foodservice

Daily Synopsis: Jul 9, 2026

Retail Insider -
Vestis opens Max Mara and Weekend stores in Vancouver, Dollarama growth could be expansive, Joseph Tassoni returns to The Well for immersive show, 7-Eleven marks 60 years of the Slurpee, and other news.

Q2 2026 Convenience Retail: Food-Led Formats and Digital Loyalty Redefine the Channel

Craig Patterson -
Canadian convenience retailers are evolving beyond fuel and tobacco as foodservice, beverages, digital loyalty, and network modernization reshape growth across the sector.

Retail Insider “Grocery Report” Examines How Value Is Reshaping Canadian Food Retail

Lee Rivett -
Retail Insider’s latest Industry Intelligence Report examines how value is reshaping Canadian grocery retail, from discount expansion and private label to grocery-anchored real estate, digital tools, prepared foods and shifting consumer behaviour.

Q2 2026 Canadian Grocery: Value Reshapes the Market

Craig Patterson -
Canadian grocery retail is being reorganized around value, while discount expansion, food inflation, experiential grocery, digital tools, and grocery-anchored real estate reshape the sector.

Daily Synopsis: Jun 30, 2026

Retail Insider -
JD Sports accused of gutting downtown Montreal heritage building for store, PST cut on snacks in Manitoba retailers, hybrid sewing studio/bar opening in The Annex, Canadian Tire launches pop-up vending machine for Montreal's Moving Day, and other news.

Daily Synopsis: Jun 26, 2026

Retail Insider -
Flying Tiger enters Canada with competition, Saks Global rebrands, Lululemon directors approved, Metro strike hits earnings, retail theft pilot in Ottawa sees crime reduction, and other news.

Circle K Advances 750-Store Expansion Plan as Foodservice and Loyalty Drive Growth

Lee Rivett -
Circle K parent Alimentation Couche-Tard is advancing its plan to build 750 new stores by 2030 while investing in foodservice, beverages, loyalty programs and digital engagement to drive future growth.

Daily Synopsis: May 22, 2026

Retail Insider -
Canadians making more trips with smaller baskets at the grocery store, questions about future of downtown Vancouver Hudson's Bay, Sobeys debuts new store concept in Welland ON, dollar store opens in Elliott Lake, and other news.

Daily Synopsis: May 15, 2026

Retail Insider -
Liquidation grocery stores boom, theft at Canadian grocers up, Uniqlo opens 1st Winnipeg store, Ontario stores open for first time on Victoria Day, Etobikoke fireworks store blows up after vehicle drives in, FIFA World Cup store opens at Vancouver International Airport, and other news.

Daily Synopsis: May 12, 2026

Retail Insider -
George Weston reports Q1, retail crime numbers concerning, Walmart Canada expands retail leader's role, men's formalwear booms in Saskatchewan, Cape Bretton woman marks 50 years at Canadian Tire, and other news.

Daily Synopsis: May 6, 2026

Retail Insider -
Self-checkout theft surges to $10B as organized crime targets retailers, Yves Veggie Cuisine returns, large Canadian Tire prepares to open in Kelowna, 10-court pickleball facility coming to former Kamloops furniture store, and other news.

GLP-1 Drugs Trigger Multi-Billion Dollar Demand Shock in Food Sector

Sylvain Charlebois -
GLP-1 drugs are shifting Canadians from volume to value in food consumption, with major implications for retailers and restaurants.

Daily Synopsis: Mar 26, 2026

Retail Insider -
Duty Free stores concerned, potential buyers explore options for downtown Vancouver Hudson's Bay building, local grocers flourish in Vancouver area as big ones flatline, Toronto looks to city-run grocery stores, Mirvish Village retail progresses, and other news.

Food Taxes in Canada Are More Problematic Than They Appear

Sylvain Charlebois -
Sylvain Charlebois discusses how food taxes in Canada quietly impact affordability, and why Manitoba’s PST decision could signal broader policy change.

Daily Synopsis: Mar 10, 2026

Retail Insider -
Loblaw investigates data breach after hack, Cellcosmet beauty launches at Holt Renfrew, former RCC director joins CFIG, downtown safety efforts, and other news.

VIDEO: Nearly half of Canadian restaurants losing money or barely breaking even, warns Restaurants Canada CEO

Mario Toneguzzi -
44 per cent of restaurants were in that position as of November 2025, a sharp increase from pre-pandemic norms when roughly 10 to 12 per cent struggled to turn a profit.

Foodservice sector added nearly 24,000 jobs since start of the year: Restaurants Canada

Mario Toneguzzi -
Restaurants Canada expects real commercial foodservice sales to grow by 2.1% in 2025.

Canada’s Foodservice Industry Shows Growth Despite Economic Pressures

Craig Patterson -
Canada’s commercial foodservice industry grew in early 2025, with QSRs, retail foodservice, and independents leading gains amid shifting consumer habits.

Canadian economy contracts in Q2: Statistics Canada

Mario Toneguzzi -
The contraction in the second quarter was driven by significant declines in the export of goods, said Statistics Canada.

Canada’s foodservice industry grew in H1 2025 with continued gains in visits and spending 

Mario Toneguzzi -
Quick-service restaurants (QSR) led the way in traffic growth, logging a 4.3% increase during the most recent quarter, said Circana.

Foodservice sector reaches highest employment since start of pandemic: Restaurants Canada

Mario Toneguzzi -
The foodservice industry added 34,600 new jobs since November 2024, reaching 1,175,900 jobs and representing one in six new jobs created in Canada.

Canadian Foodservice Businesses in Turmoil Amid Potential Delays for COVID Vaccinations

Mario Toneguzzi -
The industry held a press conference calling for immediate action for support, noting that patrons will stay away from dining until mass vaccinations are rolled out.
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