Opinions
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Packaging Misconceptions Unwrapped
RECIPE TO RETAIL: Part 23… In this age of plastic dependency and growing mountains of packaging waste, brand owners need to take responsibility. The consumer conscience is shifting in favour of sustainable packaging and affecting purchase decisions. Before jumping on…
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RC Show Faves
Toronto’s annual RC Show, Canada’s largest foodservice and hospitality event, is a treasure trove of inspiration for CPG businesses. Edible Plastic Straw Alternative Plastic straws have been earmarked for extinction. In response, Planetkitchen introduces SUPERSTRAW, the edible drinking straw. The…
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Beware of Overpromising
RECIPE TO RETAIL: Part 22… Have you ever been disappointed after opening a food package, when the contents don’t look like the picture? Brands often embellish images on packaging to entice shoppers to buy their products. A picture is truly…
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Why COVID-19 will change the food industry, forever
By Sylvain Charlebois, Senior Director, Agri-Food Analytics Lab, Dalhousie University COVID-19 is likely going to redefine grocery shopping in more ways than one. Convenience now has a different meaning. It’s less about saving time and more about survival and safety. Before…
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Minding the Money: Healthy Finance Tips
RECIPE TO RETAIL: Part 21… Financial competence is crucial for survival in today’s hyper-competitive market. Managing the finances of a food business is especially challenging because margins can be low and supermarkets negotiate hard for EDLC (every day low cost).…
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In Food Safety, Wenliang’s Death Could Become Our Problem
By Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Professor and Senior Director, Agri-Food Analytics Lab, Dalhousie University When SARS hit back in 2003, China was nowhere near the economic powerhouse it is today. Now, if something happens to China, the entire world is…
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Buying Canadian, eh?
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is going into marketing. It wants you to buy Canadian, as much as you can. The “Buy Canadian” campaign is about to start, sometime this summer, and the Federal government intends to spend $25 million over…
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Nielsen Insights from Thought Leadership CEO Conference
Competition is fierce among Canada’s packaged food brands. Arming yourself with knowledge about the challenges your customers face enables you to devise solutions that will resonate and increase listing opportunities. Brick and mortar food stores are changing, fast. Food retailers…
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7 Take-Aways from Grocery Innovations
Savvy brand owners check out trade shows like Grocery Innovations Canada (GIC) to unwrap a host of business opportunities. Here are some insights from this year’s show to stimulate your creative juices. Solving the Breakfast Conundrum Oasis® Morning Smoothie rises…
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Behind Maple Leaf Foods’ bold call to become carbon neutral
By Sylvain Charlebois Maple Leaf Foods is not just pretending to be environmentally friendly, it is trying to be a trailblazer in the wild kingdom of proteins. The company has just adopted science-based targets that will help it become the…
