COVID-19 is a pandemic for the ages. It is one most of us have never experienced and every day I pray we will never experience again. Many have compared this pandemic to the Great Depression. For Quarter 1, 2020, Canada’s economy contracted at an annualized pace of 8.2%. [i] When the Canadian economy will rebound […]
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COVID-19 is a pandemic we have never experienced in our lifetime and one I pray to God each day we will never experience again. It has taken its toll on the economy. The Conference Board of Canada has predicted real GDP is projected to contract by 4.0% this year, down from a gain of 1.7% […]
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The Canadian retail sector is extremely competitive given the choices consumers have. This is especially true for new brand entrants who face the daunting challenge of generating word of mouth and promoting their brand through open public relations (PR). Not all brands can be like Beyond Meat which has been in the headlines the past […]
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We have been learning about greenhouse gases, global warming, and climate change through the news. This past year a National climate emergency was declared by the Canadian House of Commons. It declares a national climate emergency and supports the country’s commitment to meeting the emissions targets outlined in the Paris Agreement. Though the oil sands […]
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Dollar stores are a well-known entity in Canada. The first store was a Dollarama that was introduced in Quebec in 1992. Two and a half decades later they have become a household name with over 1,200 locations nationally. One of their newest locations is my hometown of Streetsville. It is projected in a few years Canada will […]
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Each year, thousands of ambitious food entrepreneurs start new businesses. In 2018, 11% of small business start-ups were in the food/restaurant business.[i] These entrepreneurs feel bright and full of hope and have the dream of having their products listed by a major grocery retailer. What once may have been a slam dunk, today the challenge […]
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This past week I went to my local Loblaws for toothpaste. They devote 16’ of shelf space to this category that features 7 different brands and over 50 product offerings. With so much competition regardless of the category, how do the smaller brands compete and stay listed? According to what I have read and heard; […]
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Food is considered one of the three necessities in life. The common practice was to create a shopping list and head off to your local grocery without fanfare to purchase those items. It was done so without reviewing the ingredients listing. As such, we purchased products that contained GMOs, artificial flavours, colours, and extra sugar. […]
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The women’s role in business has been a hot topic of conversation recently, and this focus will continue to be front and center in the coming year’s as women are increasingly being empowered as entrepreneurs or in senior positions. When I grew up it was customary for women to be stay-at-home moms. Though my Mom […]
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For the past decade, there has been considerable discussion amongst CPG marketers on how to interact with Millennials. Understandable, given their purchasing power (combined, $600B in the US each year)[i], their influence on the food sector and how they have re-shaped today’s food trends. But now there is a new generation. As noted by Mr. […]
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