PR for Export-Driven Food and Agriculture Brands: How to Approach Canada

What commodity boards and CPG brands need to know before entering the Canadian market

Canada is one of the most attractive yet misunderstood markets for food and agriculture organizations. It is politically stable, highly regulated, culturally diverse, and deeply trust-driven. For export-focused commodity boards and food brands, Canada offers long-term opportunity, but only for those who understand how the market actually works.

Canada imported more than CAD $57 billion in agri-food products in 2024, reflecting structural shortfalls in domestic fruit, vegetable, and protein production. At the same time, Canada’s food system is among the most trusted globally, which means scrutiny is high and missteps travel fast.

This is a market where credible public relations, regulatory fluency, and cultural awareness determine success far more than promotional volume.

Why Canada Matters for Export-Driven Food and Agriculture Brands

Canada is closely integrated into global food trade while remaining fiercely protective of its food system. Agri-food exports exceeded CAD $100.3 billion in 2024, while imports surpassed CAD $57 billion, with the United States supplying roughly half of all imported food and agricultural products.

Did you know? Despite its vast land base, Canada imports more than 70 percent of its fresh fruits and vegetables, relying heavily on Mexico, the United States, and overseas suppliers for year-round availability.

For commodity boards and CPG brands, Canada offers:

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  A credibility market where safety, traceability, and regulatory compliance matter more than hype

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  A gateway to North American buyers who view Canada as a “proof point” for quality and standards

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  A sophisticated retail and trade media ecosystem that rewards expertise and punishes exaggeration

Canada–U.S. Trade Reality Check (2025–2026)

Canada’s food and agriculture market cannot be understood without acknowledging current U.S.–Canada trade dynamics, particularly as the mandatory USMCA six-year review approaches in 2026.

Key realities exporters must factor into strategy:

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  U.S. pressure is intensifying around Canada’s supply-managed sectors including dairy, poultry, and eggs, with ongoing disputes related to tariff-rate quota administration and processor allocation.

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  Temporary tariff escalations in 2025 disrupted pricing and supply planning, contributing to cumulative grocery price increases exceeding 27 percent over five years, with a further 4–6 percent increase forecast for 2026.

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  While many retaliatory tariffs have since eased, buyers, retailers, and policymakers remain highly sensitive to supply reliability, compliance, and political risk.

What this means for PR and market entry: Exporters who succeed in Canada in 2026 are those who can demonstrate regulatory fluency, supply stability, and long-term commitment. PR now plays a critical role in reinforcing credibility during periods of trade uncertainty, particularly for commodity boards navigating quota-sensitive categories.

Understanding Canadian Food Culture Beyond the Stereotypes

Canada’s food culture is regional, multicultural, and increasingly global.

According to the 2021 Census, 23 percent of Canadians are foreign-born, a figure projected to exceed 25 percent by 2026. In major urban centers, the influence is even more pronounced:

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  Toronto: 51 percent foreign-born

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  Vancouver: 43 percent

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  Montreal: 34 percent

This diversity directly shapes grocery assortments, restaurant menus, and media narratives.

Food culture varies widely by region:

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  Atlantic Canada is driven by seafood traditions such as lobster, scallops, and chowders

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  The Prairies lean into beef, barbecue culture, and Eastern European influences like perogies

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  British Columbia blends Asian cuisines, plant-forward eating, and Indigenous fusion

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  Quebec emphasizes charcuterie, cheese, and strong culinary identity tied to language and culture

Did you know? While Canada ranks among the top five countries globally for trust in its food system, recent research shows 58 percent of Canadians want full transparency into how food is produced, and 76 percent say affordability is now a core trust signal. Exporters who ignore this tension lose ground quickly.

Retail Reality: A Highly Concentrated System

Canada’s grocery sector is one of the most concentrated in the world, and this shapes every PR and market entry decision.

Estimated national grocery market shares (2025):

Retailer

Share and Positioning

Loblaw Companies

28–30 percent (No Frills value, President’s Choice private label)

Sobeys / Empire

~20 percent (FreshCo value banner)

Metro

~11 percent

Costco

~9 percent (bulk and premium)

Walmart

~8 percent (value-driven)

Loblaw alone has announced CAD $10 billion in store investments, including 80 new locations, reinforcing its role as a national gatekeeper.

Insider reality: More than 25 percent of grocery sales are private label, which means many exporters enter Canada first as ingredient partners or co-branded suppliers rather than headline brands.

Media Landscape: Small, Powerful, and Gatekept

Canada has a surprisingly small pool of food and agriculture journalists, but their influence is outsized.

Key outlets include:

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  Trade media: Canadian Grocer, Food in Canada, Western Producer, The Grower

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  Mainstream media: CBC, Radio-Canada, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star

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  Wire services: Canadian Press syndicates a majority of national food stories

Insider wisdom: One strong trade media story often generates more buyer interest than ten consumer lifestyle mentions. Retail buyers read trade publications closely and use them as informal vetting tools.

Bilingual Reality: French Is Not Optional

Canada is officially bilingual, and French is non-negotiable for national food brands.

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  All consumer prepackaged foods require bilingual English–French labeling at the federal level

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  Quebec enforces French-dominant communications under the Charter of the French Language

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  Quebec represents 25 percent of Canada’s population and a CAD $250+ billion GDP economy, roughly 8 percent of national GDP

PR pitfall: English-only press materials are routinely ignored by Quebec media. National campaigns that fail to account for French-language communications leave a quarter of the market untouched.

Regulation as a Strategic Asset

Canada’s regulatory environment is strict, but for well-prepared exporters, it becomes a credibility advantage.

Key regulators include:

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  CFIA for food safety, labeling, and novel foods

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  Health Canada for health and nutrition claims

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  Competition Bureau for advertising and greenwashing enforcement

Recent trends include heightened scrutiny of sustainability claims and increased penalties for misleading environmental messaging.

For PR, this means:

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  Claims must match approved language exactly

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  Sustainability narratives require data, not aspiration

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  Regulatory alignment should be visible in communications, not hidden in footnotes

Experts, Influencers, and Trust Signals

Canadian audiences place greater trust in experts than celebrities.

High-credibility voices include:

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  Registered dietitians and food scientists

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  Chefs with cultural authority and media respect

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  Farmers and producers who speak to process and stewardship

Influencers can play a role, but credibility flows from education and transparency, not hype. In Canada, this often means working with trusted voices such as Maria Koutsogiannis (2.5M Instagram followers, plant-forward credibility and mainstream media trust) rather than generic celebrity endorsements.

Trade Shows and Strategic Moments (2026)

Key moments to anchor PR, trade outreach, and research releases include:

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  SIAL Canada (May 1–3, 2026, Toronto)

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  RC Show – Restaurant Canada (April 7–9, 2026, Toronto)

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  CHFA NOW (March 11–13, 2026, Vancouver)

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  Grocery Innovations Canada

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  Regional farm and agriculture shows across the Prairies

Aligning announcements and expert commentary with these events significantly increases impact.

What a Canada-Ready PR Toolkit Should Include

Exporters entering Canada benefit from a localized toolkit that includes:

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  Bilingual English–French press materials and spokesperson briefs

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  Clear regulatory positioning and compliant claims language

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  Regionalized story angles reflecting Canadian food culture

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  High-quality visuals suited for retail, trade media, and e-commerce

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  Expert spokespeople prepared for Canadian media expectations

At 6 Seeds Consulting, these toolkits are built by combining market research, regulatory awareness, and sector-specific PR strategy, ensuring foreign brands show up as credible partners, not outsiders.

Why PR Matters More Than Ever in Canada

As AI-driven search and answer engines increasingly shape how buyers, journalists, and policymakers discover information, credible third-party coverage and expert validation have become essential.

In Canada, trust is earned through:

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  Consistency over time

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  Proof over promise

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  Understanding local realities rather than importing global narratives

6 Seeds Consulting helps commodity boards and food brands navigate Canada’s concentrated retail landscape, bilingual requirements, regulatory scrutiny, and media gatekeeping to build durable authority and long-term success in one of the world’s most demanding food markets.