Burgers for All

 

When North Americans think “fast-food”, the first thought that comes to our mind is “burgers and fries”. This may be due to the high presence and saturation of the world-famous restaurant, McDonald’s. Although each burger has a unique recipe, there are a few staple ingredients: A toasted bun, a slice of cheese and/or vegetables, and a meat-based patty. However, what about those who choose not to eat meat? 

According to a research study conducted at Dalhousie University in 2018, vegetarians and vegans accounted for 9.4% of Canada’s population (Flanagan, 2018). This study suggested that people under the age of 35 were more likely to consider themselves vegetarians or vegans compared to people 49 years old or older. Younger consumers with more education are committing to more “specialty diets”. Based on this study, vegetarian and vegan consumers are increasing at a rapid pace therefore, restaurants and meat-production industries must tailor to this new way of living. 

For those who choose not to eat meat, there are very few options. I, myself, am not a vegetarian or vegan but I have friends and relatives who do not eat meat and often find it difficult to find a vegetarian-friendly restaurant, specifically fast-food. I find that meat eaters take the plethora of burger joints available, for granted. However, as there is a rise in vegetarian and vegan consumers, vegetarian and vegan options are also slowly growing and becoming more common. For this blog post, I decided to try some vegetarian burger options near me. Specifically, I wanted to compare the quality of a more popular fast-food chain vegetarian burger, to the quality of a vegetarian restaurant’s burger. 

Beyond Burger

A&W is known for serving grass-fed beef, raised without the use of hormones, steroids or antibiotics (A&W, 2020). In 2018, all A&W restaurants in Canada began to serve plant-based burgers, provided by Beyond Meat. Beyond Meat is recognized for creating plant-based patties which look, cook, and taste like a traditional beef patty (Beyond Meat, 2022). There are misconceptions that plant-based burgers will not “satisfy the burger craving” or not taste as good as their beef burger counterpart. However, I am glad to say I was joyfully proven wrong! The “Beyond Meat Burger” from A&W was scrumptious and tasted like a regular beef burger. The contents of the burger were like a “Teen Burger” from A&W, as it had lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles between freshly toasted sesame seed buns. The beyond meat patty had a crispy outside, with a juicy inside. This burger was a blissful surprise, and it costs the same price as the “Teen Burger”. However, it is approximately $2 more than McDonald’s “Big Mac.” I would recommend this burger to all burger eaters as it checks all my boxes for a good burger!

Copper Branch

The vegetarian restaurant that I went to was Copper Branch; a vegan restaurant which serves 100% plant-based foods. As of 2019, the franchise has opened 45 locations across Canada, with 16 locations in Ontario, and some branches established internationally as well (Retail Insider, 2019). I was eager to try the burgers from Copper Branch because the franchise does not aim to serve products which taste like meat alternatives, but rather to serve products with a more authentic taste. I wanted to order something equal to the “Beyond Burger” from A&W for consistency purposes, so I ordered the “Black Bean Burger” which had lettuce, tomatoes and southwest sauce between sesame seed buns. This burger was imposing as the first bite was filled with an array of flavours. The “Black Bean” patty had a hint of sweetness to it, and a kick of spice as well. The texture was soft but did not crumble when eating it. The burger did not taste like the traditional beef burger but had its own distinct flavour, a flavour which I would like to enjoy again. The price of the “Black Bean Burger” was almost $5 more than McDonald’s “Big Mac” yet is a prime alternative. This option for non-meat eaters can become a favourite for many as the restaurant serves a variety of products with many unique flavours to offer.

Black Bean Burger

Both A&W and Copper Branch’s burgers provided me with a pleasant tasting experience and gave me more reason to eat consciously. As the number of vegetarian and vegan consumers continues to rise, restaurants need to include alternatives to allow for greater choice. Choosing meat alternative products can encourage production and potentially increase product choice too. So, if you are ever craving a good juicy burger, I invite you to try the “Beyond Burger” from A&W. Or, if you are craving a burger with a kick to it, try the “Black Bean Burger” from Copper Branch. You will not be disappointed!

