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

This episode features Doug Alexander, Vice President of Sustainability and Government Relations at Belmont Food Group. Key topics include the intricate balance of environmental sustainability and food industry operations, explicitly addressing food waste and regulatory impacts. The conversation explores Belmont Food Group's initiatives for reducing carbon emissions and plastic use, emphasizing the need for industry-wide collaboration and innovation. The episode provides insights into how companies can navigate and contribute positively to environmental sustainability, highlighting the role of government relations and practical strategies for achieving these goals.

In the news, Sylvain was in Ottawa testifying to a testy parliamentary Ag committee, sweet news with the Rogers sugar strike ending on the West coast, Athletic Brewing dominating the fast-growing non-alcoholic beer category, and a salute to Celine Dion, Taylor Swift and some big event happening in Las Vegas that a bunch of people will watch on big screen TV and consume a record amount of chicken wings.

Thanks to our presenting sponsor Caddle, a leading Canadian consumer panel and research house, has become the exclusive presenting sponsor of the podcast. Caddle offers brands and retailers access to over 10,000 daily active users, facilitating rapid collection and syndication of consumer reviews. https://askcaddle.com/

About Doug
Doug Alexander joined Belmont Food Group as Vice President and General Manager- Leadbetter Foods, in early 2021 took on the role of Vice President Sustainability and Government Relations. Belmont Food Group . Belmont Food Group is a operating group within Premium Brands comprising of 6 independent operating food processing companies, Premium Brands is a leading specialty food manufacturing and differentiated food distribution businesses with operations across North America. Servicing over 22,000 customers, the company and its family of brands and businesses operate in 100 locations.

Doug’s experience running food processing operations spans over 37 years of Meat Processing and other food processing sectors. Recently served as Chair of the board of directors of the Agricultural Adaptation Council board and as director for 10 years, as well as and on boards of Food and Beverage Ontario board and the Meat and Poultry Ontario Board as well as the Innovation Advisory Council for the Canadian Food Innovation Network.

Doug has served in the past as Chair of the Agri-Food Management Institute, Chair of Food Starter and the board of directors for Provision Coalition Doug has diplomas in Food Science as well as Industrial Engineering.

Food In Canada article, whos who in Food, https://www.foodincanada.com/features/whos-who-2023-mentor-for-all/

Food and Beverage Ontario Board - https://foodandbeverageontario.ca/team/doug-alexander/

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

This episode of The Food Professor Podcast features special guest Glenford Jameson, an expert in regulatory, commercial, and advertising law within the food sector. Jameson's insights cover SFCA compliance, labeling, product positioning, and interactions with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

The episode starts with an exciting announcement that Caddle, a leading Canadian consumer panel and research house, has become the exclusive presenting sponsor of the podcast. Caddle offers brands and retailers access to over 10,000 daily active users, facilitating rapid collection and syndication of consumer reviews. https://askcaddle.com/

The discussion then moves to current news, starting with Canadian Minister Champagne's efforts to attract foreign grocers to Canada, raising questions about whether this is political posturing or a genuine attempt to address food affordability. The hosts also covered the ongoing European farmers' protests, where farmers expressed discontent by blocking roads and dumping manure.

Next, we discuss Metro's latest quarterly results. Metro reported strong sales growth, with a notable increase in food and pharmacy same-store sales and the successful launch of a new distribution center. Despite these positive outcomes, net earnings showed a slight decrease.
The episode also touches on Bayer AG's (Monsanto) $2 billion fine. It provides an update on the surge in the use of weight-loss drugs, specifically referencing North Carolina's state employees' insurance plan's spending on such medications.

Finally, the podcast highlights Loblaw's charitable efforts, announcing a $1 million investment in community grants to support various organizations. These grants aim to empower historically underrepresented groups in Canada, including black women-led businesses, programs addressing gender-based violence, youth employment, Indigenous entrepreneurs, and 2SLGBTQIA+ community development.

Overall, the episode offers a comprehensive overview of the latest trends, legal insights, and corporate initiatives in the food sector.

About Glenford
Specializing in regulatory, commercial, and advertising law, Glenford Jameson is a trusted legal advisor in the food sector. His expertise spans SFCA compliance, labeling, product positioning, and CFIA interactions. A recognized industry thought leader, he's lectured at notable universities, industry associations, and conferences on Canadian Food Law. Glenford's unique perspective at the crossroads of food, tech, and regulation empowers clients with innovative solutions. He's the founder of G.S. Jameson & Company, and his clients include multinationals, SMEs, NGOs, industry associations, and governments.

