Dr. Sylvain Charlebois

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Professor in food distribution and policy in the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax. He is also the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, at the same university. He is as well the former Dean of the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he was affiliated with the University of Guelph's Arrell Food Institute, which he co-founded.

Known as "The Food Professor", his current research interest lies in the broad area of food distribution, security and safety. He is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability. Since 2020, he co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, discussing issues in the food, foodservice, grocery and restaurant industries. The podcast is ranked in the top 10 most listened management podcast in Canada. +

He has authored five books on global food systems, his most recent one published in 2017 by Wiley-Blackwell entitled “Food Safety, Risk Intelligence and Benchmarking”. He has also published over 500 peer-reviewed journal articles in several academic publications. Furthermore, his research has been featured in several newspapers and media groups, including The Lancet, The Economist, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, BBC, NBC, ABC, Fox News, Foreign Affairs, the Globe & Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Star.

Dr. Charlebois is an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. He works with many start-ups and supports many organizations as a special advisor, including some publicly traded companies. Charlebois is also a member of the Scientific Council of the Business Scientific Institute, based in Luxemburg. He conducts policy analysis, evaluation, and demonstration projects for government agencies and major foundations focusing on agricultural policies and community development both in Canada and in development settings. Dr. Charlebois is a member of the Global Food Traceability Centre’s Advisory Board based in Washington DC, and a member of the National Scientific Committee of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Ottawa. He has testified on several occasions before parliamentary committees on food policy-related issues as an expert witness. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces, in the United States, Brazil, Austria, Italy, France, Belgium, China, Great Britain, Finland and the Netherlands.

He has presented numerous keynotes for a variety of clients and industries. As a presenter, he is recognized with a very engaging style always offering very current information and up-to-date research. No two presentations are ever the same as each one is specifically tailored to the client’s needs and topic preferences. He excels at Q&As and leaving his audience with food for thought! --

LIVE / VIRTUAL PRESENTATIONS:

Note the following are sample topics.
All presentations are customized to the specific client's needs.

In addition to the topics below, Dr. Charlebois can present on anything related to Food (trends, economics, security, supply chain, shipping, restaurant, e-commerce, plant-based, organic, as well as Agrifood/Agribusiness, and more.) He's currently researching AI and its implications on the food and agrifood industries.

The Hunger Games: How Big Grocers are Winning at the Expense of Local Alternatives & the Future of Food Prices +

Food inflation is a growing concern in our society, with prices for basic groceries increasing year after year. Large grocery chains dominate the market, but at what cost? In this talk, we will explore the role that these mega-retailers play in driving up food prices, pushing out smaller, local alternatives, and contributing to food waste and environmental degradation. We will also examine the impact that this trend has on communities, particularly those who lack access to affordable, healthy food options. Finally, we will consider the future of food prices and the potential for local, sustainable alternatives to provide a viable solution to the issue of food inflation. This talk will challenge our assumptions about the food industry. --

How AI will revolutionize the Food Industry, from growers to consumers +

The Food Industry has been adopting Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) slowly compared to other sectors. Things are now changing fast and the whole food supply chain will be impacted. This presentation will explore the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI). In this engaging session, Dr. Charlebois will expand on the cutting-edge advancements that are reshaping the food industry and safeguarding our global food supply chain. Through captivating insights and case studies, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how AI technologies are elevating food safety standards, revolutionizing traceability protocols and changing the way consumers approach their food purchases. Dr. Charlebois will share practical strategies for tackling challenges, achieving regulatory compliance, and harnessing the potential of AI, all while keeping you engaged with his dynamic presentation style. --

Inflation and World Economics relating to the Food Industry: Where We Are & What’s To Come +

Join Sylvain Charlebois, renowned as the “food professor,” in this insightful presentation as he explores the various factors impacting inflation in the agrifood supply chain. From production to distribution to consumption as well as world event affecting us, he will discuss the key drivers of rising costs and their implications for the industry as a whole. Furthermore, Charlebois will shed light on where consumer dollars go within the agrifood supply chain and how this impacts pricing and availability of food products. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights into one of the most critical components of our global economy. --

Sustainability Trends from Farm to Fork +

Sustainability has been a buzz word for a while now, but in the agri-food sector, a lot can be done still. This presentation will be adapted to your specific industry and market and will present sustainable practices and trends. From Shelflation/Shrinkflation, to food waste, upcycling solutions, smart packaging, warehouse automation, the role of AI in helping producers or manufacturers adopt better practices to Net-zero carbon. Dr. Charlebois will present current research and solutions befitting your company situation. --

Intergenerational Food Trends and their Multi-Faceted Impacts +

As more research emerge over the new Y and Z generations, it’s becoming clearer that they will have will have an immense impact on the food market per their different values and way to live their life. From their reliance on social medias, to snacking preferences over meals, to the home without a full kitchen and more. And what about the future ‘grey haired’ consumers? Steak and potatoes won’t be enough for these foodies once they move from their homes. This presentation offers currents research and insights to generational trends that affect different industries. (Presentation will be adapted to your market/industry.) --

Food inflation: What to expect in 2025 / 2026 +

As food inflation has made the headlines multiple times over 2022, 2023, 2024 and has forced the majority of Canadians to rethink the way they are grocery shopping, Dr. Charlebois will expand on what to expect in 2025 / 2026. --

The Intricacies of Food Supply Chain: Opportunities & Challenges +

Join us for a dynamic presentation featuring Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, a renowned expert from the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, as he delves into the captivating world of food. This engaging session will present current topics such as: the carbon tax, the code of ethics, the inflation as well as it’s effects on the workforce, food safety and insecurity and more. Through these insights, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of our Canadian food supply chain and the opportunities and challenges it faces. --

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is Dean of the Faculty of Management and Professor of the Faculty of Agriculture at Dalhousie University, Canada. He acts as special advisor to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), to Health Canada on food safety issues, and to Agriculture and Food Canada on agricultural policy.

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