In 2022, Canadians were confronted with staggering inflationary pressures (including food prices that consistently increased more than 11% every month) at levels not seen in nearly 40 years. These pressures were combined with more than two years of living under significant pandemic restrictions. Understandably, during this time Canadians increasingly turned to trusted U.S. peanuts and peanut butters.   

Despite numerous external factors beyond the U.S. peanut industry’s control (e.g., continued supply chain challenges, staggering freight and input cost increases, a much weaker Canadian dollar that made U.S. peanuts and peanut butters more expensive to import) the American Peanut Council’s Market Access Promotion-funded trade and retail program encouraged and supported Canada’s food retailers to list, in-store display, market and, more frequently, promote U.S. peanuts and peanut butters. 

2022 saw nearly 94% of Canadian consumers markedly change their grocery shopping behaviors. While 36% of consumers cut back on discretionary snack purchases to save money, APC’s trade and retail program generated a program best-ever 234 qualifying ad placements (+23% YOY increase) at an average investment cost of US$356.

Looking ahead, while food costs in Canada are projected to increase by more than 7% in 2023, even more value-conscious food shoppers are likely to turn to trusted U.S. peanut butter given its tremendous and economical cost-per-serving.  Further, food retailers across Canada continue to embrace the APC’s trade – retail program, as evidenced by year-over-year increases in qualifying trade promotions of U.S. peanuts and peanut butters which, when featured, can account for 50% or more of total SKU sales generated per year.³    

In a nutshell, the APC’s MAP Canada trade – retail program continues to achieve MORE while utilizing U.S. taxpayer-supplied FAS/MAP dollars more efficiently and effectively.