Canada’s Restaurant Sales Decline Amid U.S. Trade War – Implications for Pork Demand

May 05, 2025

Restaurants Canada has revised its 2025 forecast downward, projecting a contraction in Canadian commercial foodservice sales due to escalating trade tensions with the United States. The updated outlook predicts a decline of 0.4% to 1.5% in 2025 and up to 1.4% in 2026, in sharp contrast to earlier growth expectations.

While a temporary GST/HST holiday gave the industry a brief lift—with January foodservice sales up 7.5% and employment reaching 1.18 million—the trade war’s ripple effects have taken hold. Canadian restaurants report plans to cut non-essential spending, raise menu prices, and delay capital investments, which could ultimately reduce demand for pork and other proteins.

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Video: Same Grit, New Name: A Conversation with Ryan Calistro of Bower Ag

Swine Leaders Live, we sit down with Ryan Calistro, President of Bower Ag, to discuss a major brand transition in the ag construction and solutions space—and what it means for swine producers. Bower Ag represents a new, unified identity, bringing together Ag Property Solutions, Dairy Specialists, and The Dairy Solutions Group under one name. But as Ryan explains, this isn’t about change for the sake of change—it’s about strengthening what already works and delivering more value to producers.

We dive into:

• What Bower Ag is and why the transition was made

• What stays the same for longtime customers

• How combining multiple businesses creates new opportunities for producers

• What today’s producers are asking for—and how Bower Ag is responding

• Key insights heading into World Pork Expo

If you’ve worked with APS before—or are evaluating partners for your next project—this conversation provides a clear look at where Bower Ag is headed and how they’re positioning themselves for the future.