The Food Professor

Michael LeBlanc, Dr. Sylvain Charlebois
  • 3.7 (3)
  • Management
  • Updated Weekly

Join Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Senior Director, Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University in Halifax with host Michael LeBlanc as they look at the hot issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries. We'll discuss proprietary industry and consumer food related research, check out fresh new ideas and talk about half baked strategies. © 2020-2026 M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. All Rights Reserved.

  1. 6d ago

    Rolling Back the Counter-Tariffs, Beef Politics Redux, Retail Crime & Punishment in Vancouver and guest Dave Jones, President & CEO of Bento Sushi

    Season Seven, Episode 2 of The Food Professor podcast lands its first guest interview, and it's a Canadian food business story three decades in the making. Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois are joined by Dave Jones, President and CEO of Bento Sushi, the company that turned a small 1996 takeout counter in downtown Toronto into the largest sushi business in Canada. Dave joined Bento in 2009 in an entry-level management role, moved through operations, procurement and supply chain, and took over as CEO in 2022. He unpacks a business most Canadians walk past every day without realizing its scale: more than 700 locations inside grocery stores, universities, hospitals and other retail environments, ten commissaries, roughly 2,500 distribution points, about 800 employees and close to 30 million packs a year. He explains the difference between made-in-store kiosks and the delivered commissary model, why automation now shapes production of items like onigiri, how global sourcing and procurement hold up under pressure, and what price sensitivity looks like in a category built on fresh, daily-made food. Bento's 30th anniversary in 2026 gives the conversation a natural lens on how retail foodservice, grocery prepared food and Canadian consumer expectations have all changed. Before the interview, Michael and Sylvain work through a busy news week. Ottawa applied counter-tariffs to seafood and fish and reversed course within 48 hours, a reminder of how tangled Canada-US supply chains really are. Honey and molasses stayed on the list, with Manitoba, Canada's largest honey exporter, taking the hit. Sylvain pushes back on Chapman's plan to replace 70 percent of its American ingredients, questioning the timing and the nationalistic framing. On beef, the hosts dig into the Trump administration's push on prices, the 300,000 tonne Brazilian import move, the JBS White House visit, the Department of Justice probe into beef pricing, and why cattle futures fell and ranchers are unhappy. Sylvain's view: ranchers are price takers in a North American market, retail prices won't move much, and Canadians could end up paying more. Also on the docket: dairy dominating CUSMA consultation submissions, Daniel Gobé's election in Quebec and his supply management odds, and Q2 trade numbers showing exports up 3 billion dollars net year over year with 2.6 billion of that heading to the United States, despite all the diversification talk. In the retail block, Michael breaks down the Canadian Tire and Tim Hortons loyalty partnership and why coalition programs need high-frequency categories, plus Loblaw's expanded capital spending on T&T, discount and specialty formats, its real estate DNA and its exit from banking. The episode closes on retail crime, and the arson at a Pattison Foods Nesters store in Vancouver. The full video interview is live on The Food Professor YouTube channel. About Us Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world’s most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries. With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

    Rolling Back the Counter-Tariffs, Beef Politics Redux, Retail Crime & Punishment in Vancouver and guest Dave Jones, President & CEO of Bento Sushi

  2. Aug 27

    Tariff Turmoil, Where's the Beef (Coming From), and Explosive Poo - We're Back with Season Seven!

