Episode Details

In the final episode of The Food Professor Podcast for 2024, presented by Caddle, hosts Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois reflect on a whirlwind year in the agri-food industry. With a mix of sharp insights and humour, we tackle the top ten food stories of the year and set the stage for what's to come in 2025.

The episode starts with the week's news, starting with a deep dive into the GST Holiday, a policy providing immediate savings for Canadians, and its potential ripple effects on the restaurant sector. From personal anecdotes to broader industry implications, we explore whether such measures can boost consumer spending.

Next, we dissect Canada's Fall Economic Statement (FES) and the new finance minister's debut, questioning the impact of fiscal policy changes, including interest rate cuts, on the agri-food, grocery, and restaurant sectors. We also unpack key proposals like the reinstated Accelerated Investment Incentive (AII) and its significance for agri-business innovation.

Shifting gears, Michael and Sylvain examine controversial news stories, including CFIA algorithmic oversight and carbon tax impacts on food prices. On a brighter note, we celebrate Quebec's $100 million initiative to support young agricultural entrepreneurs, signalling hope for the future of farming.

As they bid farewell to 2024, the hosts tease their highly anticipated predictions episode, returning on January 9th. With plenty of gratitude for Caddle and our listeners, they close the season by reflecting on the stories that defined Canada's food systems this year.

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, incl