In this episode of The Food Professor Podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois tackle the biggest forces shaping Canada’s food economy—from rising grocery prices and global conflict to policy debates and shifting consumer behaviour. The episode opens with a deep dive into the latest food and agriculture news. The hosts unpack the escalating geopolitical tensions involving Iran and their ripple effects on oil markets, fertilizer supply, and global food prices. While commodity increases remain moderate for now, the risk of further inflation looms as supply chain disruptions and higher input costs begin to cascade through the system. The conversation then turns to Canadian affordability. Despite wage growth of over 4%, food prices—particularly meat—continue to outpace income gains, leaving consumers feeling financially squeezed. Beef prices are up significantly, with chicken and pork also climbing, reinforcing the ongoing pressure at the grocery store. Michael and Sylvain also explore and respond to claims about the contentious carbon tax's impact on food prices, challenging the claim that it has minimal impact on food prices. Sylvain argues that indirect costs across transportation, packaging, and inputs create a ripple effect throughout the supply chain. Additional discussions include government policy decisions, temporary foreign worker adjustments for agriculture, and growing consumer frustration with tipping culture, as new data suggests many Canadians want fundamental change. The episode also touches on cultural and consumer trends—from ethical debates around lobster preparation to emerging food concepts like specialty butter shops—before closing the news segment with a tribute to a Canadian restaurant industry icon. The second half of the episode features a compelling interview with Brent Cator, President & Owner of Cardinal Meats, as the company celebrates 60 years in business and over a century of family legacy in the meat industry. Brent shares how Cardinal Meats has evolved into a national leader in protein innovation, supplying retail, foodservice, and industrial customers across Canada. He highlights the company’s commitment to innovation, including pioneering commercial-scale sous-vide cooking, developing natural-textured burgers, and introducing advanced DNA testing for food safety. A major focus of the discussion is Cardinal’s leadership in food safety and its role in shaping industry-wide standards in collaboration with regulators and academic institutions. Brent explains how trust, consistency, and customer-driven innovation have been key to long-term success. The conversation also explores sourcing strategies, including balancing Canadian and global supply to achieve quality and consistency, as well as the company’s early leadership in plant-based proteins. Looking ahead, Brent offers insights into the future of food production, noting that while automation and AI will enhance logistics and decision-making, human expertise will remain critical in manufacturing. We wrap with the latest TikTok trend of making butter while running, and dedicate the episode to Edward Pottinger, co-founder of the landmark Caribbean restaurant The Real Jerk, who passed away last week. About UsDr. 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.