G. S. Jameson & Company: https://law.gsjameson.com
Canadian Association for Food Law and Policy: http://foodlaw.ca
Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium: https://emccanada.org
Good Food Institute: https://gfi.org
European Food Law Association: https://www.efla-aeda.org

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

In this podcast episode, we had the honour of hosting Bettina Hamelin, the esteemed President and C.E.O. of Ontario Genomics. Based in Ontario, this non-profit organization is pioneering in genomics and engineering biology, aiming to revolutionize various sectors for economic growth, improved quality of life, and global leadership for Ontario. Sylvain expressed his admiration for the Ontario government's vision in establishing and supporting such an innovative entity and their success in attracting top-notch leadership talent like Bettina.

Moving onto other news, we discussed the recent policy reversal by Loblaw, lessons learned from it, and the fluctuating chicken prices in British Columbia. A significant development in environmental policy was also highlighted: Ottawa's consideration to require certain bakeries and restaurants using wood-fired ovens to report their air pollution emissions annually, a decision impacting Montreal's iconic bagels and pizzas.

We also delved into a concerning surge in crime in Waterloo, where unknown suspects stole a truck and trailer loaded with pistachios worth approximately $70,000.

Lastly, the podcast covered the uplifting news from Ottawa & Prince Edward Island, with the appointment of Mary Robinson to represent P.E.I. in Canada's Senate, signalling a bright future for the region's influence and representation, and great news for the Ag. sector.

Ontario Genomics Ag and Food page: https://www.ontariogenomics.ca/sectors/agriculture-food/

About Bettina

Bettina Hamelin, PharmD, EMBA is the President and CEO of Ontario Genomics, an Ontario-based not-for profit organization dedicated to catalyzing and supporting the development and commercialization of genomics- and engineering biology-based solutions across key sectors of the economy to drive economic growth, improved quality of life and global leadership for Ontario.

Dr. Hamelin has over 30 years of experience in academia, industry, and not-for-profit organizations. She has held positions of increasing responsibility in the biotech and pharma industries including leadership positions at BioChem Pharma (Associate Director, DMPK) and Pfizer (Head, Strategic Research Partnerships, Western Canada; Director Vaccines, Pfizer Canada; Medical Director, Pfizer Germany; Global Scout, Pfizer Inc.). Dr. Hamelin also has 10 years of academic research expertise as a tenured professor at Université Laval. Prior to her current role, she served as VP of NSERC’s Research Partnerships Directorate, where she was responsible for stimulating increased public/private sector collaboration and technology transfer by connecting the Canadian research enterprise to Canadian and global innovation partners.

Dr. Hamelin volunteers in the broader research and innovation community and serves on several advisory committees and the Boards of Directors of IRICoR and the Centre for Probe Development and Commercialization (CPDC) , and as a Mentor for the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL). Dr. Hamelin also chairs the National Engineering Biology Steering Committee and serves on Ontario’s COVID-19 Genomics Network Steering Committee.

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-sunstrum/In Season 4, Episode 16 of the Food Professor Podcast, we engage in a fascinating discussion with special guest Alison Sunstrum, a tech entrepreneur and investor. Sunstrom, recognized for her significant role in the Creative Destruction Lab in Calgary, is lauded for her community building and investment acumen, particularly in structuring the CDL. The episode also delves into recent experiences at a tech conference, highlighting innovations in restaurant technology, including a robot that makes French fries and advanced vending machine technologies.

LeBlanc shares his observations from the conference, noting the emergence of unique vending technologies and automated cooking solutions. The episode shifts to a discussion about the latest retail trends, with a particular focus on a Petco store in Union Square, Manhattan, which features a chef kitchen for dogs, offering custom food preparations.

The hosts then pivot to addressing critical supply chain issues, including the impact of disruptions at the Suez Canal and the broader implications for global logistics and food inflation. They critically examine government interventions in food pricing, particularly in France, and the ineffectiveness of such policies in controlling inflation.

Additionally, the podcast covers the acquisition of Carol Restaurants by RBI (Restaurant Brands International) and its implications for the fast-food industry. The conversation also touches upon the anticipated entry of new restaurant chains into Canada, highlighting the country's appeal as a test market due to its diverse population.

