Articles

By Douglas Hart President, Hart & Associates Management Consultants Ltd. Whether buying coffee at a grocery store or ordering a cappuccino at Starbucks, Canadians have felt the sharp taste of rising coffee prices over the last several years. While Canada’s overall food prices rose by 3.5%, coffee prices increased by …

Protein is showing up in every aisle as consumers want it for every day By Carly Peters Whether you’re browsing the cereal aisle, opening the ice cream freezer, or walking past candy end caps, one thing is impossible to miss: everything is packed with protein. Once associated with athletes chasing …

By Sylvain Charlebois — January 22, 2026 A web of regulations, compliance costs, carbon pricing and interprovincial trade barriers is pushing food prices higher Food prices in Canada are rising faster than in any other G7 country, and the reason is no longer a mystery: domestic policy failure is driving …

By Robin Brunet A balancing act: that’s one way to describe the care it takes to refresh a major brick and mortar retail brand. Deviate too far from the norm, and you risk losing customers in droves. Clint Mahlman, president and COO of London Drugs, understands this intimately, and that’s …

Source / Commentary: Sentinel Management Consultants’ “The Grocery Code” column argues that grocery behaviour typically shifts for two reasons: tighter rules and stiffer competition. With Canada’s Grocery Code moving into enforcement and global discounters continuing to expand, 2026 is positioned as a turning point for how retailers and suppliers plan, …

Sensitivity to food prices, cultural diversity, and sustainability among the shifts in consumer behaviour By Carolyn Camilleri Pasta and sauce have been staples in Canadian homes for decades for so many reasons: affordable, nutritious, shelf stable, and quick to prepare even on the busiest days. Moreover, pasta and sauce meals …

Hot sauce makers thrive amid market oversaturated By Robin Brunet The hot sauce market in Canada is still experiencing robust growth. The global market is expected to reach approximately USD 4.3 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of around 6.5% during the forecast period of 2025 to 2035.  According …

Patriotism is at a high. But so are grocery prices By Carly Peters It’s a conundrum consumer have been facing since earlier this year, and one that might not be resolved any time soon. In response, grocers have had to grapple with merchandising shifts (how many Canadian maple leaf stickers …