Consumption on the Rise

The Value of Food in Canada
New Conference Board report looks at developing a Canadian Food Strategy.
A NEW REPORT FROM the Conference Board of Canada
says Canadians will likely not face the severe food security
issues that will plague billions in other countries, thanks
to a high level of development and sophistication in the
sector.
The report – Valuing Food: The Economic Contribution of
Canada’s Food Sector, released on June 7 – examines the
“economic footprint” of Canada’s food economy and is
the first publication of the Centre for Food in Canada,
a three-year Conference Board program of research and
dialogue that will develop a framework for a Canadian
Food Strategy.
The report says the economic impact of food in Canada
extends far beyond the contribution of just those industries
that grow, process and distribute it. The food sector is
directly responsible for generating more than nine per
cent of Canadian gross domestic product (GDP).
“CFIC faces three challenges as it develops a framework
for the Canadian Food strategy: first, to understand
the current reality of Canada’s food economy; second,
to define a future desired state; and third, to suggest
workable solutions for moving Canada from its current
reality to the desired state,” the report states.
The report says Canada’s food sector is a key innovator,
globally integrated and thoroughly modern, noting the
development of radio-frequency identification (RFID)
tracking technology and “hyper-efficient” processing
plants as highlights.
The global population now sits at seven billion people
and, according to the report, it is expected to expand by
another two billion by 2050. But Canada’s population in
2050 will be “only 55 million people” so Canadians should
stay well fed.
In fact, the report says each Canadian has about 3,300
calories of food, drink and alcohol available to ten every
day, while the average healthy adult male only requires
2,700 calories per day (and other population segments
require even less).
In 2010, spending on food accounted for 16.4 per cent
of total consumption – and modest growth is expected in
the coming years.
The Conference Board also says Canadians “think
more about “all aspects of food” – including how it is
produced, what the ingredients are and when and where
they eat it. This increased consumer interest has lead to
several new market niches, including organic, fair-trade,
environmentally conscious and local food movements
– some of which may prove to be fads, while others will be
important market niches for years.
Major trends that will play a role in the Canadian food
12 Canadian Meat Business July/August 2011 meatbusiness.ca