�鶹��ý��վ News - Yu Ma

High prices and poor supply chain management are driving the growth of liquidation grocery stores

webfull — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:48:42 +0000

The price of groceries is rising—and so is the number of liquidation grocery stores. Once considered a niche option for cash-strapped shoppers, liquidation grocery stores are now being used by a broader cross-section of Canadian society, according to reporting in Canadian Grocer. The growth of liquidation of stores like Liquidation Marie reflects broader supply chain pressures, says Yu Ma, a Professor of Marketing at �鶹��ý��վ Desautels.

Published: 23 February 2026

To lower grocery prices, Canada must invest in supply chains

webfull — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 17:04:25 +0000

Prime Minister Mark Carney recently announced the Canada Grocery and Essentials Benefit, a direct payment for low-income Canadians that will replace the GST credit. While it should improve the purchasing power of those who need it most, it won’t lower grocery prices. “To lower the grocery bills, we need to improve our food supply chains in Canada,” says Yu Ma, a Professor of Marketing at �鶹��ý��վ Desautels.

Published: 13 February 2026

Cost of living crunch driving growth in ultra-discount grocers

webfull — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 20:03:38 +0000

The price of groceries is going up, and it’s fuelling demand for discount grocers. At stores like the ultra-discount chain Liquidation Marie, prices can be as much as 50% lower than they are at big box supermarkets. The Quebec chain doubled its number of locations last year and is planning for a similar rate of growth in 2026.

Published: 20 January 2026

For many restaurant diners, GST Holiday won’t amount to much

webfull — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 18:59:34 +0000

With inflation pinching household budgets, the Government of Canada has introduced a temporary two-month GST holiday on select goods and services.. While restaurant meals are included, diners are unlikely to notice much of a difference, says Yu Ma, Associate Professor of Marketing at �鶹��ý��վ Desautels. On a $20 restaurant tab, the 5% GST amounts to only one dollar. "I don't know how many people will notice the change in their final bills," Ma told CTV News.

Published: 11 December 2024

Quick-service restaurants like St-Hubert seek to deliver value to customers

webfull — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 17:04:42 +0000

Good gravy! Quebec’s rotisserie chicken chain St-Hubert has frozen prices for all main courses on its menu and reduced prices on appetizers–all while maintaining portion sizes. This is part of a broader trend toward value in quick-service restaurants. “Food price inflation has hit both grocery stores and restaurants, but it’s more noticeable in restaurants,” Associate Professor Yu Ma tells CTV News. “There is the cost of food, but also labour, taxes, and tips.

Published: 22 October 2024

�鶹��ý��վ Desautels professors and lecturers recognized at Faculty Awards

webfull — Fri, 24 May 2024 16:33:56 +0000

Across programs and subject areas, the �鶹��ý��վ Desautels Faculty of Management recognizes the vital role that research, teaching, service and media engagement play in enriching the student experience and inspiring the next generation of leaders through the annual Faculty Awards. This year we recognize the following outstanding members of our faculty:

Research

Published: 24 May 2024

Dual Branding by National Brand Manufacturers: Drivers and Outcomes

webfull — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 15:16:26 +0000

Authors: Yu Ma, Kusum L. Ailawadi, Mercedes Martos-Partal and Óscar González-Benito

Publication: Journal of Marketing
Articles in advance — published online: August 8, 2023

Abstract:

Published: 19 March 2024

�鶹��ý��վ Experts, including Desautels Professor, comment on WHO’s listing of aspartame sweetener as possible carcinogen

webfull — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 18:47:03 +0000

Yu Ma, Associate Professor at the �鶹��ý��վ Desautels Faculty of Management, discusses the consumer implications of aspartame being listed as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), potentially increasing scrutiny and concerns about the safety of food additives. Professor Ma suggests that consumers may become more cautious about processed foods and seek out "clean label" options with recognizable ingredients.

Published: 25 July 2023

Expert: Hudson's Bay to resurrect discount retail chain Zellers

webfull — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 18:50:45 +0000

Discount department store Zellers hopes to make a comeback next year, a decade after the Canadian chain shuttered most of its locations. Hudson's Bay Co. says Zellers will debut a new e-commerce website and expand its brick-and-mortar footprint within select Hudson's Bay department stores across the country in early 2023. The company says the relaunched Zellers will offer "a digital-first shopping journey that taps into the nostalgia of the brand." (CBC News)

Published: 18 August 2022

Retailers can ease customer anxiety after the pandemic changed grocery shopping

webfull — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 21:04:55 +0000

COVID-19 caused massive shifts in the way we do even the most mundane of things. Take grocery shopping, for example. This past October, Dr. Yu Ma, Associate Professor of Marketing and Academic Director of the Master of Management in Retailing (MMR), spoke at Grocery Innovations Canada. Here, he shared his insights on how COVID-19 has transformed the grocery shopping environment and what retailers can do to mitigate shopping anxiety and provide a positive shopping experience for consumers.

Published: 2 November 2021