Metro says ongoing strike in Laval, Que., will take a bite out of Q3 earnings

MONTREAL - Metro Inc. says the ongoing strike at its Laval, Que., fresh produce distribution centre is weighing on its third-quarter sales.

The grocer said its adjusted earnings per share is estimated to be between $1.22 and $1.27 for its third quarter, compared with $1.52 in the same quarter a year ago.

Metro said its food same-store sales for the first 14 weeks of its 16-week third quarter were down 1.5 per cent, compared to the corresponding weeks last year. 

The company has been incurring incremental costs from its contingency plan to keep fresh produce on store shelves as the strike drags on.

Wine brands chase Gen Z with playful tie-ins to Shark Week, NASCAR and more

BOSTON (AP) — Which wine pairs well with Shark Week? Does a pinot noir have enough acidity to cut through the grime of a Tough Mudder race? Is a big, brassy cabernet bold enough of a quaff for a night of naming dead rodents after an ex?

And is a wine named SEX too provocative or not provocative enough?

Absurd as they may sound, these are the questions haunting wine marketers grappling with slumping sales and increasingly elusive drinkers. How consumers -- especially younger drinkers -- answer them will determine whether an industry long defined by fuddy-duddy pretense can find its footing in 2026 and beyond.

“That self-important way that wine can refer to itself — we’re really trying to tip that on its head,” said Helen Kurtz, chief of marketing for The Wine Group, which hopes that offerings such as its easy-drinking Cupcake Vineyards wines can attract a generation that came of age on Frappuccinos and gas station BuzzBallz.

How to make crunchy half-sour pickles with a shortcut refrigerator ferment

If you know deli lingo, you know that half-sour pickles are crunchy, bright-green pickles, not the duller green of more familiar long-soured pickles. Half sours have a distinct snap and much gentler flavor.

This recipe from our cookbook “Cold Canning” is our first refrigerator ferment: There’s no vinegar, but we’re using a shortcut method, not standard fermentation, giving the jar a little bump toward true fermentation at room temperature before squirreling it away in the fridge for up to three weeks (do not freeze).

This way, we don’t push the limits of what cold canning can accomplish with pickles. In any event, sterilize the jar and don’t be tempted to make substitutions. Though, for a completely non-traditional take, you can swap out the thyme sprigs for other leafy herbs: tarragon, rosemary, dill, cilantro or parsley.

Use only distilled water for best results (since the chlorine in tap water or chemicals in well water can halt fermentation.)

May food inflation outpaces overall inflation as fruits and vegetables get pricier

Rising food prices continued to outpace headline inflation for the 16th straight month, Statistics Canada data showed, with no relief in sight for consumers as higher gas prices weigh on grocery bills.

Manitoba eyes shrinkflation law, grocery store in downtown Winnipeg

WINNIPEG - Manitoba’s government says it is eyeing new rules to mandate unit pricing in grocery stores in order to shine a light on producers who reduce the size of a product while keeping the price the same.

The announcement follows the release of a study that analyzed grocery pricing in the province.

Finance Minister Adrien Sala told reporters on Monday that possible legislation would require grocers to establish standardized unit pricing so consumers can make better informed decisions. 

"This is about ensuring that Manitoba consumers can get as much information as they need," he said. 

Competition Bureau broadens probe into Sobeys for property control issue

GATINEAU - The Competition Bureau is widening its probe into Sobeys parent company Empire Co. Ltd. for its use of property controls across Canada.

The bureau previously received an initial court order in 2024 requiring the grocer to provide information focused on property controls in Halifax.

The competition watchdog said on Monday it had received a new Federal Court order to obtain company records, written information and oral testimony related to the probe.

The latest court order grants the bureau access to additional information at a national level, such as how the grocer negotiates property controls and their effects on competition.

International beer options for World Cup fans

Last week’s Uncorked featured wines from visiting countries competing in the World Cup, and this week we turn to those competing for soccer glory who are better-known for beer than wine.

Fifty years of gelato at Nucci’s

Not everyone wants to take over the family business, but for Maria Pepe, it’s been an honour to carry on the legacy her family started with Nucci’s Gelati.

The Italian restaurant will celebrate 50 years of feeding the Corydon community on June 27 and 28 after Pepe’s parents opened it in 1976.

Pepe, who co-owns the restaurant with her husband, Michael, said her parents were the first to bring gelato to Winnipeg when they opened in the 1970s, starting with four flavours: lemon bean, pistachio, amaretto and chocolate.

