This episode features Chamali Kodikara, a notable Graduate Research Scientist from the University of Manitoba. The discussion kicks off with Chamali's significant role in the food science community, including her position on the IFTSA Board of Directors. We discuss the philosophy and effectiveness of boycotts in the context of solid results this week from Loblaw. The episode takes a serious turn as we discuss the potential health implications for Canada and North America. We delve into the discovery of a dangerous bird flu virus strain, H5N1, found in the lung of a symptomless U.S. dairy cow. This virus, identified in processed, pasteurized milk, exhibits unique genetic changes, hinting at a wider spread among cattle than previously anticipated, raising food safety concerns. In the realm of economic news, we discuss the recent downturn in McDonald's global sales growth, a clear indication of shifting consumer spending habits. However, amidst this, we bring a ray of excitement as we share the news of Shake Shack's plans to open its first Canadian outlet in Toronto's bustling Yonge-Dundas Square. This promises to be a game-changer, offering a fresh and significant dining option for the area.Lastly, the Quebec liquor board's decision to cull up to 200 local spirits from its inventory highlights the challenges facing microdistilleries in Quebec due to intense competition and stringent regulations. This move has sparked a debate about the sustainability and variety of local products in a challenging economic climate.Links for Chamalihttps://www.ift.org/press/press-releases/2024/march/22/iftsa-elects-chamali-kodikara-vp-of-competitionshttps://www.producer.com/news/food-researcher-adds-more-to-her-resume/ The Food Professor #podcast is presented by Caddle. About UsDr. 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 MichaelMichael is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Secure conference with leaders from The Gap and Kroger talking about violence in retail stores, keynotes on the state & future of retail in Orlando and Halifax, and at the 2023 Canadian GroceryConnex conference, hosting the CEOs of Walmart Canada, Longo's and Save-On-Foods Canada. Michael brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael also produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in North America, Remarkable Retail, Canada's top retail industry podcast; the Voice of Retail; Canada's top food industry and the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor, with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois. Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail influencers for the fourth year in a row, Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer, and ...