    The Food Professor podcast returns for Season Seven with a no-guest, all-catch-up season premiere. Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois are back on the mic after a summer of live interviews from SIAL, and there is a serious backlog of Canadian and international food industry news to work through. Sylvain opens with the summer he actually had: 25 to 30 media interviews a week, including live hits on CNN and Fox News about explosive poo and the U.S. lettuce recalls. That leads into a real conversation about food safety and Cyclospora, a parasite you cannot simply wash off produce. With Taylor Farms, a $7 billion operator, at the centre of the recall, Michael asks the obvious question: if the most sophisticated player in the category cannot stop it, who can? Sylvain compares oversight on both sides of the border, noting roughly 8,000 federal inspectors in the U.S. versus nearly 4,000 in Canada for a tenth of the population, and explains why our cold chain and an actual winter lower the risk here. Then the tariff file. Sylvain names Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, Smoot-Hawley's descendant, as the summer's number-one story, with agriculture squarely targeted: dairy, alcohol, and honey. On the Canadian side, they dig into a counter-tariff list heavy on seafood and ag, whether it can really move U.S. midterms, and why potash retaliation could backfire on Canadian producers. Story number two: the Competition Bureau sending Nortera's acquisition of B&G Foods Canada's Green Giant and Le Sieur brands to the Competition Tribunal, a striking break from twenty years of waved-through Canadian grocery and food consolidation. Also on the docket: beef volumes down almost 5% and the risk of losing Canadian shoppers to a premium-price perception; Tyson idling a plant for lack of supply; chicken production up 5.6% as dark meat demand climbs; stubborn diesel prices and the Strait of Hormuz; Gay Lea Foods' $200 million Toronto investment against a backdrop of 1,400 new U.S. food plants versus fewer than 50 in Canada; El Nino's likely push on 2027 food inflation; and why GLP-1 drugs may reshape the Halloween candy aisle, plus the CNE's wildest new midway foods. Sylvain also previews his tenth book, Feed the Power, on food geopolitics, out from University of Toronto Press in January 2027. The episode closes with a tribute to Senator Todd Lewis, a rare and genuine agriculture advocate in Ottawa, and a candid exchange about Prime Minister Carney's trade posture and where Canada goes next. Next week: Dave Jones of Bento Sushi. About Us Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world’s most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries. With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

    Tariff Turmoil, Where's the Beef (Coming From), and Explosive Poo - We're Back with Season Seven!

  3. Aug 20 ·  Bonus

    Bacon Bites and Big Wins: Cloé Helmond, Co-Founder of Les Brutes du Soya, on Quebec's Soy Opportunity: SIAL Summer Bonus Episode

    Recorded live on the show floor at SIAL Canada 2026 in Montreal, this Food Professor summer bonus episode features Cloé Helmond, Co-Founder of Les Brutes du Soya, fresh off a first-place win in the Start-up Scale CPG category of SIAL Canada's seventh annual Startup Pitch Competition. Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois catch her still holding the hardware — and still slightly stunned, since the Scale category is built for companies four to six years old and Les Brutes is barely two. The origin story is pure Quebec agri-food. Les Brutes grew out of a family soy farm in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, in the Montérégie, launched with co-founder Marie-Pier Gélineau and her brother. Cloé, a social worker by training, spotted the paradox: Quebec grows an enormous soy crop and ships most of it overseas, while Canadian shoppers buy imported textured vegetable protein (TVP). Les Brutes closes that loop, processing soy at its own facility and in Saskatoon into shelf-stable TVP. Cloé walks the hosts through the line — plain, Mexican-style and Greek-style TVP, plus two new SKUs debuting at SIAL: soy curls and bacon bites. The bacon bites are plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free, 50 per cent protein and 21 per cent fibre, seasoned with paprika, maple syrup and tamari, with no artificial ingredients (Michael's on-mic crunch test does not disappoint). The value math is the real story: a 100-gram pouch rehydrates to 200 grams in about ten minutes with water or broth, delivering roughly two cups of ground-meat substitute for about six dollars, with a two-year shelf life. That economics pitch shapes the retail conversation. Les Brutes sits in IGA, Metro, Rachelle-Béry and Avril, usually in the health food or gluten-free set — and the hosts press on whether the "healthy aisle" default is the right home for a product aimed at flexitarians and budget-conscious families rather than committed vegans. SIAL also opened foodservice doors, including a conversation with Air Canada about a shelf-stable vegetarian option. Then the reveal. At taping, Cloé's appearance on Dans l'œil du dragon — Quebec's Dragons' Den on Radio-Canada — was still under embargo, and she shared the outcome off the record. It has since aired in Season 15: Les Brutes asked for $50,000 for 10 per cent, drew two offers, and closed a deal with dragon David Côté, co-founder of LOOP Mission, Rise Kombucha and Crudessence, at $50,000 for 10 per cent plus a fifty-cent royalty on every unit sold. She also recounts the dragons challenging whether a family business should give up equity at all. Looking ahead, Cloé eyes SIAL Paris, European soy perceptions and the export runway beyond Quebec. A fast, fun conversation about local crops, smart pricing and plant protein that earns its shelf space. About Us Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world’s most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries. With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