Over the 50 years they’ve added 70 flavours including coconut, mango melon and raspberry, but still keep the flavours that started it all.

Ottawa imposes 10 per cent tariffs on some canned vegetable imports

OTTAWA - The federal government is levying a temporary 10 per cent tariff on some imported canned vegetables to help domestic vegetable growers.

The Department of Finance says the move addresses critical circumstances and immediate challenges the Canadian canned vegetable industry faces.

It says canned vegetable imports from the United States, Mexico, Israel, Chile and developing countries will not be subject to the tariff. 

The temporary measure, which will remain in place for up to 200 days, will help stabilize market conditions and mitigate the effects of trade diversion on domestic producers, the ministry says.

NB Liquor fails to meet bilingual obligations at agency stores: commissioner

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick’s official languages commissioner says the province's Crown liquor corporation is failing to meet its obligations under the province’s Official Languages Act.

Commissioner Shirley MacLean says she received a complaint in March 2025 from a man who said staff at a New Brunswick Liquor Corp. store in Saint-Antoine de Kent, N.B., could not offer him service in French.

In New Brunswick, Canada’s only officially bilingual province, the public has the right to receive services in the official language of their choice from all government departments, Crown corporations and other public bodies.

In a report submitted last month to NB Liquor, MacLean says the law also applies to third parties that provide services on behalf of public institutions — and that includes agency liquor stores.

Supply management costs Canadians average of $244 per year, MEI study finds

MONTREAL - A new report from economic think tank MEI says supply management costs Canadian consumers an average of $244 per year.  

MEI came up with that figure by comparing Canadian prices for dairy products, eggs and poultry with similar markets in the U.S. Midwest. 

Canada's supply management system has been around in its current form since the 1970s and seeks to keep prices stable and farmers' income steady by limiting production of each product category. 

The study's authors found milk costs 171 per cent more in Canada than the comparable U.S. markets, while consumers pay 46 per cent more for eggs and 29 per cent more for chicken. 

Sobeys parent Empire turns focus to growth after years-long transformation

Empire Co. Ltd.'s new chief executive is having "a lot of fun" in the top job as he steers the grocer toward growth six months into his new role.

"I'm just trying to bring this company at the level the company deserves," said CEO Pierre St-Laurent, who also celebrated 35 years at Empire earlier this week.

St-Laurent, who stepped into the chief executive role late last fall, said the company is pivoting to opening more stores over the next three years and expanding its pharmacy footprint, as priorities shift from fixing its core business, "which is done."

The grocer, whose banners include Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo and Farm Boy, plans to open a total of 70 new stores with a strong focus on discount, while continuing to renovate and upgrade existing locations, he said. 

What’s up: Franco Foot, Moth Dreamer book launch, Brunchfest, Garden Party in the Gallery, Tönky Hönk release

Franco FootCentre culturel franco-manitobain, 340 Provencher Blvd.Through June 26Free entry, reservations at ccfm.mb.caLooking for somewhere cool to cheer on Morocco (5 p.m.) and Haiti (7:30 p.m.) this vendredi, Ivory Coast (3 p.m.) on samedi, or Egypt (8 p.m.) this coming dimanche?

Head to the Centre culturel franco-manitobain for Franco Foot, the St. Boniface venue’s ongoing celebration of the French-speaking nations playing for international glory in the FIFA men’s World Cup. With free access for all attendees, it’s a perfect way to catch the match alongside a community of family, friends and respectful rivals. A full schedule is available at ccfm.mb.ca.

After the games end on Saturday, the CCFM’s Le Patio 340 will be bumping when folk duo Burnstick takes the stage. Follow the Call singer Kwiat — an avant-pop singer whose music has hints of Fiona Apple and Regina Spektor — is also set to play. The free concert begins at 8 p.m.

— Ben Waldman

Qatar fans hit Vancouver, their chartered flights and 5-star hotels paid for by emir

VANCOUVER - They arrived in Vancouver on a free flight chartered by the Emir of Qatar and are staying at a five-star downtown hotel. 

Mohmoud Alban, 30, said his "king," Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, picked up the hotel tab too, for him and other Qatar supporters who flew into Vancouver this week.

"He's taking care of all of this," said Alban in an interview. "You know that's how Qatar takes care of their people."

They'll be outnumbered on Thursday, when Qatar plays Canada at BC Place Stadium, but the visiting fans are brimming with confidence after a 1-1 draw with Switzerland last weekend.