In a significant segment, Sylvain discusses his meeting with the management of Canada Royal Milk in Kingston, addressing various controversies and clarifying their operations and future plans. This includes their intentions to manufacture baby formula for the Canadian market and potential exports to the U.S.

The episode concludes with a discussion on the latest food industry news and a congratulatory note to Canadian chef and entrepreneur Matty Matheson for winning an Emmy for the show "The Bear."

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

We're back after the break with a rousing discussion of what lies ahead for 2024, notable achievements, the relative state of food safety, and congratulations to several key food industry players for their accomplishments.

Our guest, Aeryon Ashlie, CEO and Founder of Aeryon Wellness Support Supplements tells us about her life of fitness and wellness and the impact of changes in the natural supplement aisle and shares tips on living a healthier and happier life.

About Aeryon

Aeryon Ashlie's remarkable journey is a testament to resilience, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to empowering women with holistic health choices. As the CEO and Founder of Aeryon Wellness Support Supplements, Aeryon leverages her vast 20+ years of experience in the Canadian Health Food Industry to support her mission. Her personal struggle with eating disorders for over 25 years serves as a poignant catalyst for her endeavors, fueling her desire to create a company that goes beyond merely providing supplements. Despite launching her brand only in 2019, Aeryon's deeply rooted connections in the industryhave facilitated an astounding growth rate of 500% year on year for her brand. Aeryon Wellness, under her stewardship, has become a sanctuary for women pursuing sustainable health and wellness. Aeryon's innovative approach to wellness and her passion for her mission caught the eye of CBC's Dragons Den in December 2021, leading to her walking away with three offers anda deal with Arlene Dickenson.  Aeryon' s trailblazing efforts were further recognized at CHFA NOW West 2022 when AeryonWellness won the Innovative Product of the year award for the launch of Up and Away, Canada's first 100% Boric Acid Kit plus The Agent of Change award for their contributions to The Downtown Eastside Women’s Shelter. In May 2023, she triumphed at The Total Mom Pitch at the Canadian Women’s Entrepreneur Gala, securing 50k in prizes. Aeryon's exceptionalcontributions to the field also earned her nominations for CHFA Women of Influence and RBC’s Women of influence in September. Residing in Vancouver, BC, Aeryon balances her demanding professional life with her role as a full-time mother to her daughter, Mekaella, who is frequently seen accompanying her at tradeshows and events. Aeryon's passion for educating women serves as the cornerstone of Aeryon Wellness. The brand is more than just a supplier of wellness products; it is a platform for learning and empowerment. Aeryon takes this mission across the country through weekly seminars held in stores and at various events throughout Canada. These gatherings are more than just promotional events - they are educational forums where women can learn about health, wellness, and the importance of self-care in a supportive and encouraging environment. The seminars are yet another testament to Aeryon's commitment to spread awareness about sustainable health and help women take control of their well-being.

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.   

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row. 

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world. 

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers. 

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

On this special encore episode of the pod, we present an interview worth a second, or perhaps your first, listen. Let's hear as Sylvain introduces the topic and our guests for one of our favourite and most essential discussions from late spring 2023. 

Isaiah, Stephanie, and Tim share their perspectives on salmon farming in British Columbia. Stephanie explains what aquaculture is and why it should matter to the listeners. Isaiah talks about the role of aquaculture in his community and local economy. Michael raises the controversy surrounding salmon farming, while Stephanie explores the scientific evidence regarding the impact of ending salmon farms on wild salmon. Sylvain addresses the opposition of First Nations in BC to salmon farming and discusses the federal government's commitment to transitioning the salmon sector. The conversation also touches upon new technologies for enhancing the sustainability of salmon farming. Isaiah discusses the willingness to adopt new technologies and the potential consequences of losing aquaculture.