    Bacon Bites and Big Wins: Cloé Helmond, Co-Founder of Les Brutes du Soya, on Quebec's Soy Opportunity: SIAL Summer Bonus Episode

  4. Aug 13 ·  Bonus

    From NASA to Your Lasagna: Inside Maia Farms' Award Winning Mushroom Protein with Jason Mackay and Asha Wheeldon: SIAL Summer Bonus Episode

    Recorded live on the show floor at SIAL Canada in Montreal, this Summer Bonus episode of The Food Professor podcast marks a first: an ingredient company winning the show's startup pitch competition. Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois sit down with Asha Wheeldon, Founder and CEO of Kula Foods and a member of the Maia Farms team, and Jason Mackay, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer at Maia Farms, just hours after the Vancouver company added more hardware to its trophy shelf. Maia Farms makes functional mushroom food ingredients. The company combines oyster mushroom powder with Canadian yellow pea protein and extrudes it into grounds, shreds, chunks and strips that mimic ground beef, pulled meat and chicken. The result is 66 per cent protein per 100 grams, a heavy dose of fibre and iron, a two-year shelf life and no cold storage required. Crucially for manufacturers, the extrudates survive the retort process where soy and pea proteins break down, which is why 100-year-old Pembroke, Ontario soup canner Sprague Foods signed on as a partner. Asha explains how a two-and-a-half-minute pitch built on storytelling rather than numbers won over the judges, and why trust and partnership are Maia's real proof points, including work with the Greater Vancouver Food Bank that has helped feed hundreds of thousands of families. Jason unpacks the technology behind the ingredient and what comes next: cracking mushroom mycelium at commercial scale through liquid fermentation, moving from 3,000-litre proof-of-concept batches to 20,000 litres, with global ingredient players like ADM and Cargill circling mycelium as a clean-label fat mimic and binder. The conversation turns to a bigger question Michael and Sylvain saw play out across the show: is Canada on the cusp of an ingredient renaissance? Pitch competitions usually reward consumer-ready products, from popsicles to upcycled coffee grounds. This year, the fundamentals of food won. The panel connects that shift to front-of-pack labelling, the clean-label push, manufacturers hunting for protein, fibre and iron without wrecking taste and texture, and the trust that Brand Canada's food safety reputation carries into export markets. They also tackle affordability. With beef and chicken prices climbing, Sylvain's "protein orphans" are being left behind, and GLP-1 users are pushing protein demand higher still. A shelf-stable, high-protein ingredient that disappears into a lasagna or pasta sauce when seasoned properly is a genuinely different answer to food insecurity. Plus: what winning an award actually does for a young company, why Maia was the only mushroom ingredient supplier on the SIAL floor, and the company's plan to bring business home to Canada after building traction in the US, Mexico, Singapore and Japan. A smart, optimistic listen on where Canadian food innovation goes next. About Us Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world’s most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries. With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

    From NASA to Your Lasagna: Inside Maia Farms' Award Winning Mushroom Protein with Jason Mackay and Asha Wheeldon: SIAL Summer Bonus Episode

  5. Aug 6 ·  Bonus

    Zero Proof, Full Flavour: Victoire Guglieri, Founder of Nasdrow, First Prize Seed CPG Category Winner: SIAL Summer Bonus Episode

