July 26, 2011, Brampton, Ont. – The Guelph Food Technology Centre (GFTC) has announced two of the speakers for its upcoming State of the Industry: A Closer Look at Canada’s Food & Beverage Industry symposium.
Andrew Bell, is a Canadian investment reporter and host of two most-watched Business News Network programs – Commodities and Market Call. He will present “The Big Picture – An Overall Look at Canadian Food Retailing,” which will explain why inflation is a key driver for food retailer profitability and address the challenges being faced by Canadian food stores. Bell will also present a scorecard of the three big Canadian retailers over the past five years, highlighting the efficiencies and what is being done to fight falling profits and flat sales.
Bell has a reputation for providing a blunt, well-researched assessment of the hot stocks and issues of the day, and is a regular contributor to the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business Magazine. In 2001, he was the inaugural winner of the Investment Funds Institute of Canada annual Journalism Awards program.
Douglas Porter, deputy chief economist with BMO Capital Markets, will deliver a presentation entitled “Canada’s General Economic Status and Outlook.” The presentation will discuss how Canada has withstood the recent global economic pressures and how the food industry will fare given the recent indicators of increased food prices.
Porter has analyzed and written about trends in the Canadian and global economies and financial markets for over 25 years. He is a regular commentator on economic and financial trends. Porter is also recognized for bringing to light what Statistics Canada said was its most serious error on record, with respect to the consumer price index, and for highlighting the large price gaps on many consumer goods between Canada and the United States.
The GFTC’s biennial State of the Industry symposium will be held Nov. 4 at the Pearson International Centre, in Brampton, Ont.
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