 

References

A&W. (2020). A&W Company. Retrieved from A&W: https://www.aw.ca/awhome.nsf/company/

Beyond Meat. (2022). Beyond Burger. Retrieved from Beyond Meat: https://www.beyondmeat.com/en-CA/products/the-beyond-burger

Flanagan, R. (2018). More than 3 million Canadians Vegetarian or Vegan: Study. CTV News.

Retail Insider. (2019, February 25). Plant-Based Concept ‘Copper Branch’ Announces 26 Locations for 2019. Retrieved from Retail Insider: https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2019/02/plant-based-concept-copper-branch-announces-26-locations-for-2019/

 

Jevon Devasagayam

Global Management Studies Department

Toronto Metropolitan University

 

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Food: A Bengali Perspective

 

Bhapa Pitha - Bangladeshi Winter Delicacy

As an international student, living in a foreign country, the food that I have an appetite for, and cook is an accumulation of my convenience and experience instead of my taste buds. Coming from a Bangladeshi heritage, food is not only a means of survival or nutrients but also a means of cultural celebration, community engagement, building and sharing social bonds.

The opportunity, to work on this write-up made me reflect on the idea of how food is beyond nutritional value. My impression is that food is not limited to nutrients and taste. Food can also be an advocate for more insightful and purposeful causes. After examining food through the lens of a critical perspective, my narrative about food has extended toward building strong community ties. The warmth of food serves as a catalyst for spreading harmony in society.

In Bangla, the language spoken by the Bengali people, there is a common saying “Machh-e-Bhat-e-Bangali” which translates in English as “Fish and rice make a Bengali”. Bangladeshi cuisine has been shaped by the local landscape and river line geography. Rice and fish are the staples of Bangladesh. People eat rice in different forms: steamed or puffed. Bangladeshi curry is famed for its use of a wide range of freshwater fish and seafood. Hilsa fish is the most popular one, but other common fish include rohu, punti, catfish, bata, clown Knifefish, and Tilapia.

Fish Market - Dhaka Bangladesh

Sharing Food with other people in the community plays a significant social role in Bangladeshi culture. During Ramadan, families share home-cooked iftar (meal after breaking the day-long fast) with their neighbors and underprivileged people. This social experience of sharing food with other fellow citizens regardless of religious faith creates a sense of inclusivity in the community. Thus, people from diverse faiths and backgrounds celebrate the social value of harmony.

In the fast-paced world, where doing is more valuable than being, sharing food with neighbours gives us the opportunity to begin a beautiful relationship with our neighbours. My parents have moved houses several times and each time we had kind neighbours who would prepare freshly cooked homemade meals, pickles, herbs, or vegetables so that my parents wouldn't have to cook or eat out at a restaurant while they were still in the process of moving. It is only now that I am living in a foreign country far away from home, I can relate and realize how valuable human connection is. This beautiful gesture of sharing blessings with other fellow human beings, can open the doors of communication and social bonding. It’s hard to say no to free food.

Nature has adorned the land of the river with her six shades of green: summer, monsoon, autumn, late autumn, winter, and spring. Bengali people enjoy the mild cold of Winter with delicious Pitha (or pies). Pitha is a traditional homemade cake with local ingredients such as rice flour, molasses, milk, date juice and coconut. During this time, varieties of Pithas are prepared: Bhapa Pitha (Steamed rice cakes made with ground rice flour, molasses, and grated coconut), Chioti Pitha (steamed flat pancakes made with rice flour), Patishapta (sweet crepes filled with coconut and molasses), Puli Pitha (steamed dumplings stuffed with coconut and jaggery), Nakshi Pitha (deep-fried crispy rice cake made with rice flour, Jaggery syrup). Celebrating winter may remain incomplete without the aroma of this winter delicacy. Each person can choose something they really like from sweet to savory, from steamed to fried, from golden to white. Pitha has no strict formulaic preparation. Apart from the winter season, Bengalis express their love for this local delicacy in other special occasions like celebrating Bengali new year, Eid, Puja, weddings etc.

