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In this episode, Adam Daigle, Business Editor of The Acadiana Advocate, returns to break down Lafayette and Acadiana’s top five business stories of 2025. With years of experience tracking economic trends, major developments, and the people shaping our community, Adam offers an inside look at what’s driving growth—and what challenges remain.
From the long-awaited arrival of Trader Joe’s to manufacturing growth, real estate trends, and the future of North Lafayette, this conversation is packed with insight.
A Post-Covid Economy: Stabilizing but Still Shifting
Adam notes that Acadiana has mostly returned to pre-pandemic normalcy, but some sectors continue to adjust:
- Restaurants: Sales are outpacing inflation overall, but performance is uneven. High-traffic corridors like Kaliste Saloom are thriving, while many locally-owned restaurants still struggle with tight margins, rising costs, and increased competition.
- Retail: Still strong—people are spending, and parish retail sales continue to grow.
- Manufacturing: One of the region’s most promising economic bright spots. Well-paying jobs, steady growth, and diversification beyond oil and gas continue to strengthen the sector.
Manufacturing Momentum—Even After Setbacks
While Acadiana added thousands of manufacturing jobs since 2020, the closure of SafeSource Direct was a painful blow. The PPE manufacturer, built during the pandemic, couldn’t compete with ultra-low-cost Chinese imports. The result: 700 local jobs lost, many held by women and graduates of drug court programs…