    In this special summer bonus episode of The Food Professor podcast, co-hosts Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois sit down live at the SIAL food innovation show in Montreal with Victoire Guglieri, Founder of Nasdrow, fresh off her win at the startup pitch competition. Energetic, candid, and armed with samples, Victoire takes Michael and Sylvain on a guided tasting tour of her premium non-alcoholic, ready-to-drink cocktail brand and makes a compelling case for why alcohol-free drinks should never be boring. Victoire shares the origin story behind Nasdrow, a brand born from a personal frustration. After a month without alcohol, she discovered that the non-alcoholic beverage options on the market were too sweet, too fizzy, too artificial, or too bitter, and none delivered the complexity and sophistication of a real cocktail. Raised in Bordeaux, France, surrounded by grandparents who taught her the language of wine, and having spent part of her childhood in Poland, she named her company after the festive Polish toast "Na zdrowie," reimagined in English as a non-alcoholic super drink mixed with low alcohol. The result is a line of all-natural, preservative-free, less-sweet ready-to-drink mocktails engineered to deliver the full cocktail experience: the nose, the texture, the taste, and the finish. The tasting begins with Scarlet & Co, Nasdrow's bestseller and a gold medal winner at the World Alcohol-Free Awards in London, a slightly fizzy blend of strawberry, basil, ginger, and lemon. Michael and Sylvain then sample the Mojito Fusion, praising its fresh, fragrant aroma and depth of flavour, before Victoire walks through the rest of the range, including the bone-dry, bubble-free Margarita Salsa and an Espresso Martini that produces a thick foam when shaken in a cocktail shaker. The conversation digs into the forces reshaping the beverage industry: why younger consumers are drinking less alcohol, the influence of health and wellness trends on social media, the lingering effects of COVID on social drinking, and the mounting science around alcohol and health. Victoire notes that roughly one in two consumers is now drinking less, and that 80 percent of Nasdrow's customers also drink alcohol, positioning the brand not as anti-alcohol but as a sophisticated option for moderation, designated drivers, and anyone finishing the night with something lighter. The episode wraps with a look at retail momentum. Nasdrow is already listed in Quebec at Metro, with more listings on the way and national distribution ambitions before year-end, as Victoire works to build an entirely new premium mocktail category alongside retailers and buyers. It is a fun, flavour-forward conversation about entrepreneurship, food innovation, and the fast-growing non-alcoholic beverage market, recorded live on the SIAL show floor, that every retailer, grocer, beverage buyer, and sober-curious listener should hear. About Us Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world’s most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries. With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

    Zero Proof, Full Flavour: Victoire Guglieri, Founder of Nasdrow, First Prize Seed CPG Category Winner: SIAL Summer Bonus Episode

  6. Jul 30 ·  Bonus

    Carlo Stocco, Managing Director North America, and Naïla Bassin, Marketing Leader Canada, Andriani S.p.A., on Bringing Felicia Pasta From Italy to Canadian Shelves: Summer Bonus Episode

    In this summer bonus episode of The Food Professor podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois broadcast live from the SIAL Food Innovation Show in Montreal for a conversation with Naïla Bassin, Marketing Leader Canada, and Carlo Stocco, Managing Director, North America, both of Andriani S.p.A., the Italian company behind Felicia, Italy's fastest-growing pasta brand. Felicia means "happy" in Italian, and the brand's Canadian arrival is built on a simple but stubborn problem: Canadians want healthier pasta, but the better-for-you category has long asked shoppers to compromise on taste and texture. Carlo traces the company's roots to Gravina in Puglia in southern Italy, its rapid European growth, and the decision to build a North American manufacturing facility in London, Ontario rather than simply import from Europe. That plant now anchors a national launch, with organic ingredients increasingly sourced in Canada and an ambition to bring the entire supply chain onshore. Naïla unpacks what makes the product different. Felicia owns its technology and mills its own raw materials, which matters enormously when there's no gluten to bind the pasta. The result is a seven-SKU lineup built on single ingredients and vegetables rather than blends and fillers: buckwheat, brown rice and spirulina, chickpea, red lentil, oat and green cauliflower. One organic red lentil serving delivers 23 grams of protein and 14 grams of fibre, plus iron and potassium. The oat pasta recently took home a NEXTY award for best gluten-free product at Expo West in Los Angeles, chosen from more than 1,000 submissions. The conversation turns to the retail strategy every emerging food brand wrestles with. Felicia has launched in specialty and health stores across Ontario and Quebec, landed at Loblaw in the natural health aisle, secured Costco with red lentil penne plus a limited mid-May drop of organic oat and green cauliflower cavatappi, is rolling into Save-On-Foods, and is in discussions with Sobeys. But where should it live on shelf? Carlo makes the case for the main pasta aisle using Italy's Esselunga, where 14 Felicia items sit alongside conventional pasta and grow the total category, much as cereal and bakery have already been transformed. A sharp listen for anyone tracking Canadian grocery innovation, better-for-you food trends and brand building in a crowded category. About Us Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world’s most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries. With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