Pitha is more than just an expression of a festival. It is a glorious demonstration of locally grown food ingredients and agriculture. I can vividly feel the mouth-watering taste of Bhapa Pitha when I read the recipe which is a steamed rice cake made with rice flour, molasses, and grated coconut. Embracing the practice of eating local food can be a support for local small businesses. Elora Begum, a local vendor in Dhaka city, sells Pithas in roadside carts during the winter. She has been preparing this delicious goodness for years with easily accessible local ingredients. This small business is generating income for her. Therefore, buying local food can contribute to strengthening the local economy.

Misty - Bangladeshi Sweets

Sharing happiness with loved ones makes the experience more joyful. In Bangladesh, no celebration is complete without having “Misty”. Misty is a common name for Bangladeshi sweets. Misty is prepared with whole milk, cream, sugar, flour, and different flavoring agents: cardamom, and saffron. People here love to share any good news with sweets. For instance, if a family welcomes a newborn baby, they tend to send sweets to relatives, and neighbours. Sharing the light of joy and happiness with community members expresses the gesture of belongingness. This practice spreads the sweetness of connectivity among residents in a community. The feeling of being connected with the "tribe" makes us feel safe.

Mahbuba Airin

Graduate Student, CDE | ECVOntario

SEDRD, University of Guelph

 

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Behind the Aroma II: Understanding Skin in the Game

 

I like interacting with people and learning about their ideas. Working with ‘Behind the Aroma II’ as a Graduate Research Assistant has helped me learn from people from different backgrounds, These people include shop owners, restaurant managers,  people in academia and industry experts. I had the opportunity to learn about what they do and what they know best.

Xawaash Restaurant Mississauga, Ontario

The experience made me go to different places here in Guelph, which exposed me to the city as I am new here. It also gave me a sense of accomplishment as I was making and meeting appointments every week with new people for discussions around the topics of the podcast. I was also glad that the work I was doing supported research that will help educate others about food authenticity.

Balzac’s Coffee Guelph, Ontario

During the four months of summer, I visited the Guelph Farmers Market, the Ethnic Supermarket, Xawaash Restaurant and Bogda Restaurant for research on Halal food. I discovered how diverse the markets are and how the two restaurants cater to people beyond those who have halal food preferences. It opened my eyes to how people in Canada from different origins seek to explore food from cultures other than their own.

I learned the immediate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food industry, especially on specialty foods such as organic, locally grown, and halal. As sourcing became limited and difficult because there are few suppliers and producers of specialty goods in Ontario. As a result, vendors were not able to keep up with the restrictions and decline in sales, forcing them to give up their spots in the Farmers’ Market or eliminate specialty products from their menus.

Furthermore, I also conducted interviews with the manager of Balzac’s Coffee shop, the manager of Crazy Carrot restaurant and the owner of Cavan Coffee. I got to know how they source their coffee and ingredients and what their values are and how they make sure those values are made known to their customers. These interactions gave me the opportunity to learn how these coffee shops support coffee growers around the world to ensure they have a living wage by subscribing to the fair trade movement.

Crazy Carrot Restaurant Guelph, Ontario

By meeting and holding discussions with industry experts like Ms. Mariama Deen-Swarray, Mr. Sand Mba Kalu, Ms. Marthane Swart, Mr. Tunde Oyebade, and Mr. Simon Jacques, my perspectives were widened on the work being done in Canada and in the world to educated people on the authenticity and origins of food. I got to learn about geographical indications and the implications of the word and was introduced to African companies paving the way for development and recognition in geographical indications such as the Rooibos Council.

Here in Canada, I got to understand the process of Organic certification through ECOCERT which is rigorous in nature and involves multiple site visits by professionals at different stages of the growing and harvesting process. There is also a tremendous difference between organic certification and other food certifications as other food certifications are not thoroughly verified in Canada as is organic. This shows that there is an asymmetric information and the possibility of adverse selection in the market.

Behind the Aroma II has afforded me the opportunity to learn about what our food actually is and where our food comes from through subject matter experts like Dr. Robert Hanner, Dr. Sri Sethuratnam, and Ms. Anju Philip. What we see or read on food labels isn’t necessarily the whole truth about the product. It was fascinating to hear about advancements in technology in identifying what is in the food we buy, the origins of the species and the environment in which it was grown through DNA barcoding.