Our guests:

Isaiah Robinson, Elected Councillor of Kitasoo Xai'xais Nation & General Manager of Kitasoo Development Corporation & Stephanie Columbo, Canada Research Chair in Aquaculture, & Tim Kennedy, President & CEO at Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance

For More Information

www.lovesalmon.ca

www.aquaculture.ca

"Towards blue revolution" FAO 2022. https://www.fao.org/state-of-fisheries-aquaculture

"Towards achieving circularity and sustainability in feeds for farmed blue foods" Colombo et al 2022. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/raq.12766

"Exploratory analysis on Canadian consumer perceptions, habits, and opinions on salmon consumption and production in Canada" Osmond, Charlebois, Colombo, 2023. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10499-022-00972-x

"Extracted microbial oil from a novel Schizochytrium sp.(T18) as a sustainable high DHA source for Atlantic salmon feed: Impacts on growth and tissue lipids" Wei et al 2021. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0044848620339557

About Stefanie

Dr. Stefanie Colombo is an Associate Professor at Dalhousie University and Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Aquaculture Nutrition. Her research focuses on understanding nutrition in farmed fish, to improve aquaculture sustainability and productivity. She has published over 60 scientific papers and 5 book chapters. She has been an invited keynote speaker at several national and international conferences. She has received the Dalhousie’s President’s Research Excellence Award for an Emerging Investigator and the Faculty of Agriculture’s Early Career Research Excellence Award, as well as Innovator of the Year by the Aquaculture Association of Nova Scotia.

About Tim

Timothy Kennedy began his work leading the national association for Canada’s seafood farming sector in April 2017 as President & CEO of the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA). He’s passionate about the future and potential of sustainable seafood farming for Canada and the world. Tim has worked for over 20 years in Ottawa with experiences as a political and policy advisor, a senior government relations consultant working with leading clients in the natural resources and sustainability sectors, and as a Vice President for a major North American energy company.

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.   

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row. 

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world. 

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers. 

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

On this special encore episode of the pod, we present an interview worth a second, or perhaps your first, listen. Our special guest, who lives in San Diego, California, via Vancouver & Toronto, is Sam Zien, aka Sam the Cooking Guy, who shares his remarkable and inspiring journey to over 3.6 Million subscribers on YouTube, three restaurants and six cookbooks and a great line of merchandise now It is a generous interview. Sam has a lot of insight from his rich life as a food entrepreneur and popular food media personality. 

You can visit Sam at
https://www.youtube.com/@samthecookingguy

About Sam
Sam the Cooking Guy is an everyday guy – me (I have 15 Emmys… just thought I would drop that one in) – who has found a way to make cooking casually understandable. With no fancy equipment and by speaking English instead of ‘chef-speak,’ I’m sort of the everyman of cooking. I have two shows, the TV show SAM THE COOKING GUY airs on YUR VIEW with COX, and my online show, STCGO. Both are shot right in my house – and I cook with my kids, dogs – just like we all do. There’s no fois gras… no white truffle oil, no ‘Peruvian mountain-raised squab in sesame-lime-soy marinade stuffed with braised forest turnips and wild enoki mushrooms in a hand pressed plum and raspberry glaze’. I’m just a regular guy, using regular words showing how to cook easy, great food… Food that’s ‘big in taste and small in effort’. It’s a handful of ingredients and a few steps – that’s it. This is a cooking show “for the rest of us,” I like to say.

“For too long now TV chefs have tried to ‘impress’ with their food & style. But a ton of ingredients and a ton of steps just winds up with people saying they can’t cook. And it’s not that they can’t cook – it’s that they don’t because they think it’s too hard. So isn’t it time someone made cooking easy?”
— Sam

About Us
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

In the final live episode of The Food Professor podcast for 2023, hosts Michael LeBlanc and Sylvain Charlebois discussed various Canadian food and beverage industry topics. While the interview with our guest Kristina Farrell, CEO of Food and Beverage Canada, was a significant part of the episode, the hosts delved into various other vital issues.

A key topic of discussion was Canadians' New Year's food resolutions. The hosts noted a trend towards healthier eating and more home cooking, possibly influenced by recent economic challenges. They questioned whether this trend might lead to reduced patronage of restaurants, reflecting on potential impacts on the restaurant industry.

LeBlanc and Charlebois also discussed labour shortages in the food industry, particularly manufacturing. They touched on how companies, especially smaller ones, are grappling with balancing investment in technology with managing rising costs due to inflation. The conversation highlighted the industry's need for innovation to remain competitive and sustainable.

Another significant point of discussion was the evolving landscape of alcohol sales in Ontario, notably the plan to allow beer and wine sales in convenience stores. The hosts speculated on the implications of this change, including potential challenges such as increased insurance costs for retailers and the impact on consumer habits and the recycling system.

