News Briefs

• Monia Staropoli, commerce marketing director
• Teresa Blakney, marketing director
• Myriam Ouaiss, marketing director
• Zora Crowder, marketing director
• Jonathan Tosti, senior media specialist
• Johanna Saavedra, brand manager 

Lazcano will report to Caroline Nadeau, Conagra Brands Canada general manager. 

A&W is officially launching the first A&W Smash Burger nationwide on May 25th.

The national chain is searing grass-fed beef patties to bring the A&W's take on this popular burger style. For a limited time, Canadians can smash either a single or a double, loaded with melted cheddar cheese, tangy pickles, sliced onions and a secret sauce on a toasted brioche bun.

"Hand-smashed burgers are rarely done at this scale because it takes quality ingredients and thoughtful execution," says Karan Suri, senior director, innovation at A&W Canada. "Each hand-smashed, juicy, grass-fed beef patty is paired with real cheddar cheese, tangy pickles, and our signature sauce for a perfectly balanced bite. Pure burger bliss."

"There is something so special about the simplicity of a perfect smash burger! We are excited to be welcoming Canadians to try our delicious new obsession," says Susan Senecal, CEO of A&W Canada. "The same quality and care you know and love from A&W is now bringing you a fun and flavourful smash burger."

The 4th Annual Car Wash for a Cure took place across Canada on May 8 and 9, 2026, and brought together professional car washes, industry partners, staff, customers, and communities in support of the Canadian Spinal Research Organization.

This year’s event featured participation from multiple locations across Ontario, including Crosstown Car Wash, Kilworth Car Wash and Valet Car Wash locations in Toronto, North York, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Cambridge, Brantford, Guelph, Kitchener, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines, Chatham, and Middlesex Centre.

The Canadian Carwash Association would like to thank title sponsor Wash Links, and sponsors BMO and Young's Insurance Brokers Inc., as well as their participating washes, sponsors, volunteers, and customers who helped make this year’s event a success.  

Canadians increasingly turned to on-demand delivery for everyday essentials, late-night snacks and comfort-food favourites in 2025, according to new data released by Skip, the Canadian delivery network.

The company’s 2025 National Orders Report shows strong growth in retail orders alongside shifts in food and snacking habits nationwide. Skip says its fastest-growing categories this year were retail items—up more than 1,700% compared with 2024—and pet supplies, which rose more than 1,000%.

The company attributes the surge to an expanding roster of national retail partners, including Shoppers Drug Mart, Dollarama and PetSmart. The additions gave customers access to a wider range of need-it-now items, from pantry staples to over-the-counter products and pet essentials.

“In 2025, Canadians relied on Skip for it all—pantry restocks, pet supplies and, of course, comfort meals and midnight snacks,” said Melanie Fatouros-Richardson, vice-president of communications and government relations at Skip. “With more retail partners joining the network, we’re helping Canadians get what they need, when they need it.”

Food orders also reflected a mix of comfort, curiosity and social-media-driven trends. Butter chicken remained the country’s most-ordered dish for the third consecutive year, followed closely by garlic naan and California rolls. Fries and poutine rounded out the top five, underscoring Canadians’ continued preference for classic sides and familiar fare.

Canadians also proved quick to sample trending treats. Orders of Dubai-style chocolate jumped more than 2,300%year-over-year, and hot honey continued its rise as a go-to condiment, particularly on pizza.

Burgers remained the top cuisine category nationwide, with smash, double and classic styles all contributing to the trend. 

Skip reported that retail snacking and impulse-driven purchases increased across most regions, mirroring broader consumer patterns toward convenience and smaller, more frequent eating occasions.

The report also highlights the link between food delivery and major cultural moments. During the Toronto Blue Jays’ ALCS Game 7, orders rose 10% compared with two weeks earlier, reflecting what Skip describes as a growing tendency to pair big events with delivery meals.

Skip’s retail expansion marks a notable shift for the company, which has traditionally focused on restaurant delivery. The company says growing demand for convenience, value and speed is pushing customers to use delivery for a wider set of everyday needs.

“With Canadians seeking faster and more affordable ways to shop, retail integration is becoming a bigger part of the delivery landscape,” Fatouros-Richardson said.

Skip says it expects continued growth across new categories next year as more retailers join the platform and customers increasingly look to delivery as a way to save time and simplify daily errands.

Manufacturing sales rose 3.3% to $72.1 billion in September, their highest level since February, boosted by strength in the auto and energy industries, Statistics Canada says.

The agency said Friday the increase came as sales rose in 14 of the 21 subsectors it tracks, with total sales in constant dollars up 2.7% for the month.

Bradley Saunders, North America economist at Capital Economics, noted that the rebound in September was not as positive for GDP growth as first meets the eye, since inventories of finished products and goods in process both ticked down that month.

"Nonetheless, with wholesale trade volumes up more than expected, we still see upside risks to StatCan's preliminary estimate of 0.1% month-over-month growth in September," Saunders write in a report.

Statistics Canada said the overall September manufacturing sales were lifted by a 9.2% gain in the transportation equipment subsector with motor vehicles up 11.8% and aerospace products and parts up 13%.

The agency noted the increase in motor vehicle sales, which followed a drop in August, came as some auto assembly plants in Ontario resumed full production after summer shutdowns and retooling. 

"This will help stir some confidence in a sector which has faced a string of bad news recently, with new U.S. tariffs imposed on trucks and buses and a handful of manufacturers announcing plans to shift parts of production south of the border," Saunders said.

The petroleum and coal subsector reported a gain of 5.3% due in part to higher sales of petroleum products following refinery maintenance shutdowns in August.

In a separate report, Statistics Canada says wholesale sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and oilseed and grain, rose 0.6%.

Wholesale sales, excluding those same items, in volume terms also rose 0.6% in September.

The overall increase in wholesale sales came as the food, beverage and tobacco subsector rose 1.6%, while sales in the building material and supplies subsector rose 1.9%.

Motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and accessories merchant wholesalers gained 1.6V.