The fieldwork was really enjoyable because I was able to discover new places in Guelph such as shops, cafes, markets, and quiet places to study at the University of Guelph campus. Interviewing people online in the ECVOntario remote podcast studio was the challenging part of this experience but I got more comfortable with it as time progresses.

University of Guelph Summerlee Science Complex Atrium

Some of the competencies I gained through this experience are relationship building, public speaking, research, and interview skills. These skills will be useful as I continue to grow in my career, which will involve interviews, focus group discussions, surveys, knowledge translation and transfer, analyses and report writing.  look forward to listening to the finalized second season of ‘Behind the Aroma’ and sharing it with my colleagues and friends.

Chitegetse Rutihinda

MSc CDE Graduate | ECVOntario | IRG

SEDRD, University of Guelph

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Cappuccino or Latte? Preference as a function of Utility

The hot sun starts peeking through the trees in the early mornings of a summer July day. Listening closely, you hear the birds chirping as the leaves are swaying in the hot breeze. Taking in that breath of fresh air, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee creeps its way through the tent. Waking up after a night of camping can be rough, but at this point, you know life is good with that fresh cup of coffee waiting for you.

Find the light that will make your coffee shine its brightest.

 

I was never really into exploring coffee as a poor student and frugal individual. I did not see the benefit of spending more than $3 for a cup of coffee, let alone an $8 coffee at Starbucks. It did not sit well with my bank account. My first choice was always a medium regular coffee. Just the right amount of caffeine intake, with the perfect splash of cream and sugar. Fast forward to my early 30s is when I discovered there was more beyond this. The biggest turn around happened when I landed a job as a café manager. Learning the ins and outs was a challenge; the precision of weight to water yield was very important for that perfect brew. The weight of the grinds to allow for the proper drip was key to the perfect crema. Yet the biggest eureka moment was when I found out the difference between the cappuccino and latte. That is when I knew I had not been drinking coffee properly.

As I fix the portafilter onto the espresso machine and begin the pour, I watch the creamy, silky stream of the espresso flow right into the mug, creating this beautiful caramel-coloured crema, sitting so smoothly on top. The espresso should never sit longer than thirty seconds after the pour is finished, so I start steaming the milk as the espresso is going. The trick is to steam with lots of foam or less foam. The cappuccino is considered a dry beverage, meaning a thick layer of foam sits on top of the steamed milk, whereas the latte is considered a wet beverage, with a thin layer of foam on top of the steamed milk. As the steaming comes to an end at a temperature of 120 degrees, we tap the pitcher of steamed milk on the counter a couple times to rid the bubbles, swirl the cup of espresso around a couple times and start pouring the milk. Watching the milk pierce the espresso is as relaxing as listening to a jazz band in a park. But finishing the pour with the perfect rosetta is as satisfying as winning first place in your eighth grade relay race. Placing the cup on top a saucer, and the drink is now ready to be served.

Coffee is a complex individual. People of all walks of life are still asking an assortment of questions. “What is the difference between the cappuccino and latte?” is the most common question asked. It is a valid question as not all coffee drinkers are familiar with the coffee world. Most first timers start off with drip coffee, adding the milks, creamers and sugars. Then you realize there is a whole different world full of lattes, cappuccinos and frappés. There comes a time to discover the true essence of coffee- black coffee and the espresso shot. Imagine, as you bring that cup of coffee to your lips, you get a whiff of the fresh aroma, you take that first sip. The warmth and the flavour takes you to the core, bold taste of the Arabica beans from around the world. But, then you wonder, what is it that you really like?

The first brew of the day is the kick start to something amazing.

Regardless of the wide array of coffee available, the cappuccino and latte are the most popular drinks on the menu. It is all a matter of what flavour you are looking for. Whether it be more milk for a larger drink, or more foam with more espresso for a stronger drink. It is what your tastebuds can handle.

There are days the extra foam can hit the spot, while on a snowy winter day the large, hot milky coffee is made perfectly to warm your hands and insides. At the end of the day, the preference between the cappuccino and latte is your choice.

