Derek Marsham

8 in 10 coffee servings now include sugar, syrup, or milk, making personalization a baseline expectation. Canadian consumers are moving beyond the classics, seeking bold, indulgent flavours that deliver both comfort and novelty. This presents a strategic opportunity for operators to innovate without adding operational complexity. Visually appealing drinks can drive engagement and social traction, but busy service hours often make execution challenging. We recommend pumpable syrups and sauces for consistent flavour and reduced prep time, along with shelf-stable ingredients from trusted suppliers to minimize waste. Learn more about streamlining beverage innovation in our latest blog https://bit.ly/48kncCV #CanterburyCoffee #Foodservice #CafeOperations #MenuInnovation #Efficiency #SeasonalTrends #CanadianBusiness

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Attention Ontario agri-food businesses looking to expand into new markets should take a serious look at the Market Diversification & Implementation Fund with up to $500K in cost-share support available, this is a strong opportunity to scale strategically. Comment “Overview” to learn how this program can support your market growth plans for 2026!

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Beverage Alcohol Stock-Outs Are Costing Family-Run C Stores — And Customers Are Walking Away As Ontario’s 1,000s of family-run convenience stores embrace this new beverage-alcohol category, one issue is becoming impossible to ignore: Stock-outs are driving loyal customers straight to competitors — especially the LCBO. With new RTDs launching almost weekly and demand growing across every community, stores must rethink how they manage this category. Alcohol shoppers are loyal, high-value customers — but only when their preferred brands are consistently available. The risk is real: When a customer hits an empty shelf, they simply go elsewhere. And once they change their routine… they may not return. What’s driving the problem? Rapid RTD and specialty product innovation Limited backroom space in independent stores Unpredictable LCBO fill rates and shorted orders Retailers underestimating velocity of top-selling brands Independent stores are adapting quickly, but inconsistent supply — particularly fill-rate issues on the wholesale side — is putting real pressure on those trying to grow this new category responsibly. What needs to happen next? Retailers: Prioritize top sellers Track what moves weekly Order early and often Respond to local requests quickly Suppliers & LCBO: Improve product availability Strengthen communication with C-store operators Recognize the sales potential of 1,000s of neighbourhood retailers This is a massive opportunity — but only if the supply chain supports it. Ontario’s family-run C stores have proven they can sell beverage alcohol responsibly, professionally, and with strong community trust. Now they need the inventory support to meet consumer demand and keep customers from walking back to the government-run channel. Consistency matters. Availability matters. Losing one loyal alcohol shopper can mean losing them forever. #Beveragealcohol #Beer #stockouts #shortages #wine #education #RTD #suppliers

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Brand's would be wise to stay updated on the GLP-1 drug class and its potential impact on the grocery industry.​ Understanding these developments will be crucial for strategic planning. In Canada it is estimated one member in 13% of the households is currently on this drug, and 18% more are open to trying in the future. They tend to shop more at Loblaws, Costco, Walmart, and produce, meat and frozen foods represent the top 3 departments GLP-1 households allocate their total grocery spend to.

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This product has been out in Ontario since November and has been performing well. Recently launched in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. It's a unique proposition in the market driving a higher basket size and strong margins. The fact that it's made with ocean-bound recycled plastic and is Certified Plastic Negative is just the cherry on top of the sundae. https://lnkd.in/gRWjGh23

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This a concerning number, more than 4000 restaurant closures (after taking into account 3000 openings in Canada) - so, 7000 closures...... How can we help our restauranteurs keep their doors open and our industry healthy? Next is to understand why the closures???

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Another great quarter from Loblaws. They had a bit of a so so run in '24 '25 is looking great. Their focus on Hard Discount channel (No Frills, Maxi), and their store expansion there is growing share. +4.6% revenue, +5.3% gross profit, +7.2% EBITDA Food business grew +4.8%, but same store sales grew only 2%, and Loblaws internal inflation of food basket was lower than CPI for food. They opened 19 No Frills and Maxi in the quarter. Bet on value. If your category is sold at No Frills, you need a clear strategy. It might be more trade spend intensive - but maybe not, as they make less gross margin. Drug grew 4%. Pharmacy outperformed front of store, but shouldn't be a concern, as front of store was impacted by exit of some electronics categories, OTC and Beauty were strong. New President at SDM just announced. Gregers Wedell-Wedellsborg who was the CEO of Matas A/S - the Danish equivalent of SDM. Lots of similarities w focus on omni, loyalty. LCL commented on improvement in shrink as a positive contributor to gross margin. As a sales guy, I see the stuff in locked boxes as the anti-sales strategy, but if the retailer is growing revenue, and improving margin, they're sure happy. There's a lesson in there. One of the lessons is if you're in a category that gets locked up, even more emphasis needs to be put on front of package. From a sales execution perspective, I haven't figured this one out... Extreme attention required to market share shifts not just between conventional and discount, but potentially between discount and hard discount. Store count growth has been dramatic.

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