Consumer shopping habits are constantly evolving, especially during these inflationary wars. For instance, Nielsen IQ just announced the US FMCG sector experienced its first positive unit growth month (April 2024) over the past 15-months. Monthly negative FMCG unit growth in Canada has been a constant over the same time frame. This is what makes the […]
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Life has always been about coping with challenges. More than two decades ago I was diagnosed with depression. When I was first diagnosed, I kept it to myself. Today, I still do. Though I feel it is a stigma that I am not proud of, many well known personalities such as Dwayne Johnson, Michael Landsberg, […]
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Growing up, Kraft Dinner was a favourite for Canadians. Great taste and it was easy to prepare, especially for an amateur chef like myself. Introduced simultaneously in both Canada and the US in 1937, Canadians consumed 55% more boxes per capita than Americans.[i] I remember when Kraft admitted their iconic product contained synthetic colours. Due […]
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Brand loyalty, is the mission for business when launching a new product. When I was the Brand Manager for Tabasco Sauce in Canada, they enjoyed an +80% brand loyalty level. That was during an era of no social media, and food prices were stable. Today, that term is more fiction than fact. “The death of […]
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In the early 1990’s I remember the first Dollar store opening up in the GTA. Having identified this new retail channel, I brought it to the attention of Senior Management in Canada, and the United States. My concerns were unheeded by Senior Management, and I was told they would never become a serious threat to […]
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The Canadian grocery sector is in a volatile state due to the inflationary wars. Though much has been made about the rising food prices in Canada, the UK’s November’23 CPG inflationary figure came in at 9.2%[i], as compared to 5% for Canada.[ii] Over the past year, though food sales increased 6.6%, it was all fueled […]
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The year of 2023 has come to an end. It is a year my wife and I wish to forget. Three months removed from my third knee replacement surgery, my wife was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer for the 2nd time in her life. Due to the great work of the Doctors and Nurses at Princess […]
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The focus for brands over the past number of years, has been on the Millennial and Generation Z communities. Millennials are those born between 1981 and 1996, and Generation Z was born between the mid to late-1990’s and 2010. In 2021, these two consumer groups accounted for over 38% of the Canadian population (M:21%, Gen […]
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Global warming began in 1988 when the deception of the ozone layer became increasingly prominent in the international public debate and political agenda. Though back of mind for most, today it is top of mind for retailers, consumers, and manufacturers in the food sector with an urgent focus on reducing plastic packaging waste in our […]
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Whether Canadians are filling up at the gas station, taking a well-earned vacation, or doing their weekly trip to the grocery store, they are feeling the pinch of inflation. Unlike what many politicians, especially those on the left of the spectrum may not mention, food inflation is a global phenomenon, not a “Made in Canada” […]
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