The Food Professor

In this episode of The Food Professor Podcast, hosts Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois examine the forces squeezing Canadian consumers, from geopolitical tensions in Iran driving food price inflation to the carbon tax's contested ripple effects through the supply chain impacting the cost of groceries. The second half features Brent Cantor, President of Cardinal Meats, reflecting on 60 years of innovation in protein, food safety, and plant-based proteins. This episode is dedicated to Edward Pottinger, co-founder of The Real Jerk, who passed away last week.

Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois welcome Cooper Sleeman, from John Sleeman & Son’s Spring Mill Distillery, to discuss the evolution of Canada’s craft spirits industry and how the Sleeman family legacy inspired a new generation of whisky making. The episode also explores the week’s food and agriculture news, including the Iran war’s oil and diesel price volatility, fertilizer costs and supply, the upcoming increase in the Carney Wholesale Carbon Tax, all adding up to food inflation pressures, plus our impressions of the Restaurants Canada tradeshow, Toronto pizza crawl, and the wisdom of Tommy Norris.

Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois open the episode with the food and agriculture news of the week, unpacking Middle East tensions and their potential impact on oil prices and food inflation, Canada’s renewed trade outreach to India and China, a new Ontario–Nova Scotia agreement easing alcohol trade, the one-year anniversary of American wine and spirits being pulled from Canadian shelves, and research on front-of-package nutrition labelling and public health. They then welcome Gavin Schneider, CEO & Co-Founder of Maia Farms, to discuss mushroom-based proteins, scaling fermentation technology, and the future of alternative protein ingredients.

Michael LeBlanc and Sylvain Charlebois welcome Robert Carter, President of the Coffee Association of Canada and Managing Partner at The StratonHunter Group, for a deep dive into coffee trends, green bean volatility, and restaurant profitability. From AI readiness and delivery economics to climate risk and trade policy, Robert outlines the forces reshaping foodservice. The hosts also explore glyphosate debates, grocery concentration, Costco’s expansion, Bobby Flay’s Toronto entry, Eggslut’s arrival in Canada, and Nice Cans’ global sardine recognition.

Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois unpack Canada’s soaring food inflation, structural supply chain issues, and the political forces shaping grocery prices. They explore Coca-Cola’s Ontario expansion, Canada-Mexico trade opportunities, Loblaw’s OpenAI partnership, and falling cocoa and coffee prices. With restaurant profitability under pressure and AI reshaping food retail, this episode delivers sharp, data-driven insight into the economic and technological shifts redefining Canada’s food landscape.