Toronto, Oct. 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The federal government could add more than 25,000 youth jobs in the foodservice industry by eliminating the GST from restaurant meals, according to analysis by Restaurants Canada. The foodservice industry already employs more than 500,000 youth, representing one in five youth jobs in the country.

“Restaurants are the number one source of first-time jobs for Canadians,” said Kelly Higginson, President and CEO of Restaurants Canada. “In fact, young people make up over 40% of foodservice workers. Our industry is perfectly positioned to help alleviate the youth employment crisis, and the federal government can facilitate that by permanently removing the GST from prepared meals, like it did at the start of the year.”

The GST/HST holiday, which ran from December 15, 2024, to February 15, 2025, led to the creation of 24,000 new foodservice jobs, more than the previous 12 months combined. While the industry shed some of those jobs after the holiday, overall, it has added 23,600 jobs in the first nine months of 2025, more than the 21,200 jobs created across the broader private sector.

Based on data from the GST/HST holiday and economic modeling, Restaurants Canada estimates that a permanent tax exemption on prepared food would lead to:

• 64,300 new foodservice jobs (40% of which are likely to go to people under 25)
• 15,685 additional spinoff jobs in related industries
• 2,680 new restaurants
• $5.4 billion in tax savings to consumers
• $1.5 billion in additional tax revenue and EI savings for government

Additionally, every dollar in foodservice sales generates $2.30 in the wider economy, compared to a $1.90 average output for all other industries, meaning that an investment in the foodservice industry would create significant returns for the Canadian economy at large.

The foodservice industry is facing an uncertain outlook
Due to the affordability crisis facing Canadians and the lack of discretionary spending 75% of Canadians say they are dining out less frequently than they used to due to the rising cost of living.
By age:
81% of those aged 18 to 34
70% of those aged 55+
By household income:
86% earning $50,000/year.
70% earning $100,000 or more.
Source: Angus Reid, survey conducted June 2025
Restaurants Canada has been advocating for a permanent removal of the GST from all food to improve affordability for Canadians and boost restaurant sales.

To date, over 7,500 Canadians have signed Restaurants Canada’s petition calling for the removal of the GST from all food at .

“Our industry is a part of the solution to the youth employment crisis, but we need the federal government to tip the scales in favour of Canadians quality of day to day living and boost the sector’s viability. “ added Higginson. “We’re looking for concrete solutions from them on affordability and tax relief in the upcoming federal budget.”

TORONTO, Oct. 16, 2025 /CNW/ - Beer Canada's Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard Alexander as the Association's new President effective October 20, 2025.

Beer Canada is the national trade association representing Canada's leading brewers of all sizes and regions and is a tireless champion for Canadian adult beer consumers.

Richard Alexander is a veteran Canadian executive with extensive experience in hospitality, regulated businesses, business associations and effective advocacy.

"Richard is uniquely qualified to lead Beer Canada at this critical time for the Canadian beer industry, bringing a wealth of experience, enthusiasm and a track record of successes in advocacy " said Andrew Oland, President of Moosehead Breweries of Canada and Chair of Beer Canada.

Alexander stated, "I'm excited to take on this great opportunity and responsibility to ensure Canada's brewers, beer consumers and all those implicated throughout beer's added value supply chain from the farm to hospitality are well positioned to succeed and thrive well into the future".

Beer Canada also extends its thanks and best wishes to outgoing President, CJ Hélie, who has chosen to retire after joining Beer Canada in 2021, and completing over 38 years in the Canadian beverage alcohol industry.

TORONTO, Oct. 16, 2025 /CNW/ - Chivas Regal, the world-renowned luxury Scotch whisky, today announces a global partnership with visionary Indian couturier Gaurav Gupta. This dynamic collaboration sees a distinctly styled limited-edition design for Chivas Regal 12 Year Old, launching for Diwali and the festive season.

A fusion of luxury whisky and cutting-edge fashion, the two legendary houses, Gupta and Chivas Regal, have joined forces to co-create a world inspiring people to create new paths, challenge old conventions and play by their own rules. This limited edition is a meticulously crafted work of art embodying Gupta's signature sculptural aesthetic, which is also known for creating magic on iconic red carpets like The Oscars, The Emmy's, The Grammy's, and at Cannes in collaboration with global culturalists like Beyonce, Cardi B, Lizzo, Megan Thee Stallion, Maluma, Fan Bingbing, Aishwarya Rai and Deepika Padukone.

To celebrate the global launch on October 16, Gupta will be in Toronto for a series of special appearances marking the collaboration's Canadian debut. On Saturday October 18, Gupta will host a meet-and-greet and bottle signing at the LCBO (545 Steeles Ave East, Brampton), where fans can discover the limited-edition bottles in person. Guests will enjoy personalized bottle engravings and guided tastings from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., with Gupta appearing between 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. for photos and bottle signings. That evening, Chivas Regal and Gupta will raise a glass at an exclusive VIP launch party, bringing together more than 50 guests from the fashion, media, and lifestyle communities. From stylish industry insiders to cultural tastemakers, the event will celebrate the shared artistry, craftsmanship, and innovation that unite both brands - a fitting toast to the spirit of modern luxury.

The Chivas Regal 12 Year Old x Gaurav Gupta Limited Edition is captivating in its elegance, with a presentation box that features a sophisticated silver aesthetic. Its lighter, ethereal design creates a striking contrast and makes it a modern classic reimagined, offering a fresh perspective on the timeless Chivas Regal 12 experience.