*Note: to discover a variety of coffee from around the world, check us out at a local café in Southern Ontario or peruse our online store at www.balzacs.com.

Linden Ngo

Café Manager

Guest Contributor| ECVOntario

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A Somali Breakfast

 

It was few minutes after 9am on a cold winter Sunday morning. We met at a friend’s car park and drove to Salaama Hut, a Somali restaurant in Etobicoke, Toronto to enjoy a Somali breakfast. We arrived at the restaurant around 10:15am and by 10:25am we were waiting for our meals.

Anjeera - A Somali Staple

To impress the Somalis in the restaurant we started by greetings in the Somali way:

Subah Wanaagsan.  Iska waran? Of which they responded ficaan.

I was at the restaurant with a Maasai from Kajiado, a Somali from Kebir Dahar (Qabri Dahare), and an Amhara with a mixed background from Bedeno.

The hospitability of the owner, whom I have known since 2015, when I first did my research about Somali gastronomy, was exceptionally warm. Furthermore, the chef and waiters also gave us special consideration – it seems most of their customers are Somali.

Chapati and Kidney Stew

We ordered for different cuisines from the menu. These different preferences may be based on our past experiences, knowledge about food and proneness to adventure. The Amhara and Somali ordered malawah and kidney stew, the Maasai ordered chapati and kidney stew and I ordered malawah and liver stew. The only thing that was common for all of us was the Somali tea which was made from hot water, ginger, black tea, sugar and milk. We enjoyed this tea so much that we had to go for a second round. This common preference for tea reflects the influence of the colonization of both our countries of birth and naturalization.

Liver Stew

As we devoured our food, we discussed the disappearance of knowledge about indigenous African food and that the meal we are eating is for the affluent because is always expensive and challenging to get enough liver or kidney for everyday breakfast stew. The Somali from Kebir Dahar (Qabri Dahare) alluded to the fact that breakfast in his region is mostly from Sorghum or millet porridge with milk (if time, environmental impact, and resources permit). I immediately agreed with him because I am aware of the regional differences in food preferences among the Somalis. For example, the Barawe or Bravanese have a special type of muufo (Somali flatbread) called Muufo Barawe. Furthermore, he also once asked whether Bajiya is a Somali food and I replied that it is. Apparently, he is not familiar with it because he grew up in the Ogaden region and Dadaab. His experience would have been different if he had grown up in Mogadishu, Hargeisa, or Kismayo before the civil war.

Somali Tea

 

It is interesting how space, time and experience affect our preferences. The Amhara was happy with the breakfast because it brought back memories of his teenage years in Nazreth (Adama), Ethiopia. The Maasai indicated that his people in rural areas don’t necessarily have a breakfast because they wake up early to take the animals for grazing. Maasai are nomads and traditionally move around in search of water and food for their livestock. And that is why there is movement of both people and animals across the Serengeti in Kenya and Tanzania.

Milk may be available at times from cows. In the Maasai community, the kidney of a goat is usually consumed raw immediately after slaughter so there is none left for a kidney stew. Kidney stew is prepared from the cattle. He further indicated that liver stew is more available, and it is usually a delicacy for pregnant women because it helps to supplement their iron need. Tea preparation is the same with the Somalis, but it does not necessarily include ginger but instead, cloves and lemon grass.

 

To emphasize the importance of location in food preferences, the Somali indicated that breakfast is a function of whether you live in the countryside or in a town. In the countryside, sorghum porridge with milk from camel or cow is consumed in the morning. Milk is usually from the Nugul (domesticated, non-hardy animals). In the towns, anjeera with oil and tea is the popular breakfast. Upper middle-class people often eat their anjeera with kidney or liver. The Amhara corroborated the Somali assertion by enunciating that our breakfast, kidney or liver stew, at Salaama is a holiday or festive period cuisine.

As a researcher and because of my willingness to learn, I felt it will be unfair if we had a Somali breakfast without anjeera, so I ordered four pieces which we all enjoyed with our different stews. Anjeera has a fermented aroma unlike malawah that is not fermented. The waitress was surprised at how voracious we were with the anjeera and the liver and kidney stews. Little did she know that we have similar food in our indigenous cuisines – corroborating my thesis that we share a lot in common with respect to food though the methods of preparation are different.