    Carlo Stocco, Managing Director North America, and Naïla Bassin, Marketing Leader Canada, Andriani S.p.A., on Bringing Felicia Pasta From Italy to Canadian Shelves: Summer Bonus Episode

  7. Jul 23 ·  Bonus

    Martin Lavoie, CEO of Groupe Export Agroalimentaire Québec-Canada: SIAL Summer Bonus Episode

    Editorial note: This conversation was recorded live at SIAL Canada in late April — well before the July CUSMA review deadline and the most recent U.S. tariff actions targeting Canada. Some of the optimism expressed here about a smooth CUSMA outcome should be heard in that context. It's become a Food Professor tradition: every year at SIAL Canada, hosts Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois sit down with Martin Lavoie, President and CEO of Groupe Export Agroalimentaire Québec-Canada, for a state-of-the-nation check-in on Canadian agri-food trade. This bonus episode, recorded live on the SIAL Canada show floor in Montreal, picks up exactly one year after their last conversation — and at the time, a lot had already changed. Lavoie opens by reflecting on the whiplash of the prior twelve months. Since "Liberation Day" tariffs rattled Canadian exporters the previous spring, Quebec's agri-food sector had kept growing despite the uncertainty, but the volatility had taken a toll: lost U.S. customers, disrupted contracts, and a level of unpredictability Lavoie says he'd never seen in his career. He walks through how Groupe Export helped member companies navigate the chaos — from renegotiating who absorbs tariff costs to bracing for policy shifts announced, at times, over social media. The conversation turns to CUSMA (USMCA), then under review, with Lavoie offering a cautiously optimistic read at the time: dismantling the agreement would be so disruptive to deeply integrated U.S. industries that he believed cooler heads would prevail on both sides of the border. Listeners should weigh that optimism against what's actually unfolded since the July deadline and the latest U.S. tariff moves against Canada. A major theme is diversification. Lavoie argues Mexico represents Quebec's single biggest near-term opportunity — logistically easier than overseas markets and increasingly motivated to reduce its own reliance on U.S. imports. He also flags growing momentum in Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and Europe, while acknowledging the real barriers: time zones, market development costs, and a Canadian logistics network still built for trucking to the U.S. rather than shipping by ocean freight. Comparing Canada to the Netherlands' export powerhouse model, he makes the case for urgent investment in port infrastructure, warehousing, and resolving ongoing labour disruptions at Canadian ports. Domestically, Lavoie and Charlebois dig into interprovincial trade — noting it's often cheaper and easier for a Quebec exporter to ship to New York than to Calgary — and discuss data from an MNP survey showing Canada ranks as a top-tier nation for agri-food reputation among G20 countries, trailing only the Netherlands. The episode closes with a practical overview of how Groupe Export supports Quebec exporters: 30-40 trade missions and shows per year, shipping and regulatory support, market intelligence, and export-readiness evaluations for companies just getting started. A time-capsule look at where Quebec's agri-food exporters stood mid-storm — worth hearing alongside what's happened since. About Us Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world’s most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries. With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

    Martin Lavoie, CEO of Groupe Export Agroalimentaire Québec-Canada: SIAL Summer Bonus Episode

  8. Jul 16 ·  Bonus

    Jacques Duhaime, Owner of Duhaime Gourmet, on Building a Global Jam Business from a Quebec Family Orchard: SIAL Summer Bonus Episode

