Canada’s iconic fast-food brand is beginning to fall out of step with the times
Tim Hortons needs to reconsider its ‘Roll Up The Rim’ promotion. The entire campaign rests on the physicality of the cup itself. Almost 300 million cups are produced for the campaign, which usually ends in mid-April. Some winners have been required to send in the entire cup to claim their prize, instead of just ripping […] Read more
Some parts of the Guide offer trite advice only an idealistic health professional would give
Say goodbye to the four food groups; they are now gone. Almost 12 years after the launch of the previous version, the new food guide celebrates food by displaying a plate filled with greens, fruits, plant proteins and grains. And if you look very carefully, you’ll see a cup of yogurt, alongside a piece of […] Read more
Consumers want to get food products delivered directly to their homes but they don’t necessarily want to pay for it
Grocers can no longer afford to wait for their money to show up at their stores. That’s a given. They need to go after it as well. E-commerce in the grocery business was barely a thought five years ago. Most of them did not want to cannibalize sales and decrease foot traffic. The primary idea […] Read more
An industry-led food safety program appears to have got complacent and self-congratulatory
So, we finally went from a slew of alerts on romaine lettuce to a series of clearcut recalls affecting various produce items, including romaine lettuce and cauliflower. This is the worst time of year for Canadians as our economy is more vulnerable to outbreaks in imported produce. Chances are cauliflower will be very expensive and […] Read more
A large and growing group of Canadians are becoming ‘part-time vegetarians’
Restaurants are struggling to get a good handle on how consumers are rapidly shifting away from animal protein. According to a recent study by Dalhousie University, nearly one in five Canadians have decided to either reduce the amount of meat they consume or have outright eliminated it from their diets. Add the fact that 63 […] Read more
Why self-checkouts at the grocery store never seem to work properly
Some Canadians detest going to the grocery store. It’s repetitive, tiring, and quite unpleasant at times, especially when the store is busy. Picking up groceries and lugging them back home is work, something most would rather avoid. On the other hand, many of us do enjoy visiting food stores and discovering new products or new […] Read more
Consumers are spending more of their income on outside food purchases which shrinks the farmer’s share of the pie
More Canadians are eating out. In fact, according to some surveys, about 35 per cent of the average Canadian’s food budget is spent on food consumed outside the home. This would include restaurants, grab-and-go’s, and other portable food offerings. This is nowhere near what Americans spend on out-of-household food consumption, which is now estimated at […] Read more
Cannabis edibles are a looming regulatory headache
Legalizing cannabis recently was the easy part. Just wait until Canada gives its thumbs-up on edibles. For months now, the focus has been on the smokable version of the drug, some oils and gels, and that’s all. As the cannabis-friendly market matures in Canada, we still have no idea how edibles will be marketed, when […] Read more
The consumer’s view of meat is changing and producers need to be aware of that
Apparently, Canada is going meatless, unless you are a white older male, that is. Well, that may be a slight exaggeration, as many Canadians still need a regular meat fix. In fact, many see meat consumption as one of the pleasures in life, as well as a necessary part of a balanced diet. Some even […] Read more
A strong case for taste and food safety will have to be made before consumers will be willing to eat their garbage
Within a year, single-use plastics and excess packaging have become public enemy No. 1. Everyone is talking about how our lives are overrun by too much plastic. A recent Greenpeace-led audit looked at waterways waste and companies involved. Much of the plastic trash cleaned up from Canadian shorelines this fall was traceable to five companies: […] Read more