Towards the end of our stay a Nigerian, whom I was privileged to teach in 2013, joined us. I asked him for the main breakfast for the people of eastern Nigeria, His response was that there is no eastern Nigerian food but there are Nigerian foods. This is an indication that identity and ethnicity are difficult concepts. Culture itself is not static, and people have different ways of defining themselves including what they think is culturally appropriate.

What a Sunday morning! We left my former student to experience the Somali breakfast for the first time while we drove back to Guelph. This experience was nostalgic for the Amhara, new for my former student, similar for the Maasai, cultural for the Somali and heavenly for me. Authenticity is mostly defined by how it was made back home or by our mum “narrative of affiliative desire”. We will go back in the summer.

Mahadsanid Salaama Hut.

 

Sambuus and Mandazi

*It was a sumptuous meal that I spent the next few days watching and listening to Somalia Toso by Ilyas Mao ft. Saabik Poetry.

 

 

Bamidele Adekunle

ECVOntario & Intellectnomics Research Group (IRG)

SEDRD, University of Guelph

 

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How the Pandemic Affected Restaurants and Cafes

 

Cafes are Booming and Coffee Drinkers Can’t Stop 

*This is part of our series on the nexus between COVID-19 and food systems.

The exquisite skill in perfecting latte art comes with practice. These little details are the cherry on top for a coffee. 

 

I stepped into the café for my final interview. I didn’t know much about them other than a good friend of mine held her wedding at one of their locations the summer before. Thankfully, I did a quick Google search to learn some more insight. I was met with a friendly barista who directed me to the interviewers, nestled into the corner table away from all the other customers dining in. I sat down without shaking their hands, mask stayed on and thanked them for the opportunity to meet in person as the previous interview was via Zoom. The interview was short; 10 minutes tops. With my luck and charm, I received the offer letter the following morning. 

 

Upon starting this new role as Café Manager, I was well aware many establishments were struggling. Even this company was struggling as a whole in both e-commerce and café. I trained at a location where sales were depleted by more than 50%. It was difficult to learn anything when there was no foot traffic. But, what I didn't see coming was that the café I was taking over had another idea in mind. Luckily, the following week I had the chance to work at the flagship store; the most profitable café in the entire company. 

 

It was fall 2020, the busiest season of the year. Students were moving back for a new term at the local university, weather was absolutely beautiful and pandemic restrictions were slightly lifted in Ontario. People were able to dine in or out on the patio, washrooms were opened, drinks were served in ceramic mugs, and lastly, it was pumpkin spiced season. As the sun was still shining bright before daylight savings hits at the end of October, people were taking advantage. My first goal was to get comfortable with the café, then figure out logistics afterwards. It didn’t take long; I started to get to know the regulars by name and their drinks. As the line-ups kept growing and people were happy chatting away, there was still that feeling of uncertainty and worry. Tables were 2 meters apart and people in queue were also 2 meters apart, along with every customer wearing masks. If there wasn’t a yellow-tape square on the floor for you to stand in, you’d be lining up outside. Through muffled masks and plexiglass barriers, people walked through our doors to place their order. Although things didn’t look or feel normal, it wasn’t stopping the coffee drinkers from coming. Everyday there were dozens of regulars with specific drinks and modifications. We had Doug’s two decaf americanos with steamed oat milk. Kevin’s iced mocha with no ice (seriously, who does that?). Ryan’s large cup triple shot americano along with his wife’s order (whom we still have yet to meet) of a large triple shot latte with two raw sugars and sprinkles of cocoa and cinnamon on top. These were the people you saw every single day. 

 

 

Steaming milk to look silky and velvety is an art itself.

