Episode Details

The podcast episode discusses several important topics, focusing on grocery e-commerce, sustainability, and economic trends in food access. The hosts, Michael LeBlanc and Sylvain Charlebois, along with guest Colleen Martin for Caddle, analyze proprietary research data on online grocery shopping habits among Canadians. Key findings include:

Online Grocery Shopping Trends: About 36.7% of Canadians have purchased groceries online in the past year, with younger generations (Gen Z and Millennials) being the most active users. Urban areas, especially Ontario, show higher adoption rates, while rural and remote regions face barriers like limited access and higher delivery fees.

Motivations and Barriers: Convenience and time savings are the primary reasons for online grocery shopping. In contrast, concerns over product quality, delivery costs, and a preference for in-store shopping prevent others from adopting the practice.

Sustainability and Consumer Behavior: The discussion touches on sustainability in the food industry, particularly in meat production. The CEO of JBS argues that while sustainable practices are crucial, consumers are unwilling to pay a premium for them, especially amid inflation.

Food Insecurity in Ontario: One million Ontarians have used food banks in the past year, a worrying indicator of growing economic inequality. The hosts connect this trend to broader economic challenges, including inflation, wage stagnation, and rising personal debt.

These insights highlight shifts in consumer behavior, economic pressures, and sustainability challenges in Canada's food industry.

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 interv