The Food Professor

Breakthrough Milk Dumping Study, India Trade Trouble, and our guest Zeeshan Fazal, EDC

Episode Summary

We welcome Zeeshan Fazal, Regional Director and Agrifood expert from Export Development Canada (EDC). Recorded live at the SIAL food innovation show in Montreal, Zeeshan explains how EDC supports Canadian companies in expanding their reach beyond borders, including into the United States, by providing financial tools, trade expertise, and valuable market connections. The episode focuses on critical industry topics, including the staggering waste in Canada's dairy sector, with over 6 billion litres of milk dumped since 2012, as highlighted in a recent ScienceDirect study. The hosts also touch on Canada-India trade relations' complexities and challenges.

Episode Notes

In the latest episode of The Food Professor Podcast, presented by Caddle, we welcome a special guest, Zeeshan Fazal, Regional Director and Agrifood expert from Export Development Canada (EDC). Recorded live at the SIAL food innovation show in Montreal, Zeeshan explains how EDC supports Canadian companies in expanding their reach beyond borders, including into the United States, by providing financial tools, trade expertise, and valuable market connections.

Michael, joining from Chicago, shares his experiences in the Windy City's vibrant food scene, recounting a visit to El Che restaurant and commenting on Chicago's competitive food service industry. He also reminds listeners about the upcoming Coffee Association of Canada conference on November 14th in Markham, where tickets quickly sell out.

The episode focuses on critical industry topics, including the staggering waste in Canada's dairy sector, with over 6 billion litres of milk dumped since 2012, as highlighted in a recent ScienceDirect study. The hosts also touch on Canada-India trade relations' complexities and challenges. The launch of Maple Leaf's new pork division, Canada Packers, is also discussed, followed by commentary on the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, which signals growing concerns about the competitiveness of Canada's agrifood sector.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800924003100?dgcid=coauthor

https://coffeeassoc.com/annual-conference/

 

About Zeeshan

Zeeshan Fazal is a Regional Manager at EDC, responsible for a team of Relationship Managers supporting Canadian companies to penetrate, grow and succeed internationally. He is also responsible to strategically increase EDC's support to Québec companies in Agriculture and Agrifood sectors.

Mr. Fazal has significant experience in assisting Manufacturing, Technology and Innovation companies to go, grow and succeed internationally. Prior to his appointment to the Business Development team, Mr. Fazal held various underwriting positions for Accounts Receivable Insurance, Bank Guarantees and Loan Guarantees. He was also a Lean Sustainability Advisor where he collaborated closely with internal stakeholders to help lead projects, improve operational efficiencies and client communication processes. 

 

514-876-7115

  zfazal@edc.ca

  edc.ca

 

Outside of EDC, Mr. Fazal was a lecturer at McGill University where he taught International Finance, Corporate Finance and Financial Statement Analysis. Most recently, he also taught a course on Business Valuation at the Smith School of Business at Queens University. Furthermore, he taught CITP professional designation courses on Global Value Chain and International Trade Finance.

 

About EDC

Export Development Canada is Canada's export credit agency. We are dedicated to helping Canadian companies, of all sizes, go, grow and succeed beyond our borders. As international risk experts, we provide them with knowledge, financing, insurance and connections. We also provide financial solutions to global companies to facilitate and grow purchases from Canadian companies. We take on risk, so they can take on the world. Learn more at www.edc.ca.

 

Mr. Fazal holds a Master of Business Administration from the Smith School of Management (Queens University), a bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting and Biology from McGill University. He is also a Certified International Trade Professional (CITP | FIBP).