Sylvain Charlebois is a Canadian researcher and professor in food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He is a former dean of the university's Faculty of Management. Charlebois, who goes by the moniker "The Food Professor," is the director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University. Since December 2010, he has been the lead author of Canada's Food Price Report.

Career

Charlebois was a professor at the University of Guelph from 2010 to 2016. In 2016, he was named dean of the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University. In 2018, Charlebois became the director of Agri-food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie, after resigning as dean following an investigation into complaints involving harassment and bullying. Following Charlebois's resignation, a university spokesman stated that the conclusions of the investigation would remain confidential but that "no further action" would be taken in relation to the investigation. Charlebois writes a blog for Canadian Grocer magazine called "The Food Professor," and is a co-host of the podcast titled "The Food Professor."

Studies and reports

Since 2010, Charlebois has published Canada's Food Price Report. He has also co-authored reports related to the Canadian Wheat Board’s Daily Price Contract program, Canada's Food Guide, edible cannabis legislation, global food traceability systems, and public perception towards GMOs. In January 2023 Charlebois penned a commentary on the increase in theft from supermarkets, and how it raises costs for grocers and leads to higher grocery prices. The piece, and a Twitter post, was met with criticism, and debate about the morality of food theft. Twitter users drew attention to Charlebois' salary from Dalhousie University, and his receipt of a $60,000 grant in 2018 from the Weston Foundation, which is funded by Weston Family companies that include Loblaws, one of Canada's largest grocery retailers. In response, Charlebois said the grant went to Dalhousie University and was used to pay a graduate student; and that people are upset with grocers since, with food inflation over 10 percent, "they're looking for a scapegoat."

Books