November 30, 2021 Walmart Canada is boosting its e-commerce offerings by acquiring Foodmaestro, a Toronto-based digital start-up that will offer customers more choice, transparency, and personalized content when they shop online. Foodmaestro, which will be Walmart Canada’s first acquisition since the pandemic, is a data platform serving retailers and CPG companies across North America and beyond. Offering a strong ...Read more about this post
November 26, 2021 The Canadian government introduced a new pandemic aid bill on November 24 that would maintain some financial supports for businesses and workers until at least the spring of 2022. Bill C-2, if passed, would include providing wage and rent subsidies through the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program and the Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program. The Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program ...Read more about this post
November 26, 2021 Ontario’s restaurants and other foodservice, hospitality, and tourism businesses have been dealing with something of a labour crisis in recent months. That has been attributed to a variety of factors, including staff leaving the workforce for good due to the effects of COVID-19, a perceived lack of job security, government benefits offsetting the financial costs ...Read more about this post
November 23, 2021 Restaurants Canada’s latest industry forecast predicts that commercial foodservice sales will grow to $80.4 billion across the country in 2022. That would be a 24.3 per cent increase over 2021 and would result in annual sales that are 4.4 per cent above 2019 levels. A Restaurants Canada release says the forecast for 2022 reflects the continued progress ...Read more about this post
November 23, 2021 A Sobeys in Orangeville, Ont. is the first grocery store in North America to implement a Flexstore concept. Flexstore is a system by European design and shopfitting firm Interstore | Schweitzer that leans on mobile fixtures that can easily be rearranged, allowing grocers to expand, reduce, or otherwise adjust various departments as needed. The units, which are ...Read more about this post
November 22, 2021 Customers have shown their loyalty to and support of local restaurants throughout the difficult circumstances of the pandemic, and that looks set to continue this holiday period. The U.S. National Restaurant Association estimates that nearly two-thirds of consumers hope to receive restaurant gift cards for presents this winter. New research from the NRA found that 62 per ...Read more about this post
November 22, 2021 The unprecedented climate of the last couple of years has expedited the technological advancements that were already being seen in foodservice. Technology is being increasingly utilized to make operations more efficient and to meet the enhanced needs of the consumer in a world when convenience and physical health and safety are top of mind. Now, is ...Read more about this post
November 19, 2021 By Aimee Harvey and Katie Belflower The past two years brought unforeseen challenges to the foodservice industry, leaving many operators scrambling to adapt. With that experience under their belt, operators will go into 2022 more readily settling into solutions for these challenges while priming for some that have yet to emerge. What are some of the ...Read more about this post
November 19, 2021 Uber has announced it is launching a new membership program called Uber One that combines its rides, grocery, and food delivery services. The membership costs $9.99 a month or $99.99 a year and includes five per cent off eligible rides and delivery orders on food, grocery, alcohol, and more. It also offers an unlimited $0 delivery ...Read more about this post
November 19, 2021 Toronto is now home to North America’s first-ever virtual IHOP location. Dine Brands International has announced the location as part of its partnership with Ghost Kitchens Brands, which owns and operates a network of virtual kitchens across the continent, featuring items from more than 20 well-known restaurants and consumer brands. At 60 Sudbury St. in Toronto’s Liberty Village ...Read more about this post
November 18, 2021 Sustainability is a growing concern for Canadian consumers, and one way that is manifesting itself is through an increasing desire to steer clear of meat — or at least to have the choice to do so. A new survey from Impossible Foods conducted by members of the Angus Reid Forum, found that one-quarter (24 per cent) ...Read more about this post
November 18, 2021 A new report has shed light on the extended effects of the pandemic on food delivery aggregators and third-party delivery apps. The inaugural The Digital Divide, Aggregators: The Cost Of Convenience, a collaborative PYMNTS and Paytronix report, examines the spending habits of restaurant customers in the U.S. It found that many consumers came to rely on delivery ...Read more about this post
November 16, 2021 The Breakfast Club of Canada (BCC), in collaboration with Walmart Canada, broke its all-time fundraising record in 2021. This year’s campaign, which ran from September 28 to November 2 in Walmart Canada’s 400-plus stores and on its website, raised $4.1 million for school breakfast programs, including an $820,000 donation from Walmart Canada. The initiative helps the Breakfast ...Read more about this post
November 16, 2021 Toronto-based Restaurant Brands International is buying sandwich chain Firehouse Subs for over $1 billion in its first acquisition since it brought Popeyes on board in 2017. The deal will give the company, already the owner of Burger King and Tim Hortons in addition to Popeyes, another growth vehicle. Firehouse was founded in 1994 by brothers and ...Read more about this post
November 16, 2021 In a time when restaurant chains are recognizing the increased importance of having an extensive loyalty program, McDonald’s Canada is stepping up its game. The fast-food giant launched its first ever points-based customer rewards scheme on November 16, called MyMcDonald’s Rewards. Customers can now earn points on every menu item (excluding delivery), earning 100 points for ...Read more about this post
