Beyond Meat is heading to Canadian grocery stores. It's the leading edge of a shift in how we consume proteins
It was just a matter of time before Beyond Meat, the California-based company partially owned by Bill Gates and meat giant Tyson Foods, jumped from drive-throughs to grocery store shelves. Beyond Meat recently announced that its vegan burger will be available at several large Canadian grocers beginning in May, just in time for barbecue season.…
Metro plans to let customers bring their own containers to stores in Quebec. You can bet other retailers will follow suit
Metro announced recently that it would become the first major grocery store chain in the country to allow customers to bring their own reusable containers for packaging of individual products. It's a significant step forward for the industry, but it comes with risks. The policy, which only applies in Quebec, will take effect on April…
The iconic Canadian brand is expanding south of the border. The decision makes perfect sense and national dithering is to blame
Maple Leaf Foods, the largest pork processor in the country, has opted to build its new meatless plant south of the border. Unfortunately, the decision makes perfect sense. The iconic Canadian food company recently announced plans to spend US$310 million on a 230,000-square-foot processing plant in Indiana, where its Lightlife Burger and other products will…
Customers face making a quick decision and without enough information. Can grocers fix this process?
Most of us have been asked to donate to charity at the checkout counter, especially at a grocery store. A dollar here, two dollars there adds up. The practice started years ago but appears to be growing. It’s estimated that more $35 million is raised by simply asking Canadians to donate at the cash register.…
The rise of voice-activated searches throws the traditional food marketing model out the window
Your voice will likely become food retailers’ and restaurants’ most significant focus over the next while. Voice searches are increasingly the norm. A recent study suggests that more than 20 per cent of all online restaurant searches in Canada are voice activated. To a lesser extent, grocery shopping is also done through these devices. Since…
Let’s make industry’s job of marketing to kids easier by not letting them do it in the first place
I was as happy as anyone with the release of the revised Canada’s Food Guide last month. There wasn’t much to complain about and, in fact, much to praise. This is as true for what was in the guide – sensible guidance around cooking more and consuming less processed food – as well as what…
From supply management to food strategy to rural Internet to food processing to export targets, the government got it all wrong
Most people expected an electoral budget from the federal government this week and that’s exactly what Canadians got. But for the agri-food sector, the budget was underwhelming at best and provided little hope for the near future. Let’s start with supply management. The Liberal government opted to do exactly what the previous Conservative government did…
The number of households in Canada with just one person has never been higher. And the food industry is taking notice
The number of households in Canada with just one person has never been higher. And the food industry is taking notice. More than 28 per cent of Canadian households have just one person. That’s almost four million households. That number could reach five million in few years – a little less than the combined population…
The giant company failed to adapt its products and hacked its marketing budget. Now it’s paying dearly
If anyone was still looking for signs that the power play between food brands and consumers is shifting, they got it last week. Kraft Heinz Co. – the owner of major brands we’ve all bought for years like Oscar Mayer, Jell-O, Kool-Aid and Kraft Dinner – announced that it’s writing off US$15.4 billion worth of…
The massive rise in consumption of alternative proteins has put huge pressure on the livestock and dairy industries
The overpowering plant-based narrative is clearly helping lentils, chickpeas and soya win the proteins wars. The livestock and dairy industries feel the pressure. With the publication of the new Canada’s Food Guide, we have officially ended more than 70 years of state-endorsed fascination for animal proteins. Let’s face it, the change was necessary. The guide…
It was just a matter of time before Beyond Meat, the California-based company partially owned by Bill Gates and meat giant Tyson Foods, jumped from drive-throughs to grocery store shelves. Beyond Meat recently announced that its vegan burger will be available at several large Canadian grocers beginning in May, just in time for barbecue season.…
