Canadians get fired up when it comes to grilling on the barbecue

One in 10 Canadian grill owners say they use the open flame every day during the summer

MISSISSAUGA, ON, June 29, 2015 /CNW/ - With Canada Day just around the corner, many Canadians will be firing up the grill and cooking up their seasonal favourites. However, there are many differences in gender and regional preferences when it comes to grilling.

According to a recent survey conducted by Leger on behalf of Walmart Canada, men and women are aligned when it comes to their preference for what to grill. Eighty-eight per cent of men and 84 per cent of women like to barbecue steak. Men and women also generally agree on how they like their steak cooked, with 42 per cent choosing medium rare over any other option. 

Fueling the fire - grilling stats

• Women are more likely to see themselves as doing most of the food preparation (79 per cent of women vs. 60 per cent of men) while men are significantly more likely than women to see themselves as the grill master (84 per cent vs. 39 per cent) in the household.  
• When asked to pick a favourite condiment, ketchup (28 per cent), barbecue sauce (25 per cent) and mustard (19 per cent) are the top three selected for barbecuing among all grill owners.

Barbecue favourites by region

• Among Canadian grill owners, steaks and burgers are tied (86 per cent) as the favourite foods to barbecue, with the steak being the top choice among Albertans at 94 per cent.
• Quebecers have a significantly higher preference for rare steaks than the rest of Canadians.
• Grill owners in Manitoba and Saskatchewan are most likely to be out on their grills at least once a week during the summer months (92 per cent vs. 78 per cent of the rest of Canadians).

Summer barbecue meals

"No matter what you're grilling, the results are always better when you start with good ingredients," said Paul Del Duca, senior vice president, fresh foods at Walmart Canada. "Canadians will be impressed by Walmart's revamped fresh food department and appreciate the ease and convenience of one-stop shopping for all their barbecue needs."

According to the survey, almost 80 per cent of Canadian grill owners say they grill at least once a week during the summer and cost is important to meal planning, especially among millennials. To help create fresh and savory dishes each week for the whole family, Walmart offers an expanded assortment of barbecue items at everyday low prices, including:

• 100% Canadian-raised Angus beef
• Maple Leaf Chicken
• Canadian salmon
• Canada No.1 grade fruits and vegetables, including a selection of organic produce

For savings on all your grilling items visit a local Walmart store or walmart.ca, and for summer recipes ideas check out walmart.ca/recipes.

Methodology
The survey was completed online from June 10 to June 15 using Leger's online panel, LegerWeb, with a sample of 1,000 Canadians with BBQs or Grills. A probability sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of +/- 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20. Leger Marketing's online panel has approximately 475,000 members nationally – with between 10,000 and 20,000 new members added each month – and has a retention rate of 90 per cent.

About Walmart Canada 
Walmart Canada currently operates 395 stores nationwide, serving more than 1.2 million customers each day. In addition to its stores, Walmart Canada's e-commerce website - walmart.ca - is visited by more than 450,000 customers daily. With more than 90,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of the country's largest employers and is ranked one of Canada's top 10 most influential brands. Walmart Canada's philanthropy program is focused on supporting Canadian families in need, and since 1994 Walmart has donated and raised more than $200 million to Canadian charities. Additional company information can be found at walmartcanada.ca, facebook.com/walmartcanada and at http://www.twitter.com/@walmartcanada.

SOURCE Walmart Canada

Image with caption: "Master The Grill: Make the most of summer meals with Walmart's grilling guide. (CNW Group/Walmart Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150629_C8190_PHOTO_EN_430029.jpg

Hilary Lawton, APEX Public Relations, 416-934-2123, [email protected]