The dialogue also covered broader industry trends and challenges, including the importance of sustainability and the need for the food sector to adapt to changing consumer preferences and government policies. The hosts expressed concerns about possible isolation due to increased home consumption and the importance of social interaction in dining experiences.

In their reflections on the year, LeBlanc and Charlebois discussed the top stories and issues in the food industry, ranging from labour disruptions and supply chain challenges to policy developments affecting the sector. They concluded with positive remarks on the growth and potential of the food industry, looking forward to future developments in 2024.

Overall, the episode offered a comprehensive overview of the Canadian food and beverage industry, with insightful discussions on the sector's challenges and opportunities, policy impacts, and consumer trends.

FBC’s website: FBC – Advocating for food and beverage manufacturing businesses located in urban and rural communities across Canada. (fbc-abc.com)

FBC’s 2024 pre-budget submission: FBC-ABC.2024.Prebudget.Submission.Final_.pdf

FBC’s submission to the Pollution Prevention Planning Notice for primary food plastic packaging: FBC-ABC.P2Notice.Submission.30Aug2023.pdf

FBC on Twitter and LinkedIn (I would like to think I know all of these off the top of my head, but again – team of 1.2):

Twitter: @FoodBevCanada

LinkedIn: LinkedIn

Me on Twitter and LinkedIn:

Twitter: @krisprou

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-farrell-proulx-b09ba549

About Us
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.   

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world. 

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers. 

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

In this podcast episode, our special guest, Pierre Petelle, the President and CEO of CropLife Canada, discusses the organization's role and impact in the agricultural industry. CropLife represents companies that produce vital seed technologies and crop protection products in agriculture and public health. Pierre emphasized the evolution of these products, highlighting gene editing as a significant advancement that allows for more precise and affordable crop modifications. He also pointed out the organization's efforts to make science relatable to the public, stressing the importance of these technologies in preventing food waste, improving food affordability, and contributing to carbon sequestration. To help the public understand farming challenges and innovations, CropLife created "Real Farm Lives," a series that showcases Canadian farming families and their commitment to the land. Pierre encouraged an open-minded approach to agricultural technology, advocating for its role as a solution to many pressing environmental and economic issues.

In the news, we talk about how Canada's Food Price Report for 2024 "landed," delving into the ethics and economics within the food industry and debating the implications of regulatory measures and the grocery code of conduct.   The conversation then shifts to food safety and recalls, touching on the Salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupes and the complexities of mitigating risks within the food supply chain. They discuss how regulation and consumer behaviour intersect, with Sylvain advocating for better risk communication and Michael highlighting the need for innovative solutions like vertical farming.

Additionally, we explore McDonald's new strategy with their new CosMc's concept, aimed at capturing a younger demographic and filling a gap in the mid-afternoon snack segment. Lastly, we touch upon a unique legal case where a woman was given the option to work in fast food as a sentence for assault, reflecting on the creative approach to justice.

Overall, the podcast covers the intricate balance between industry practices, consumer expectations, and regulatory frameworks, emphasizing the need for transparency and ethical conduct in addressing the food industry's challenges.

Graveyard image Photo by Matthias Müllner on Unsplash

About Pierre

Innovation in agriculture is helping Canadian farmers become more productive and sustainable than ever before. As president and CEO of CropLife Canada, my mission is to support our members and advocate for political and regulatory frameworks that continue to enable cutting edge agricultural technologies to come to market in Canada.

I am responsible for the strategic direction and leadership of our organization. As an industry we are often faced with misinformation about agricultural technologies like pesticides and plant breeding innovations such as GMOs. I strongly believe in our role, working in partnership with the broader agricultural industry, in telling the positive story of modern agriculture. I am also a firm believer in the power of collaboration when it comes to advancing the common interests of the agriculture industry, which is why we work closely with our partners in the GrowCanada partnership. 

I’m energised about the future of Canadian agriculture because over the last few decades we’ve experienced dramatic change, fueled in large part by technological advancements. While farmers are facing some enormous challenges in their efforts to grow food for the world, I’m optimistic that the ingenuity of farmers and the innovation in the plant science industry will make for a bright future for agriculture and food production.

About Us
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.   

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world. 

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers. 

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

Our special guest on this episode is Alex Green, Chief Experience and Marketing Officer, Longo's, recorded live in person at the Coffee Association of Canada's conference in Toronto.  Alex shares the rich history of Longo's brand and the customer-focused strategies they embrace to win in a hyper-competitive Southern Ontario grocery market.