Nick Blacknell, Global Marketing Director at Chivas Regal commented: "Our collaboration with Gaurav Gupta demonstrates our shared commitment to excellence and innovation. Gaurav's unique vision and his ability to blend culture, art and modern luxury perfectly aligns with Chivas Regal's ambition of inspiring a new generation of whisky drinkers, whilst redefining what luxury means today. His commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation perfectly embodies the Chivas Regal 'I Rise We Rise' ethos and belief in driving things forward. This partnership is a vibrant celebration of bold creativity, bridging heritage with a visionary future."

Couturier Gaurav Gupta commented: "Collaborating with Chivas Regal has been an incredible journey of creative synergy. These limited editions extend my design philosophy of transcending boundaries, blending Chivas Regal's rich heritage with modern, artistic expression. I believe they will resonate deeply with fashion and whisky lovers. I have visualised three unique characters in the limited-edition design, each representing a value I see as key to infinite personal growth. The Winged Panther represents freedom, The Serpent is a symbol of infinite possibility, and Illumination represents the light of wisdom. My aim was to capture the liquid's dynamism and infuse my 'future primitive' aesthetic, making each bottle a collectible piece of art."

Launching globally on October 16, 2025, the Chivas Regal 12 Year Old x Gaurav Gupta Limited Edition will be available at select LCBO stores.

For more information, follow @chivasregal on social media or visit chivas.com.

BARDSTOWN, Ky., Oct. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Heaven Hill Distillery announced today the inaugural release of the Heaven Hill Grain to Glass^® Specialty Barrel Series, an extension of its acclaimed Grain to Glass line. This new series builds on the tradition of quality, sustainability, and craft that has defined the family-owned distillery since 1935, while showcasing the artistry of barrel selection and maturation.

The 2025 Specialty Barrel Series features three Kentucky Whiskeys—Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey, and Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey—each fully aged for six years in Chinquapin Oak barrels hand selected by Heaven Hill's distilling team in collaboration with Independent Stave Company. These unique barrels impart distinctive characteristics, delivering a rich and innovative dimension to the beloved Grain to Glass mashbills.

Honoring Legacy, Innovation, and Partnership

Heaven Hill Grain to Glass begins with a single seed. Each year, Heaven Hill partners with Beck's Hybrids, a family-owned seed company in Indiana, to identify a corn varietal ideally suited for Central Kentucky soils. For the 2025 release, Beck's 6225 was chosen and grown by multi-generational, family-run Peterson Farms in Nelson County, Ky.—just across the road from Heaven Hill's Bardstown campus.

"Since the founding of Heaven Hill, our family has remained committed to looking at the long term, building products and partnerships meant to endure," said Max Shapira, Heaven Hill Executive Chairman. "The Specialty Barrel Series reflects both innovation and transparency, extending our Grain to Glass vision while honoring the legacy that defines our distillery."

The Influence of Chinquapin Oak

Unlike the Traditional Grain to Glass releases, which are aged in #3 char white oak barrels, the Specialty Barrel Series explores new dimensions of maturation. For this inaugural release, the whiskeys were fully aged in Chinquapin Oak, a distinct species of American white oak native to Central and Eastern North America. Known for its higher vanillin content, Chinquapin Oak imparts butterscotch, crème brûlée, toasted nut, chocolate, and coffee notes, creating a bold mouthfeel and layered finish.

"Selecting Chinquapin Oak for the first Specialty Barrel Series was an exciting opportunity to deepen our exploration of wood and whiskey," said Conor O'Driscoll, Heaven Hill Master Distiller. "These barrels highlight the interplay between grain and oak in a way that elevates the mashbills, allowing each whiskey's character to shine at barrel proof."

Expressions in the 2025 Specialty Barrel Series

• Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – 105 proof Mashbill: 52% Corn, 35% Rye, 13% Malt
• Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey – 105 proof Mashbill: 52% Corn, 35% Wheat, 13% Malt
• Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey – 107 proof Mashbill: 63% Rye, 24% Corn, 13% Malt

Each expression was barreled at 107 proof, honoring the historic entry proof used by Heaven Hill's founders, and bottled non-chill filtered at selected proofs to preserve the bold, distinctive flavors imparted by the Chinquapin Oak.

The 2025 Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Specialty Barrel Series is an allocated release available nationally beginning in November 2025 in limited quantities at an MSRP of $129.99. Each is offered in a 700ml bespoke bottle proudly embossed with "Family Owned Since 1935."  The bottle features jewel-toned labels unique to each mashbill, a gold-coin cork insert, and a tax strip calling out the Chinquapin Oak barrels. In keeping with the brand's focus on transparency, each label also details the corn varietal, mashbill, and distillation and release years, complemented by custom illustrations that nod to Bernheim Distillery and Kentucky's farming traditions.

Recent Awards & Accolades

The Grain to Glass line has garnered widespread recognition in the past year:

• Grain to Glass Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon was a Double Gold winner at the 2024 SIP Awards and a Best of Class finalist at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
• At the 2025 World Whiskies Awards, Grain to Glass Wheated Bourbon earned Gold, while the Grain to Glass Rye Whiskey was named Best American Rye.
• Grain to Glass Bourbon was ranked #5 on Whisky Advocate's Top 20 Whiskies of 2024, earning a score of 94.

These whiskeys reflect Heaven Hill's dedication to transparency, family values, and whiskey-making excellence from seed to sip. For more information, visit: