The New Year has arrived and with it a new slew of interesting food-related news stories throughout Canada and beyond.
From a bound-for-Netflix tale of a Christmas Day dairy heist that saw thieves make off with $200,000 worth of butter to alarming results from a CBC Marketplace investigation into third-party grocery delivery app Instacart, to a possible seaweed-based replacement for single-use plastics in development across the pond, here are five food stories you may have missed this week.
$200,000 butter heist in Ontario on Christmas Day
The Ontario Provincial Police are currently investigating a $200,000 butter heist that took place at a Trenton grocery storage warehouse on Christmas Day. According to reports, thieves allegedly broke into the warehouse at around 11 p.m. and seized two transport trucks and trailers, making off with roughly 20,000 kilograms of butter.
Experts say the thieves targeted the warehouse in part due to Canada’s rapidly rising food prices and the preservability of butter, which can be frozen and sold at a much later date.
Find out more at the National Post.
Instacart investigation yields alarming results
CBC Marketplace recently conducted an investigation into grocery delivery app Instacart—a service many Canadians have relied on throughout the pandemic—that revealed price disparity, hidden markups, and missed promotions with items ordered from Loblaws, Costco, and Walmart.
Results of the investigation suggest that the third-party delivery app, which currently has a valuation of $39 billion, keeps all of the profit from pricing differences, in addition to the delivery and service fees. Of the three grocers, CBC said only Walmart products were priced the same in-store as listed on Instacart.
Find the full report at CBC News.
Don Alfonso 1890 Toronto named Best Italian Restaurant in the World
This week, Toronto restaurant Don Alfonso 1890 was named the world’s Best Italian Restaurant outside of Italy by 50 Top Italy. The restaurant, which is led by 3-star Michelin chef Alfonso Iaccarino, was also awarded the Meal of the Year 2022 Mulino-Caputo Award for its multi-course prix fixe tasting menu.
Vancouver’s Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill was the only other Canadian restaurant recognized by 50 Top Italy. The full results along with detailed descriptions of all Top 50 restaurants can be found online.
UK startup designs seaweed-based replacement for single-use plastic
Not directly Canadian, but with Canada’s single-use plastic ban poised to come into effect sometime this year, London, U.K.-based startup Notpla could potentially become a company that Canadians will soon be closely acquainted with.
The company, which just closed a $13.5 million financing round last month, already boasts a smattering of products that are meant to be composted or dissolved after use, and is currently in the process of designing a seaweed-based replacement for single-use packaging.
Head to CTV News for more.
Quebec liquor and cannabis outlets to require vaccine passport
Due to the increased strain on the province’s health medical system, Quebec health officials announced this week that provincial liquor and cannabis stores will begin requiring proof of vaccination from customers on January 18. During the announcement, officials also warned that other non-essential services such as shopping malls and hair salons could soon follow suit.
Visit the Globe and Mail for more.
