Has restaurant food inflation finally peaked in Canada?

New Consumer Price Index data from Statistics Canada released August 16 reported that Canada’s inflation rate saw its first monthly decline in a year, and food inflation also appears to finally be tailing off. Inflation slowed to 7.6 per cent in July, largely driven by a decline in gas prices. The rate of change had […]

Which dishes, mealparts have seen the biggest price increases on Canadian menus?

Price increases, price increases, price increases. Those have been the words that have defined not just foodservice but life in general for Canadians over the last few months as the effects of decades-high inflation continue to be felt in every corner. On restaurant menus, everything from appetizers to entrees to sides to drinks has been […]

Canada’s annual food inflation rate at 8.8% in June

Canada’s inflation rate, which has been making unwanted headlines for months, has hit another high-water mark. In June 2022, the annual rate of inflation was 8.1 per cent compared to June 2021, its largest yearly change since January 1983. Food inflation continues to outpace that figure. That figure is up 0.4 per cent from the […]

Rising food prices: inflation or “greedflation”?

Food, whether it is in the grocery store or in a restaurant dining room, is significantly more expensive than it was a year ago. While general inflation, as well as the lasting impacts of COVID-19 and the conflict in Ukraine, have driven this trend, some are placing blame on grocery stores and other sellers for […]

Canadian inflation rate hits highest point since 1983

There is still no let-up when it comes to higher prices in restaurants, retail, and every corner of life, as the Canadian inflation rate has hit 7.7 per cent — its highest point since 1983. Canada’s inflation rate rose at its fastest pace in almost four decades years in the year up to May, found […]

US full-service menu prices see record inflation

Full-service menu prices in the U.S. rose 8.7 per cent in April year-over-year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is the segment’s highest increase since data was first collected in 1997. Overall, the food away from home index rose 7.2 per cent year over year, while the price of quick-service products grew seven […]

When it comes to food prices, the Canadian government’s hands are tied

By Michael von Massow The rhetoric around inflation and increasing food prices has become a point of emphasis for politicians, particularly for those in opposition to the incumbent government. Even pundits and non-profit organizations are pressuring the government into taking specific actions on food prices. This begs the question: Should governments take steps to reduce […]

Plant-based proteins still more expensive amid soaring cost of meat

Plant-based proteins have many benefits, not least an often comparatively reduced toll on the planet and the environment, but does their pricing limit their accessibility? A new report has found that plant-based proteins are still generally more expensive than meat products despite the soaring cost of much meat in recent months. The Agri-Food Analytics Lab at […]

Russian invasion of Ukraine fuelling food inflation in Canada

Even aside from the direct pain and trauma caused in Ukraine, the Russian invasion is having serious impacts across the world, including on the food production and foodservice industries. With inflation already at its highest rate in decades in Canada and food inflation soaring, wheat is the latest staple ingredient to surge. Ukraine is one […]