This week on The Food Professor Podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois welcome Don Hill, Chairman of Sucro, for a fascinating conversation about Canada's newest sugar refinery, food manufacturing competitiveness, trade, innovation, AI, and the future of the North American sugar industry. Before the interview, we unpack Canada's economic outlook (recession, what recession?) Dalhousie Agi-Food Lab & MNP’s G20 country view on food affordability, runaway tomato inflation & food insecurity, Kingston Baby Formula factory dairy transparency, and we congratulate Metro CEO Eric La Flèche's on his retirement and contribution to grocery retail in Canada
This week on The Food Professor Podcast, Michael LeBlanc and Dr. Sylvain Charlebois sit down with Don Hill, Chairman of Sucro, for a rare inside look at one of the most significant investments in Canada's food manufacturing sector in decades.
Sucro has quickly become one of North America's fastest-growing sugar companies, and its newly built Ontario refinery marks the first major new sugar-refining investment in Canada in generations. Don explains why Canada became Sucro's first major international investment market, how the company is challenging conventional thinking in a traditionally conservative industry, and why innovation, reinvestment, and operational efficiency are becoming critical competitive advantages in food manufacturing.
The conversation explores the strategic role sugar plays in food production beyond sweetness, including shelf life, texture, functionality, product formulation, and cost management. Don also discusses how Sucro is navigating labour shortages, global trade disruptions, tariffs, supply chain volatility, and geopolitical uncertainty while building what he believes is the most modern and competitive sugar refinery in North America.
Michael and Sylvain also dive into the impact of GLP-1 weight-loss medications on food consumption with Don, the opportunities and limitations of artificial intelligence in manufacturing, and why Canada remains an attractive destination for food production despite growing trade tensions and policy uncertainty. Don shares his perspective on the future of food manufacturing investment, North American competitiveness, and Sucro's plans for growth over the next decade.
Before the interview, the hosts tackle another packed week of food and agriculture news. They discuss Canada's economic outlook and the debate over recession terminology, new research comparing household food spending across G20 countries, and the ongoing rise in food insecurity and food bank usage across Canada. The discussion also covers soaring tomato prices linked to North American trade disruptions, new revelations surrounding the Canada Royal Milk infant formula facility in Kingston, and concerns about transparency within Canada's supply-managed dairy sector.
The episode also reflects on Metro CEO Eric La Flèche's retirement announcement, examining his lasting impact on Canadian grocery retailing and congratulating the highly skilled and experienced Marc Giroux on becoming the new CEO. Finally, Michael and Sylvain explore how some farmers are finding new revenue streams through YouTube and digital content creation, demonstrating the remarkable adaptability and entrepreneurial spirit of modern agriculture.