Andrew Nixon
Arrell Scholar, Business
Andrew is studying for a PhD in the School of Hospitality, Food and Tourism Management, and is the first Arrell Scholar in the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics. He works under the supervision of Dr. Simon Somogyi.
During the rise of the tech industry’s consolidation – a small group of influential companies have dominated the tech market – power has shifted away from smaller start-ups and limited innovation and investment in other market segments. This shift in the technology industry has shed light on similar challenges within the food and agriculture industries.
Back to Our Experts“We need to draw attention to the conditions that small agri-businesses are facing when it comes to innovation due to the concentration of power within the food industry.”
Research Interests and Future Goals
Andrew’s research with Arrell Food Institute investigates how power dynamics within the food value chain impact producers’ ability to be entrepreneurial and generate higher returns. He hopes his research will inform decisions made by anti-trust regulators, food policymakers, think tanks and contributors across the food supply chain.
Andrew completed his Bachelor of Commerce in Management and a MA in Management, for which he was awarded the Forster Medal recognizing his academic achievement, leadership and citizenship. He is now pursuing his Ph.D. in Management at the Lang School of Business. He has a breadth of experience across the entire food chain, from management consulting for Ferrero Canada and the Ontario Hazelnut Association to managing the start-up Zerocery, an online zero-waste grocery retail and delivery service he co-founded. His diverse experience directly informs his research and work towards unlocking greater returns for small businesses that want to compete in international markets that demand greater sustainability and transparency in their agri-food products.
Why become an Arrell Scholar?
Andrew applied for the Arrell Scholarship as it was an incredible opportunity to work with a world-class team within the School of Hospitality, Food and Tourism Management at Canada’s Food University, and will further create a centre of research excellence on agri-food business.
Outside of his studies, Andrew has connected with Canadian and international food leaders in a past role as Arrell Food Institute’s Partnerships Liaison. As an Arrell scholar he interviewed Michelle Meager, author of “Competition is Killing Us”, for a podcast episode for the 2020 Arrell food summit. The two discussed the natural tendencies of capitalism and explained that it tends to incentivize companies to create monopolies. Using notable lessons learnt from monopolies in other industries, they explored the implications these may hold for small businesses across the farm to fork continuum.