In the news,  get ready for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Canada's just-released Food Price Report 2024, the foremost report on the future of food pricing in Canada.   We also talk about the good and bad news coming out of COP28, Empire/Sobey's CEO Michael Medline's testimony in Ottawa and what that may or may not have accomplished, changes to Kraft's Mac & Cheese, for good or ill, Cheerios packaging fiasco, and the exorcism of ghost kitchens. 

Click here for Canada's Food Price Report 2024

About Alex

I believe in remarkable people and their ideas and I’m on a mission to unleash this potential to allow individuals, teams, and organizations to thrive in an ever-changing world. 

As a seasoned executive, I am at my best when leading teams and brands through transformative change that’s grounded in insight. I unlock new value through aligning company, product, service and brand design which is magnified with powerful, fully integrated go-to-market strategies and backed by empowered and motivated teams. I have particularly deep expertise as a Brand and Marketing leader that embraces the exponential value of different versus the incremental value of better. In addition to traditional and digital performance marketing skillsets, I am well-grounded in data & analytics, loyalty program design & CRM, as well as digital product, UX and e-commerce management. These strategic capabilities are paired with a strong optimism bias, resilient mindset and change management and executive coaching certifications. All in support of getting the right ideas to market to navigate disruptive environments and deliver business results.

At Longo’s, I am loving being at the forefront of a full retail transformation that touches all aspects of our Guest and Team Member experience. It’s strategic yet hands-on with a highly entrepreneurial team in a fast-paced and rapidly changing industry. We are testing, learning and improving every day. 

In support of great ideas everywhere, I recently established RMRKBL, a free presentation training field guide and toolkit designed to help people better express their ideas, so they can get on with changing the world. You can check it out at rmrkbl.ca.

About Us
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.   

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world. 

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers. 

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

Our special guest is Kelly Higginson, President & CEO of Restaurants Canada, and we dive into the challenges faced by the foodservice industry post-COVID, the role of technology, tipping and the road ahead for a $100Billion industry in Canada where now more than 50 percent of restaurants and foodservice businesses operating at a loss or barely breaking even.

In the news, Sylvain presents a new report from the Dalhousie University Agri-Food Analytics Lab, Changing Traditions: The Impact of Rising Food Prices on Holiday Meals, and we talk about the cost of a traditional holiday dinner, including egg nog and options for Canadians who are food insecure.  

We talk about the state of the The Beer Store in Ontario raising questions about the future of beer regulations and the iconic empties return system. Irony reigns as environmentalists jet to Dubai for COP28. A cantaloupe recall sparks a discussion on its reputation and the shortcomings of Canada's dangerous food alert system. We reflect on the legacy of George Cohon, whose forays into "Burger Diplomacy" in Russia for McDonald's lay in tatters under Putin's rule. Still, his legacy and spirit of generosity shine through Ronald McDonald House. We wrap with the startling twist of strategy with WeightWatchers CEO's surprising shift into buying a company that can prescribe weight loss drugs.

About Kelly

Kelly Higginson took on the role of President and CEO of Restaurants Canada after serving the organization as Chief Operating Officer since 2022. Prior to this, she served as the Executive Vice President of Operations at The CFW Group, leading operational strategy for North American hospitality brands like ki modern japanese + bar, The Shore Club and Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House. During her time with The CFW Group, Higginson had first-hand experience navigating copious challenges as she worked to further the development and retention of employees through the global pandemic.

About Us
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.   

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world. 

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers. 

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

In this episode, we're joined by Vanessa Toperczer, Senior Vice President of IMI International, recorded at the Coffee Association of Canada's annual conference in Toronto. We discuss the importance of brand and brand leadership, plus research insights to fuel profit and growth.

Michael talks about his time on the Canadian Grocer Magazine Connex stage, interviewing grocery leaders in Canada. Shout-out to Jamie Nelson, COO of Pattison Food Group, and Susan Niczowski of Summer Fresh Salads as this year's Golden Pencil award winners.

We delve into the latest industry news, covering everything from the plastics debate coming out of the Federal Court judgement ruling against the Federal Government and Sobeys' price freeze to the impact of the C-234 protest in the Senate. We talk about the shocking revelations about forced labour in China's seafood supply chain and the immediate ripple effect on Canadian companies like High Liner.

