If your grocery bill has you wincing at the checkout, you’re not imagining it — food prices in Canada continue to climb, with some items seeing eye-popping increases.
According to Statistics Canada, grocery costs were 4% higher in September than the same month last year, marking another month of stubborn food inflation. But while most products edged up modestly, a few key staples — including coffee, beef, nuts, and chocolate — sent household budgets into overdrive.
Coffee Tops the Inflation List
Coffee has become the biggest culprit, with prices surging 28.6% year-over-year — and roasted or ground coffee alone jumping 41%. A standard 340-gram bag has risen 34% since January. A large tub of Maxwell House now sells for $20, while Nabob Bold hits nearly $36 at some stores.
Global shortages in Brazil and Vietnam, combined with U.S. tariffs on Brazilian exports, have sent coffee prices to record highs. Even Tim Hortons raised its prices this month for the first time in three years.
Beef Prices Bite Hard
Meat prices have also spiked, with fresh or frozen beef up 14% year-over-year. Ground beef rose the most — 17.4%, averaging over $15 per kilogram nationally and up to $22 per kilogram in some stores.
Drought conditions and higher feed costs in Western Canada have driven herd reductions, tightening supply. Bacon climbed 8.2%, while canned salmon saw a similar rise at 8.3%.
Nuts and Seeds See Double-Digit Inflation
Turning to nuts for cheaper protein won’t help either — nuts and seeds are up 15.7%, outpacing beef. Dried fruit also rose 10.9%, making trail mix a luxury item at nearly $18 a bag.
Poor harvests in the U.S., growing global demand for pistachios, and rising logistics costs have pushed prices higher. Analysts also blame climate change and trade tensions for ongoing volatility.
Chocolate and Sweets Follow Suit
Confectionery prices, including chocolate, rose 10.4% year-over-year as cocoa prices doubled over two years due to bad weather and crop disease in West Africa, which produces 70% of the world’s cocoa.
Producers are cutting seasonal product lines and shrinking package sizes — a classic case of “shrinkflation.”
OJ and Produce on the Move
Fruit juices jumped 10.5%, with a two-litre carton of orange juice now averaging $6.29, up from $5.62 in January. Apple juice prices, meanwhile, have held steady.
While berries got cheaper — down 13% due to strong domestic crops and imports from Morocco — cucumbers saw a wild 24.7% monthly spike as the local growing season ended and imports took over.
The Big Picture
Economists say Canada’s food inflation is being driven by a mix of climate-related supply shocks, global tariffs, and transport costs, with relief unlikely in the short term.
For shoppers, the message is clear — whether it’s your morning coffee, weekend barbecue, or healthy snack, expect to pay more for the foreseeable future.