Overtime, we had noticed people itching to get into a proper routine, whether it was to grab their double espressos at 7:30 in the morning, or a warm chai latte to finish the day. The interactions had also increased; regulars would start sharing tables if there were no seats available. They got to know each other over coffee, or while they worked, heads deep into their laptops. Many unfamiliar faces passed through too; the explorers, we called them. They were the out-of-towners who travel to hike new trails or discover new cities. Some explorers became residents of the city, since moving out of the big city was becoming more popular. With the local university minutes away, the storm of students would pile in to claim their study spot, knowing they had to continue to purchase a beverage or snack every half hour or so. The seat real estate is a hot market, especially if you have an elderly walk through just wanting to sit by the window, with their black coffee, enjoying an oatmeal raisin cookie. That’s the cue for the students to pack up and move along. 

 

Winter was a tough season for business. Ontario was in their second lockdown, the longest one of them all. Many businesses were closed but since cafes are considered essential, this café was up and running. Sales had plummeted, students had stopped coming and we saw less explorers. The business was banking on the regulars to come in and they did not disappoint. Mother Nature could call for 20cm of snow with a windchill of -25 degrees Celsius and you’d still see Tim trek through that storm, covered in white fluffy snow, wearing his grey beret and brown leather gloves (both items in which he always misplaces), in his Scottish accent asking for his coffee. All you could do was smile and gladly serve him. 

 

Fast forward to fall 2021; another pumpkin spiced season and another autumn of warm weather. This time around, the café had extended their hours into the early evenings and seating capacity was maxed. There no longer is yellow tape on the ground and everyone is starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It was a record breaking month for the café. Our café was doing 17% more sales compared to 2019, pre pandemic. These were astounding numbers as no one predicted this happening. But as a business, we’ll take what we can get. 

 

To this day, we still see Doug, Kevin and Ryan. And out of the three, Doug has changed his order to two medium decaf mochas with almond milk, half the sweetness to top it off. The other two are still enjoying the same drink everyday. Let’s not forget about Tim; he’s still around too. 

 

Linden Ngo

Café Manager & Guest Contributor

ECVOntario

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Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Food Systems in China: the perspective of a Nigerian resident in China

 *This is part of our series on the nexus between COVID-19 and food systems.

The purpose of this write-up is to express or show the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the food system in China as it has affected me.

Refrigerated Products - A Store in Shanghai

I am a foreigner, living and working in China for 18 years in the education industry. A few years ago, I started a Nigerian ‘cook from home food and delivery’ on a small scale and I also cook Nigerian food for various events and parties in Shanghai where I reside.

What became now a pandemic started as an epidemic in the city of Wuhan in China’s Hubei Province in late 2019 as I remember. On January 24^th, 2020, which was Chinese New Year eve, I travelled with my family to celebrate the Chinese New Year in my younger brother’s in-law city which is at least six hours drive from Shanghai where we both live and work. My brother and his family left a day before us with lots of food. We set out the following day and filled the trunk of the car with many delicious foods both perishable and non-perishable as custom demands during the festival.

We arrived at the city in the afternoon of the eve after driving for more than six hours, checked in at the hotel and then headed to the family house for the eve dinner which usually starts in the evening. We ate, drank, lit fireworks because it’s a village and after midnight that ushered in the New Year, we headed back to the hotel to sleep. We kept the food we brought from Shanghai in the deep freezer hoping to cook it in the days ahead. Chinese New Year’s holiday is one week, and we intended to stay four nights and then return to Shanghai on day four. So, it was easy to estimate the food needed during the festive period

I would like to say the impact on me is in two ways. Epidemic impact (domestic) and Pandemic impact (global). We went back to eat at the family house on Chinese New Year’s Day and after dinner, we started hearing the news on the TV about the seriousness of the epidemic (then) and nobody really prepared for what happened next. After dinner the village head who happens to be a family head informed us the village would be locked down the following day and we might need to leave for Shanghai in case of lock down so that we would not be stranded in the village. I just drove almost seven hours the previous day and I would have to drive another seven hours back! For me, this is the beginning of the loss of my mental and social strength because it’s quite difficult to tell the host we must leave even though they also knew what’s at stake. In the end I and my brother’s family were all convinced we must go back to Shanghai because it would not be so good if we were locked in the village and our livelihood in Shanghai may be compromised.

