Grocery Density, L.A.’s Eggslut in Canada, Nice Cans Scores with NYT and guest Robert Carter, president of the Coffee Association of Canada and Managing Partner at The StratonHunter Group

Murad Al-Katib started AGT Food and Ingredients as a lentil company in his Saskatchewan basement. Today it sells in 127 countries. The AGT founder and CEO explains why Canada’s commodity mindset is holding back value-added food processing, why he’s bullish on India, and why, in a country with this much food, he calls Canada’s food inflation record a “shameful failure.” In the news, Canadian Food Sentiment Index - the fifth edition; the HungerCount 2026: Food Banks Canada reports 2.35 million visits a month. Quebec maple syrup: The province’s strategic reserve is empty.

Only 34% of Canadian companies have alternative supply options, compared with 44% globally. Vinayak Madappa, Strategic Advisory Partner at Capgemini, unpacks the firm’s World in Balance 2026 study. Michael and Sylvain preview the third annual MNP Food and Beverage Business Outlook. Canada ranks seventh in the G20, and Sylvain names the one lever he’d pull to move it into the top five. They also cover McCain’s expansion in India, Taylor Farms pausing Mexican sourcing, an oversupplied global wine market, rising banana prices and Italy as country of honour at SIAL Canada.

Quebec loves wine, gin and good food. Whisky is a harder sell. Vicky Trépanier, President, and Jean-François Théorêt, Master Distiller, of WfE Distillery in Chambly explain why they make only whisky, how they plan to win over Quebec drinkers, and why France may be easier to crack than the rest of Canada. In the news, Sylvain sizes up the Parti Québécois's sweeping election win, its pledge to source 75% of public-institution food from Quebec, and his shortlist for agriculture minister. New Statistics Canada data show agri-food exports to the U.S. up 5.8% and America's share of our imports edging higher. Is the "elbows up" boycott showing up anywhere? Michael asks whether restaurant diners can even choose. Plus: Nortera steps back from Green Giant, JBS closes Wild Fork, the Westons move on Boots, the U.S. molasses ban and a Goodles taste test.

By Amazon's own count, it is now the No. 2 grocer in the U.S., trailing only Walmart, with roughly $100 billion in sales. Jason Buechel, CEO of Whole Foods Market and VP of Amazon Worldwide Grocery Stores, explains how it got there with special guest co-host Steve Dennis. Plus: the potash port shake-up, front-of-package labels that are changing consumer behaviour, and the Canada–U.S. alcohol standoff.

Annemarie Swijtink, President & CEO of McDonald's Canada, joins Michael and Sylvain for her first Canadian podcast interview. Annemarie shares how 85% of McDonald's Canada's supply chain is domestic, reaffirms the Canadian beef commitment, and talks affordability, GLP-1s, labour and new restaurant formats. But first, the news: potash politics with Belarus, Canada–India trade, Super El Niño, rising chicken and strawberry prices, Wendy's franchisee troubles, Maple Leaf Foods, grocery labour updates and Barilla buying Goodles.