Buy Canadian: Trump Boosts Food Patriotism
Montreal Bakery’s “Canada bagel” a Hit Amid Trade Tensions
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MONTREAL (AP) — A Montreal bakery is seeing a surge in demand for its patriotic “Canada Bagel,” a red and white swirl of dough created in response to trade tensions with the United States.
Fairmount Bagel, a Montreal institution, has been serving customers fresh bagels around the clock for generations. The bakery is known for its classic sesame bagels, a family recipe passed down through the Shlafman family.
Rhonda Shlafman, always looking for new ways to please her customers, was inspired to create the Canada Bagel after hearing about U.S. tariffs on canadian goods.
“I thought, why not make a red and white bagel to symbolize Canada?” Shlafman said.
The next morning, the first Canada Bagel was born. Shlafman kneaded a batch of white dough and another that she colored bright red with food coloring. She then rolled both types of dough into long strips and twisted them together in a spiral to form a round, red and white bagel.
The response from customers has been overwhelmingly positive.
“People called or wrote to us saying they were totally happy that we were making something that represents Canada,” Shlafman said.
Orders for the Canada Bagel have poured in from across the country, including from distant provinces like Alberta and British Columbia. The bagel’s popularity reflects a growing sense of national pride among Canadians.
This renewed patriotism is partly a response to President Donald trump’s trade policies. His attacks on Canada, a long-time ally, have influenced the Canadian election campaign and the everyday lives of Canadians, including their food choices.
Supermarkets Highlight Canadian Products
The trend extends beyond bagels. Supermarkets across Canada are increasingly highlighting Canadian-made products.
Canadian Shoppers Increasingly Seeking Out Domestic Products, Boycotting U.S. Goods
MONTREAL (AP) — In supermarkets across Montreal, a growing number of consumers are deliberately choosing Canadian-made products, driven by a desire to bolster the nation’s economy. This trend includes a conscious effort to avoid goods originating from the United States.
Supermarket staff report a rise in customer inquiries about product origins. Some grocery chains are visually highlighting Canadian food items with distinctive red and white ribbons or maple leaf symbols on price tags, making it easier for shoppers to identify them.
“Buy Beaver” App Helps Consumers Identify canadian Food via Smartphone
Entrepreneurs Chris and Alex have launched the “buy Beaver” app,designed to simplify the process of identifying products “Made in Canada.” The app allows users to specify preferred countries to support and those they wish to boycott.
Users can scan a product’s barcode with their smartphone camera, and the app generates a score reflecting how well the product aligns with their purchasing preferences. Factors considered include the location of the company selling the item and the product’s country of origin.
Chris demonstrated the app using a package of Barilla Spaghetti. “In this case, the app shows a low score,” he said. “I have selected that I want to support Italy but want to boycott the USA. And the product was manufactured in the USA.”
App Available Worldwide
The “Buy Beaver” app is available free of charge globally. Chris and Alex developed the app with the support of donations from Canadians who expressed a desire for such a tool.
Alex noted the positive response to the app. “We have thousands of positive reviews in the app stores and get hundreds of emails every day,” he said. “People are simply glad that young entrepreneurs are trying to help Canadians.”
Canadian Consumer Trends: Q&A on supporting Local Products
Q: WhatS the story behind the “Canada Bagel” and its popularity?
A: In Montreal, Fairmount Bagel created the “Canada Bagel” in response to trade tensions with the United States. This bagel, a red and white swirl, quickly gained popularity, symbolizing national pride and a desire to support Canadian products.
Q: Who created the Canada Bagel, and why?
A: Rhonda Shlafman of Fairmount Bagel was inspired to create the canada Bagel after hearing of U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods. She wanted to create something to represent Canada, resulting in the red and white bagel.
Q: What is the “Buy Beaver” app?
A: The “Buy Beaver” app, developed by Chris and Alex, assists consumers in identifying the origin of products. By scanning a barcode, users can see weather a product aligns with their preferences. This app allows users to specify countries to support and those to boycott.
Q: How does the “Buy Beaver” app work?
A: Users scan a product’s barcode with their smartphone camera. The app then generates a score based on factors like the company’s location and product origin, reflecting whether the product aligns with the user’s preferences for supporting or boycotting specific countries.
Q: Where is the “Buy Beaver” app available?
A: The “Buy Beaver” app is available worldwide and free to download.
Q: Why are Canadian shoppers increasingly choosing domestic products?
A: A growing number of consumers in Canada are intentionally choosing Canadian-made products to support the nation’s economy and show their national pride. This trend includes a conscious effort to avoid goods originating from the United States.
Q: What are supermarkets doing to highlight Canadian products?
A: Supermarkets across Canada are highlighting Canadian-made products, often using red and white ribbons or maple leaf symbols on price tags to make them easier for shoppers to identify.
Q: Is this trend connected to othre events?
A: fairmount Bagel’s rise in popularity is partly a response to President donald Trump’s trade policies.His attacks on Canada influenced the Canadian election campaign and also affected Canadians’ everyday lives, including food choices.