From this time, I started experiencing the impact domestically because some foods especially seafood and vegetables that needed to be consumed that night were supposed to be thrown out. Even we tried to give it to our host but there was just too much food so storage became a problem since nobody envisaged, we could leave that night. We got back to Shanghai the following morning and very early, so we were tired and slept off. In the afternoon we woke up and tried to listen to the news and then it was reported some cities along the epicenter Wuhan also had to be locked down. Those are the cities we passed by the other night and were all relieved that we had taken the best decision to go back to Shanghai. However, the same day we started hearing people were lining up to enter shopping malls, restaurants, and apartment buildings. And their body temperatures were being checked and recorded; there was a mask mandate, etc. My wife decided to drive out to observe what was going on because I was just too tired to even walk. A few hours later she came back, and she asked me to go down and help her to move some foodstuff. To my surprise, she came home with a lot of food and I was wondering if we were having a party that day. I asked her why she bought a lot of food and she said people have started stocking up on food at home in the realization that if the epidemic is serious, supermarkets will run out of supplies soon.

Fruits and vegetables in a supermarket in Shanghai

Infections started to rise, and the unexpected lockdown happened and at this point, so we needed to go stock our home with more food. As it was winter, we could put some perishables like veggies, and fruits in the balcony because the deep freezer and fridge were full to the brim. We even stocked our home with drinkable bottled water. We should not forget this was Chinese Year, a one-week holiday. We all believed everything would be okay after the holiday but that was not the case and in fact, things got much worse.

At the end of the holiday, it was already declared that no one was going back to work. Schools, restaurants, and supermarkets were put on specific and monitored schedules with regards to their food supply chain as it was said at that time, humans are getting infected by eating bush or exotic meat. As a result, there was stringent monitoring of the domestic supply chain for food which led to short supply or sometimes no supplies of some food in the market. Since markets and other food producing lines are being monitored for the opening and closing schedule, people had to rush and buy in large quantities each time since we didn’t know if we could get such items again next time and in what quantities that we wanted to buy. Even now, sometimes I get the food supplies that I want and sometimes I don’t, and I just must look for substitutes which only work in a few cases in terms of consumption satisfaction. It came to a time when many local shops were even shut down indefinitely thus making the supply chains limited. With money in hand and few goods to buy, prices of commodities rose and sometimes were too expensive to afford.

As a freelancer in the education industry, my payment is based on services rendered and when education institutions were locked down, cash was not coming in and it was hard to cope with the rising cost of food. I did not have any choice but to resort to spending my savings which I was hoping to use for other things and till now I have not been able to pay back what I have spent. There was no financial support in the form of loans or credit for non-citizens by the government, so I was on my own.

After a few weeks the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 a pandemic as cases of infections and deaths were seen to be increasing both locally and globally and at that time China closed her airspace and nothing came in or went out unless it was very essential. At that point the global (pandemic) effect of Covid-19 started on the food system. At that time many imported cold food chains and other imported food stores were shut down and it became impossible to get supplies which couldn’t be substituted for, including, for example, palm oil, which is a very crucial ingredient needed in cooking Nigerian food. I mentioned I used to cook for parties and events or on personal grounds for clients from my home to make some side cash. Before the pandemic was declared by WHO, I did cook for people and delivered via a private delivery company that clients pay for since gathering was prohibited and it became impossible to cook and eat as a group. But when the pandemic was declared all these crucial ingredients for which there are no substitutes here, stopped coming in and I did not have any choice but to stop doing my side hustle. Until now I have not recovered because the global food supply chain is still limited.

There is, therefore, no doubt about how negatively I have been impacted by the epidemic which later became a pandemic. I’m counting my losses in terms of the high prices of food commodities (local and foreign), food consumption satisfaction, unavailability of essential or crucial food materials or ingredients, and the eventual shutdown of the business (cooked and uncooked). At a certain point the raw food must be kept for me and eaten by me and that means I could not make any profit on the raw food that we had to eat ourselves since I knew for sure I would not get the food ingredients again. I can only hope things get better and the airspace returns to the pre-pandemic level. Hopefully the food supply chain can be normalized both domestically and globally.

Adedeji Ayodeji Adekunle

Shanghai Resident & Foodie

Guest Blogger, ECVOntario

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