A look inside Canada's largest wholesale produce market

About this episode

The episode explores the Ontario Food Terminal through the eyes of Marshall Cohen, a legendary figure in the wholesale produce market, and discusses the evolving methods in the food supply chain.

Marshall Cohen is one of the last of the old masters. His job, for more than four decades, has been to personally select from the tons and tons of fresh produce that roll through the Ontario Food Terminal every day, the best and freshest fruits and vegetables possible. It's an art form, and he's widely regarded as the best around. The terminal itself, the largest fruit and vegetable wholesale market in Canada, is a uniquely fascinating place, offering a glimpse into how massive supply chains operate to bring food from Canadian farms and international sellers to local grocery stores—and eventually to your fridge. But the game has been changing, and Marshall Cohen's well-earned, hands-on wisdom is being replaced by more modern, "efficient" methods. Last year, Jake Edmiston, a business reporter at the Toronto Star, shadowed Cohen as he made his rounds. Jake takes us inside how the terminal works, what makes Cohen a "legend" (just ask anyone who's worked with him) and how the old masters of the food terminal may give way to whatever comes next...

People in this episode

Hosts: Jordan Heath-Rawlings, Laura Palmer, Mat Keselman

Guest: Marshall Cohen

Topics covered

• wholesale produce market
• food supply chain
• agriculture
• local grocery stores
• food industry changes

Keywords

• produce market
• fresh fruits
• vegetables
• supply chain
• food terminal
• agriculture
• business reporting

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Toronto Star

Places: Ontario Food Terminal, Canada

More episodes of CanCon

• Why is Canada getting a brand new police force? · June 11, 2026 · 24 min
• What happened to Canada's Pharmacare plan? · June 4, 2026 · 26 min
• The US just paused a joint defence effort. How worried should Canada be? · May 28, 2026 · 29 min
• Why are gas prices so high in Canada if we produce our own? It's complicated. · May 21, 2026 · 28 min
• Midseason update: Surveillance pricing, listener feedback and more · May 14, 2026 · 15 min
• The emotional side of the Canadian housing crisis · May 7, 2026 · 31 min