The Blue Economy, TrickFlation, Canada in a Pickle, and Guest Grocery Legend B.K. Sethi

Welcome to the latest episode of The Food Professor podcast! In this episode, we've got an exceptional treat for you. Recorded live at SIAL 2023, our guest is none other than the game-changing innovator B.K. Sethi, whose impact on Canadian food stores is nothing short of revolutionary.

Before we dive into this exclusive conversation, a quick reminder: mark your calendars for the Coffee Association of Canada's annual conference on November 9th in Toronto. It's a day filled with networking, trends, insights, and data, and you can grab your tickets via the link in our show notes. Michael has some exciting news: he'll be moderating a panel of grocery industry leaders, including the CEOs and Presidents of Walmart Canada, Longo's, and Save-On-Foods, at the Canadian Grocer's GroceryConnex event on November 20th. Take advantage of these fantastic events!

Now, onto the latest food industry news:

• We've got insights from a new report on seafood consumption conducted by researchers Dr. Stefanie Colombo and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois in partnership with Angus Reid. Discover the fascinating purchasing habits of Canadians when it comes to fish and seafood. From British Columbia topping the charts to surprising preferences and consumption patterns, it's a deep dive into Canadian seafood choices.
• Grocers are back in the spotlight as an agricultural committee summons them to the principal's office. We'll explore the implications of Ottawa's scrutiny and how it's affecting the grocery industry.
• The St. Lawrence Seaway strike raises questions about its importance and the demands of the 300 people involved. Is it worth it, and what could it mean for the food supply chain?
• We'll also discuss the latest findings from Restaurants Canada, shedding light on the ongoing impact of the pandemic on the restaurant industry.
• Sadly, there's some pickle news, with Canadian company Whyte's Foods filing for bankruptcy. Remember those Strub's garlic kosher pickles? We certainly do.
• As Halloween approaches, be prepared for "trickflation." Find out why some candies are shrinking in size just in time for the spooky season.
• And, we pay tribute to George Sukornyk, the co-founder of Harvey's hamburger chain, whose legacy lives on in the Canadian fast-food scene.

You won't want to miss this episode with all this on the menu. Stay tuned for a captivating discussion with B.K. Sethi is the man who transformed Canadian food stores and stayed informed about the latest developments in the world of food.

 

About B.K.

With over 46 years of practical experience in selling and marketing, coupled with my education in Marketing, I have enjoyed my career. I have been working with multinational CPG companies as well my Ethnic Food Importers, distributors and marketers becoming Canada’s largest Authentic Ethnic Multicultural Food distributor (1982-2012). Currently working as a Marketing Consultant specializing in the growing Ethnic Market and providing strategic direction, planning, execution, promotional guidance, distribution selection and training.

https://www.amazon.ca/Meet-BK-Ethnic-Food-Aisle/dp/1738978206/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1BEVULUQ3HH9A&keywords=Meet+BK+in+the+Ethnic+Food+Aisle%3A+A+Memoir+of+the+Man+Who+Changed+Canadian+Food+Stores+Forever&qid=1698265823&sprefix=meet+bk+in+the+ethnic+food+aisle+a+memoir+of+the+man+who+changed+canadian+food+stores+forever+%2Caps%2C98&sr=8-1

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.