2024 Food Industry Predictions, Relative Danger and our guest, Aeryon Ashlie, Founder and CEO of Aeryon Wellness Support Supplements

We're back after the break with a rousing discussion of what lies ahead for 2024, notable achievements, the relative state of food safety, and congratulations to several key food industry players for their accomplishments.

Our guest, Aeryon Ashlie, CEO and Founder of Aeryon Wellness Support Supplements tells us about her life of fitness and wellness and the impact of changes in the natural supplement aisle and shares tips on living a healthier and happier life.

About Aeryon

Aeryon Ashlie's remarkable journey is a testament to resilience, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to empowering women with holistic health choices. As the CEO and Founder of Aeryon Wellness Support Supplements, Aeryon leverages her vast 20+ years of experience in the Canadian Health Food Industry to support her mission. Her personal struggle with eating disorders for over 25 years serves as a poignant catalyst for her endeavors, fueling her desire to create a company that goes beyond merely providing supplements. Despite launching her brand only in 2019, Aeryon's deeply rooted connections in the industryhave facilitated an astounding growth rate of 500% year on year for her brand. Aeryon Wellness, under her stewardship, has become a sanctuary for women pursuing sustainable health and wellness. Aeryon's innovative approach to wellness and her passion for her mission caught the eye of CBC's Dragons Den in December 2021, leading to her walking away with three offers anda deal with Arlene Dickenson.  Aeryon' s trailblazing efforts were further recognized at CHFA NOW West 2022 when AeryonWellness won the Innovative Product of the year award for the launch of Up and Away, Canada's first 100% Boric Acid Kit plus The Agent of Change award for their contributions to The Downtown Eastside Women’s Shelter. In May 2023, she triumphed at The Total Mom Pitch at the Canadian Women’s Entrepreneur Gala, securing 50k in prizes. Aeryon's exceptionalcontributions to the field also earned her nominations for CHFA Women of Influence and RBC’s Women of influence in September. Residing in Vancouver, BC, Aeryon balances her demanding professional life with her role as a full-time mother to her daughter, Mekaella, who is frequently seen accompanying her at tradeshows and events. Aeryon's passion for educating women serves as the cornerstone of Aeryon Wellness. The brand is more than just a supplier of wellness products; it is a platform for learning and empowerment. Aeryon takes this mission across the country through weekly seminars held in stores and at various events throughout Canada. These gatherings are more than just promotional events - they are educational forums where women can learn about health, wellness, and the importance of self-care in a supportive and encouraging environment. The seminars are yet another testament to Aeryon's commitment to spread awareness about sustainable health and help women take control of their well-being.

About Us

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculties of Management and Agriculture at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, also located at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph’s Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded. Known as “The Food Professor”, his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. Google Scholar ranks him as one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability.

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois sits on a few company boards, and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa.

 

About Michael

Michael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada and the Bank of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Today's Shopping Choice and Pandora Jewellery.   

Michael has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels. ReThink Retail has added Michael to their prestigious Top Global Retail Influencers list for 2023 for the third year in a row. 

Michael is also the president of Maven Media, producing a network of leading trade podcasts, including Remarkable Retail , with best-selling author Steve Dennis, now ranked one of the top retail podcasts in the world. 

Based in San Francisco, Global eCommerce Leaders podcast explores global cross-border issues and opportunities for eCommerce brands and retailers. 

Last but not least, Michael is the producer and host of the "Last Request Barbeque" channel on YouTube, where he cooks meals to die for - and collaborates with top brands as a food and product influencer across North America

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.