    Recorded live on the final day of SIAL Canada, this bonus episode of The Food Professor brings hosts Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois face to face with Jacques Duhaime, owner of Duhaime Gourmet — a Quebec fruit-spread and jam company that Sylvain has wanted on the show for years. The conversation traces four generations of agricultural evolution in Saint-Germain, near Drummondville, Quebec, and shows how a small dairy farm became one of Canada's most distinctive low-sugar jam and fruit-spread producers. Jacques walks listeners through the company's origin story: founded in 1945 as a dairy farm by his grandfather, expanded into orchards and vegetables by his father in 1948, and refocused entirely on produce after the dairy herd was sold in 1960. Jacques took over the farm from his parents in 1981, when the operation was running roughly 200 acres of vegetables. A tough vegetable market in 1995 pushed the family toward jam-making, and a pursuit of naturally low-sugar recipes led Jacques back to school at ITA to develop the reduced-sugar techniques that still define the brand today. A pivotal trip with Groupe Export in 2000 opened the door to Japan, where Duhaime Gourmet's low-sugar spreads found immediate demand — at a time when the company already supplied roughly 400 boutique stores across Quebec. The business went on to export to the United States for a decade, supplying jams, spreads, and fruit pairings for cheese, while also building a substantial private-label business across Quebec, Canada, and Japan. Jacques also opens up about the structure of the business today: the orchard remains family-owned and is now run by his son, marking a fifth generation on the land, while the processing side of Duhaime Gourmet was sold roughly a year ago to Bertrand Marquis, a fellow Saint-Germain entrepreneur who previously worked in the wood industry. Jacques reflects candidly on international trade shows — from an early appearance at a golf show in Dubai to lessons learned about race-to-the-bottom pricing in that market — and on how the company's trade show schedule has grown from roughly 10 shows a year before the pandemic to as many as 30–40 today. The episode closes on Duhaime Gourmet's newest product: a 90%-fruit spread sweetened with just 10% organic sugar, containing less than three grams of sugar and no pectin — a launch aimed at diabetics, families, and babies alike, debuting in strawberry rhubarb and headed for Metro shelves soon. A warm, detail-rich conversation for anyone interested in Quebec food manufacturing, family business succession, food innovation, and insights into global trade show strategy in the specialty food sector. https://www.duhaimegourmet.com/en/ About Us Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Visiting Professor in Food Policy and Distribution at McGill University and a Professor in Food Distribution and Policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world’s most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. Dr. Charlebois is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries and which is the most listened Canadian management podcast in Canada. Every year since 2012, he has published the now highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, which provides an overview of food price trends for the coming year. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, nationally as well as internationally. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces and other countries. With extensive experience collaborating with businesses, governments, and NGOs, Dr. Charlebois combines academic rigor with practical expertise, making him one of the most influential voices in the global agri-food landscape. His work continues to advance the understanding of food systems, fostering innovation and resilience in a rapidly evolving industry. In 2025, he received the prestigious Charles III medal recognizing his tremendous work in informing Canadians about food issues. Michael LeBlanc is a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions hosted senior retail executive on-stage in 1:1 interviews worldwide. Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including The Remarkable Retail Podcast, The Voice of Retail, The Food Professor, The FEED powered by Loblaw and the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast. He has been recognized by the National Retail Federation (NRF) as a global Top Retail Voice for 2025 and 2025, and continues to be a ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert for the fifth year in a row.

    Jacques Duhaime, Owner of Duhaime Gourmet, on Building a Global Jam Business from a Quebec Family Orchard: SIAL Summer Bonus Episode
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Ratings & Reviews

3.7
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Join Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Senior Director, Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University in Halifax with host Michael LeBlanc as they look at the hot issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries. We'll discuss proprietary industry and consumer food related research, check out fresh new ideas and talk about half baked strategies. © 2020-2026 M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Information

  • Creator
    Michael LeBlanc, Dr. Sylvain Charlebois
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    275
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2020-2026 The Food Professor podcast partnership
  • Show Website
    The Food Professor

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