This week on The Food Professor Podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois break down 2025 Thanksgiving food price expectations, U.S. trade soy turbulence, Iranian pistachio recalls, dairy supply management trial balloons, and surprising consumer food trends. In the feature interview, Bryce Lobreau, Co-Founder of 8 Acres, shares his journey scaling an organic and grass-fed beef brand from Manitoba to national distribution. From regenerative farming to tackling soaring cattle costs, Bryce outlines how Canadian ranchers can thrive in today’s challenging protein market.
In this lively new episode of The Food Professor Podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois dive into the latest food, retail, and agriculture headlines before sitting down with a fascinating guest: Bryce Lobreau, Co-Founder of 8 Acres, one of Canada’s most innovative organic and grass-fed beef brands.
The episode begins with a timely look at Canadians’ Thanksgiving dinner costs for 2025. Sylvain shares the results of his annual food price survey, which shows some rare good news: overall holiday meal costs are essentially flat compared to last year, with turkey and fresh produce slightly cheaper. However, canned items like cranberries and pumpkin pie fillings are more expensive due to tariffs on aluminum packaging. The hosts debate changing consumer choices at Thanksgiving, including a move toward lamb and premium proteins.
From there, Michael and Sylvain analyze the broader North American food landscape. They unpack the impact of a potential U.S. government shutdown on Canadian agriculture, food inspections, and border trade. The duo also explore the ongoing pistachio recall tied to salmonella contamination, with Sylvain warning consumers to toss any pistachio products they may still have at home. Dairy access in trade negotiations between Canada and the U.S. also comes under scrutiny, with Sylvain highlighting the structural problems in Canada’s supply management system. Other hot topics include soybean market disruptions caused by Chinese buying patterns, Canada Post strikes affecting grocery flyers, wildfire impacts on crop yields, and the surprising growth of sushi sales in North American grocery stores.
The second half of the show features an in-depth conversation with Bryce Lobreau of 8 Acres. Bryce shares his journey as a third-generation Manitoba farmer who pivoted into organic cattle ranching to survive tough agricultural markets. He and his business partner, Ben Stewart, have built 8Acres into a pioneering national brand, raising over 3,000 head of cattle across certified organic and grass-fed programs. Bryce explains the challenges of scaling in today’s cattle market, from soaring calf prices to attracting new ranchers to transition into organics.
Listeners will also hear how 8Acres is embracing regenerative agriculture practices, integrating livestock into cropping systems, extending grazing periods, and even experimenting with live-stream farm cameras to build transparency with consumers. Bryce candidly discusses “farmer guilt” around pricing, the importance of branding in Canada’s protein sector, and his vision of making organic and grass-fed beef mainstream in Canadian grocery stores over the next decade.
Here is the link to buy Sylvain's great Poutine Nation:
https://utpdistribution.com/9781487541781/poutine-nation/