Loblaw T's Off on Trump Tariffs, China and Europe Hit Back Creating Risks & Opportunities, guest Smoke's Poutinerie President & COO Mark Cunningham

In this episode of The Food Professor podcast, hosts Michael LeBlanc and Sylvain Charlebois tackle pressing issues in Canada's food industry before interviewing Mark Cunningham, President and Chief Operating Officer of Smoke's Poutinerie.

The episode begins with the hosts discussing Loblaw's decision to place "T" labels on products affected by tariffs. While Charlebois appreciates the transparency effort, he questions whether the approach is too simplistic, explaining that tariffs impact entire product categories beyond individual items. The hosts explore how Canadian retailers rapidly " de-Americanize" their product offerings in response to US-Canada trade tensions.

They examine how companies like Moosehead leverage the political climate for marketing with initiatives like their "Presidential Pack" of 1,461 beers (one for each day left of Trump's presidency) before analyzing China's retaliatory tariffs on Canadian canola and seafood. Charlebois criticizes Canada's geopolitical approach, noting how China strategically targeted farmers rather than the automotive sector following Canada's 100% tariff on Chinese EVs.

In the featured interview, Mark Cunningham shares insights about Smokes Poutinerie, the Canadian poutine restaurant franchise with over 100 locations across Canada, including 45+ traditional franchise locations and numerous non-traditional sites in colleges, airports, and arenas. Cunningham discusses how the company honours its late founder, Ryan Smolkin (who maintains the title of "Chief Entertainment Officer"), by staying true to authentic Quebec ingredients while packaging poutine with distinctive Canadian flair through their red and black plaid branding and 80s pop culture references.

Cunningham details their business model's evolution, including adapting to a delivery-focused environment (now representing 35% of sales), managing food costs amid inflation, and their creative approach to menu innovation. He explains how they position themselves as "brand disruptors" in the quick-service restaurant space, using provocative marketing campaigns that often playfully target larger competitors. Cunningham also highlights their World Poutine Eating Championship, which has grown to become North America's second-largest eating competition.

The hosts reflect on the food industry's resilience five years after COVID, with Charlebois noting how the pandemic forced companies to reconsider supply chain management and communication strategies. Additional topics covered include RFK Jr.'s meeting with food executives about banning artificial dyes, EU retaliatory tariffs against the US, and Charlebois receiving a King Charles Coronation medal honouring his contributions to the food industry in Canada and globally.

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.