About Vanessa

As an insight-driven leader, Vanessa is laser-focused on motivating marketers and the C-suite to make strong, fact-based decisions that accelerate their business and maximize ROI.

Fueled by intention and curiosity, she has cultivated a 360-degree skill set in the marketing world encompassing Agency, Brand, Not-for-Profit, Social Enterprise and Consumer Insights. Her considerable expertise reaches across brand transformation and optimization, growth strategy development, communications strategy and articulation, product and innovation development, partnership and sponsorship strategy, and team leadership and empowerment.

Vanessa is inspired to help others discover a universe of possibilities beyond their own vantage point and empower them to focus on what is truly essential. This passion energizes her work with clients, as a sought-after speaker at events and conferences, and on board and committee roles she holds across multiple organizations.

About Us
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.   

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world. 

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers. 

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

Our guest on this episode, recorded live at the Coffee Association of Canada's annual conference in Toronto, is Rick Brown, President of Foodservice at Circana, Canada.

We start with news of worsening food insecurity in Canada, as reported by Statistics Canada in their recent report. Next, we take a virtual tour inside Metro's new high-tech billion-dollar distribution centre in Quebec before Sylvain's in-person visit later this year. We also discuss Metro's recent financial results where, despite labour issues, they report an increase in food same-store sales. Loblaw then takes the spotlight, focusing on its growth in same-store grocery sales and a remarkable 13% surge in e-commerce sales. We then celebrate Loblaw's new small supplier program and its potential positive impact on the industry, and then discuss their position on the Code of Conduct.   We also explore possible changes to Ontario beer retailing.

About Rick

Rick leads Circana’s Canadian Foodservice, Fashion and Prestige Beauty commercial businesses. With a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of Toronto and rigorous training in attitude measurement, statistics and research design, Rick offers Circana’s clients customized solutions to help drive business strategies, identify new opportunities, and help better understand consumer behavior. Prior to joining Circana (formerly The NPD Group), Rick worked at the business consulting firm Frost & Sullivan and at the University of Florida on their Attitudes and Persuasion research team. Rick has over 20 years of market research experience, is a published author and a dynamic public speaker who works closely with the major Canadian Foodservice, Fashion and Beauty operators, manufacturers, retailers.

About Us
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.   

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world. 

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers. 

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

This episode, released one day later than usual, was recorded live at the Coffee Association of Canada's annual conference in Toronto. Our special guest, Lisa Richardson, EVP & COO at Canterbury Coffee, joins us to shed light on their deep expertise in coffee sourcing, roasting, food service and more, which sets them apart in a crowded market. Lisa discusses how Canterbury Coffee adapts to a changing landscape, addresses customer shifts, and focuses on adding value and differentiation in a crowded marketplace, and what makes the "routinely exceptional."

In the news, we touch on consumer perceptions of restaurants in the latest research from the Dalhousie Agri-Food Analytics Lab on the Canadian perception of restaurants, the latest on Bill C-234 and the carbon tax carve-out for Canadian farmers, recent investigative reports on China's vast ocean fishing fleets and the abuse of workers on them, and we talk about the great diversity of flavours and locations across the nation featured in Air Canada's en Route magazine feature on the top 10 new restaurants in Canada. 

About Lisa

A passionate, resourceful and innovative Sales Leader with a strong business acumen and progressive sales management, marketing and operations management experience. An authentic, agile and collaborative coach and mentor with a proven track record of translating business goals into workable action plans and building/motivating high performing sales organizations that deliver profitable growth. With over 30 years in the Foodservice industry, offers extensive knowledge of the dynamic industry and both the Operator and Distributor network. Respected as a trusted and effective advocate, advisor & achiever of sustainable results.

About Us
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.   

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world. 

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers. 

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

Our guest is Gordon Bacon, the CEO Emeritus at Pulse Canada. With over 20 years of leadership in the agricultural sector, advocating for farmers and producers, Gordon has a wealth of wisdom and insights to share. We'll dive into his journey, advocacy for the agricultural sector, and the importance of pulse crops in the industry.  Stay tuned for valuable advice for aspiring leaders in agriculture and personal lessons learned from Gordon's time as CEO of Pulse Canada, shaping his approach to leadership and advocacy in the agricultural world. Take advantage of this enlightening conversation with a true industry expert.

