Industry News

Updated: March 2, 2019

In this section we have gathered some of the most popular information sources, such as trade journals, magazines, blogs, and association websites. Industry information is always changing. For the latest news, current issues and popular opinions, try following one or more of these sources. In addition, interacting with the websites that provide this information through commenting and asking questions may also provide you with more information.

Associations 

Trade associations often publish free industry newsletters that are excellent sources of information for your business plan. Such newsletters often have articles that cover in-depth topics on business management, manufacturing practices, how-tos, and current industry news.

British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association (BCRFA) | The BCRFA is an industry organization that represents over 3,000 restaurant and foodservice businesses across British Columbia. Check out the Resources section for helpful restaurant-related links.

Canadian Association of Foodservice Professionals (CAFP) | The CAFP focuses on providing continuing education and lifelong learning experiences for foodservice professionals. Check out their free magazine.

Canadian Culinary Federation (CCF) | The CCF is Canada's largest professional chefs' organization. Its goal is to unite chefs and cooks across Canada in a common dedication to professional excellence.

Restaurants Canada (Fromerly the CFRA) | Restaurants Canada represents every sector of Canada's foodservice industry. Check out the Industry Issues and Research sections.

International Caterers Association (ICA) | The ICA is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing education, mentoring and resources for professional caterers and promoting the profession of catering to clients, industry members, vendors and the public.

National Association of Catering Executives (NACE) | The NACE is the oldest and largest catering association in the world. Check out the NACE Business Partner Directory.

Magazines & Trade Journals

Trade journals (often called magazines or trade publications) can be very useful in helping you find current articles relating to business research. Contact your local research library to determine which trade journal subscriptions they have. There are also free trade publications that you can access online. 

BC Restaurant News | BCRN is distributed to over 7500 restaurant industry businesses in British Columbia.

Catering Magazine | A business-to-business trade magazine dedicated to the professional catering industry, featuring stories, columns, news trends, product reviews, and industry profiles. Published bi-monthly.

Eat Magazine | BC-based food and wine magazine featuring restaurant reviews, recipes, wine recommendations, and more. Published bi-monthly.

Food in Canada | The voice of the Canadian food and beverage industry. Published 9 times per year.

Foodservice and Hospitality Magazine | Canada's hospitality business magazine. Provides foodservice operators with information on how to successfully grow their businesses. Published 12 times per year.

Hosting Magazine | Published by the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association.

Blogs

Restaurants Canada Blog | Restaurants Canada (formerly CRFA) is the national association representing the Canadian restaurant and food industry. Their blog features information on the restaurant and hospitality industry including research and trends, marketing, operations, staffing, restaurant business tips, and laws and regulations.

Catersource | A website started by industry professionals that discusses current topics in the catering industry, business operations, trends and styles, and more. Especially good for beginners and those interested in starting a catering business.

Tasty Catering | A Chicago-based catering business that shares catering tips and menus. Check out their topics in Event Themes and Ideas as well as Food Tips and Tricks.

Discussion Forums

Professional Catering Forum - Chef Talk | This is the catering-specific forum from the Chef Talk website.

Consultant Websites

MarketWatch - Industry Analyzer | The Industries section contains current data on Dow Jones Industry Sectors. Aggregate data as well as company-specific data is available.

Firsthand | A free source of industry information. Use the Industry Profiles to research growing industries and best industries by major, and Company Rankings and Profiles to find news, company information, and industry-specific sample professions. Basic monthly membership is free and offers access to blogs, discussion forums, and job listings.

As with all sources, news articles and blogs should be carefully evaluated. For information on how to evaluate your information, watch video tutorial Module Five: Using Information Responsibly.