Articles

New product manufacturers can now take advantage of an even more effective program to fast track success. TORONTO, Sept. 28, 2017  – New products (or re-imaged ones) energize retail and offer consumers the thrill of discovery. To help the best new products stand out to retail buyers, grocery journalists and …

New research on views on food, trust and expectations for transparency CALGARY, Sept. 21, 2017 – New research was released this week by the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI), studying consumer concerns and expectations surrounding food transparency and the overall food system. Canadians feel the food system is headed in …

Amazon: The RE-INVENTION of the Store IS THIS GROCERY’S NEXT FRONTIER? Amazon has been making a concerted effort to get into the grocery business…an industry that in the US is worth $620 billion a year. And even though on-line grocery shopping only represents 2% of this total, the on-line retailer …

Community Clout 49th Parallel’s devotion to immediate and extended family is a recipe for success By Robin Brunet Wayne Richmond, who purchased the 49th Parallel Grocery store in Ladysmith on Vancouver Island 40 years ago, chuckles when told that it’s a tradition for grocers in small communities to employ lots …

There has been a lot of talk recently about the expected hike in food prices for 2017. Canada’s Food Price Report, published by researchers at Dalhousie University in Halifax, says the average Canadian family may need to spend as much as $420 more for food next year. This comes after a …

A season of change for Progresso soups As fall approaches, so does soup season. And Progresso has rejuvenated soups to celebrate. Progresso is now using only 100 percent antibiotic- and hormone-free chicken breasts in all of its 36 chicken soup varieties. The Progresso team is always at work, responding to …

Where is the Shopper In Your Category Management Approach? By Sue Nicholls, CMKG  October 2016 Many of us forget the shopper in our category reviews, business reviews, assortment discussions, space planning, store brand decisions, internal presentations … I work with many different retailers and suppliers in Canada and the U.S., …

Consumers win when food prices fall, but all down the supply chain there are losers, including retailers, processors and farmers By Sylvain Charlebois Columnist Troy Media HALIFAX, N.S. / Troy Media/ – Making money in the food business isn’t nearly as simple as it once was. It’s becoming cheaper to …

Canada ranks third among the world’s top coffee drinkers, thanks to the ever-present Tim Hortons chain, but consumption patterns are changing By Sylvain Charlebois Columnist Troy Media HALIFAX, N.S. / Troy Media/ – Coffee is a big deal. In fact, coffee is the second largest traded commodity in the world …

By demanding lower prices, Loblaws is protecting its bottom line but will Canadian consumers really benefit – or even notice?   By Sylvain Charlebois Columnist Troy Media HALIFAX, N.S. / Troy Media/ – Loblaw Companies Ltd. recently sent a letter to major suppliers advising them that it will pay 1.45 …