In the news: the carbon tax and the BOC's recent statements, CDC's decision on milk prices, and the age-old question, is food recession-proof? Plus, farewell to The founder of Smokes Poutine, Ryan Smokily, who left us this week.

Reminder to join us at the Coffee Association of Canada's annual conference in Toronto on November 9th for a day of networking, trends, insights, and data. 

About Gordon

Gordon Bacon was the founding CEO of Pulse Canada and served in this position from 1997 to 2021.  He was also CEO of the Canadian Special Crops Association, the Canadian trade association for companies involved in trading peas, lentils, beans and chickpeas.  He now works as a consultant on projects related to food and environmental sustainability.

Gordon was an executive member of the Global Pulse Confederation and played a key role in having the United Nations declare 2016 as "International Year of Pulses".  

Prior to his market development work in the wheat and pulse sectors, Gordon served as the Senior Policy Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture in Ottawa and has been a farm owner and operator in Saskatchewan.

In 2012 Gordon was presented with the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal.  In 2021 The Canadian Western Agribition recognized him as one of the top 50 most influential people in Canadian agriculture.  In November of 2021 Gordon was inducted into the Canadian Agriculture Hall of Fame.

About Us
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.   

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world. 

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers. 

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

Welcome to the latest episode of The Food Professor podcast! In this episode, we've got an exceptional treat for you. Recorded live at SIAL 2023, our guest is none other than the game-changing innovator B.K. Sethi, whose impact on Canadian food stores is nothing short of revolutionary.

Before we dive into this exclusive conversation, a quick reminder: mark your calendars for the Coffee Association of Canada's annual conference on November 9th in Toronto. It's a day filled with networking, trends, insights, and data, and you can grab your tickets via the link in our show notes. Michael has some exciting news: he'll be moderating a panel of grocery industry leaders, including the CEOs and Presidents of Walmart Canada, Longo's, and Save-On-Foods, at the Canadian Grocer's GroceryConnex event on November 20th. Take advantage of these fantastic events!

Now, onto the latest food industry news:

• We've got insights from a new report on seafood consumption conducted by researchers Dr. Stefanie Colombo and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois in partnership with Angus Reid. Discover the fascinating purchasing habits of Canadians when it comes to fish and seafood. From British Columbia topping the charts to surprising preferences and consumption patterns, it's a deep dive into Canadian seafood choices.
• Grocers are back in the spotlight as an agricultural committee summons them to the principal's office. We'll explore the implications of Ottawa's scrutiny and how it's affecting the grocery industry.
• The St. Lawrence Seaway strike raises questions about its importance and the demands of the 300 people involved. Is it worth it, and what could it mean for the food supply chain?
• We'll also discuss the latest findings from Restaurants Canada, shedding light on the ongoing impact of the pandemic on the restaurant industry.
• Sadly, there's some pickle news, with Canadian company Whyte's Foods filing for bankruptcy. Remember those Strub's garlic kosher pickles? We certainly do.
• As Halloween approaches, be prepared for "trickflation." Find out why some candies are shrinking in size just in time for the spooky season.
• And, we pay tribute to George Sukornyk, the co-founder of Harvey's hamburger chain, whose legacy lives on in the Canadian fast-food scene.

You won't want to miss this episode with all this on the menu. Stay tuned for a captivating discussion with B.K. Sethi is the man who transformed Canadian food stores and stayed informed about the latest developments in the world of food.

About B.K.

With over 46 years of practical experience in selling and marketing, coupled with my education in Marketing, I have enjoyed my career. I have been working with multinational CPG companies as well my Ethnic Food Importers, distributors and marketers becoming Canada’s largest Authentic Ethnic Multicultural Food distributor (1982-2012). Currently working as a Marketing Consultant specializing in the growing Ethnic Market and providing strategic direction, planning, execution, promotional guidance, distribution selection and training.

https://www.amazon.ca/Meet-BK-Ethnic-Food-Aisle/dp/1738978206/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1BEVULUQ3HH9A&keywords=Meet+BK+in+the+Ethnic+Food+Aisle%3A+A+Memoir+of+the+Man+Who+Changed+Canadian+Food+Stores+Forever&qid=1698265823&sprefix=meet+bk+in+the+ethnic+food+aisle+a+memoir+of+the+man+who+changed+canadian+food+stores+forever+%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-1

About Us
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.   

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world. 

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers. 

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2024 for the fourth year in a row.

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world.

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers.

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America