The Buzz

The latest news in the grocery biz

(Top left and above) Fresh St. Market opened a new store in Langley, B.C. in late October. (Right) Eataly announced plans for a second Toronto location at CF Sherway Gardens shopping centre Calgary Co-op’s North Hill location is being redeveloped. (Below) A new Real Canadian Superstore has opened at Calgary’s Bow River Shopping Centre

OPENINGS Langley, B.C.’s Walnut Grove neighbourhood is home to a new FRESH ST. MARKET. The store, which opened in late October, is inspired by the executive and culinary team’s tours of public markets and eateries across North America and offers a wide range of local products. “This destination brings a market-like experience to those who live in and around the Fraser Valley who also enjoy supporting local farmers and producers,” said Mark McCurdy, vice-president retail operations and brand strategy at Fresh St. Market, in a release. Among the store’s local offerings are a curry bar featuring family recipes from Spice Mantra Curries, meat sourced from Lepp Farms, coffee beans from Lion’s Bay Coffee Company and cheese from the likes of Golden Ears Cheesecrafters and Creekside Cheese and Creamery. The Langley store is the seventh Fresh St. Market location in the province.

Toronto is getting a second EATALY location. The Italian food hall has signed a multi-year lease at Cadillac Fairview Sherway Gardens shopping centre, located

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in the city’s west end. Eataly opened its first Canadian location in Toronto in November 2019, and it currently has nine food halls in North America with 40 stores worldwide. An opening date has not been announced.

FARM BOY opened its ninth Toronto location in November. The Empire-owned banner continues its expansion across Southwestern Ontario with a new 27,739-sq.-ft. space located at the busy midtown intersection of Yonge and St. Clair. The store will employ 139 staff members and feature a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, butcher-quality meats, artisan cheese, plant-based and vegan options as well as a salad bar and hot bar for grab-and-go options.

CALGARY CO-OP’S North Hill location is being redeveloped into a mixed-use community. The site, purchased in September by Royop Development Corporation, will be transformed to include residential apartments, a parkade, two new commercial buildings and a new, full-service Calgary Co-op grocery store along with a Calgary Co-op Wine Spirits Beer store, a cannabis shop, car wash and gas bar. Construction will begin early next year and the current Calgary Co-op grocery store will continue to operate until the new store opens, at which time the old location will be demolished to make room for other new buildings.

NATURE’S EMPORIUM continues to expand. The health food market chain has announced plans to open a new location in Oakville, Ont., west of Toronto in 2023. To be located at Dorval Crossing shopping centre, the 24,000-sq.-ft. store will specialize in organic produce, plant-based products, healthy meals to go, supplements and natural health and beauty items. Last summer, the retailer announced plans to open its first downtown Toronto store, in the city’s South Core district in 2023. Nature’s Emporium currently has four locations in the Greater Toronto Area: in Newmarket, Burlington, Maple and Woodbridge.

Loblaw has opened a new REAL CANADIAN SUPERSTORE at Calgary’s Bow River Shopping Centre. At 86,200 sq. ft., the store serves as an anchor tenant in the development, which also includes a new Real Canadian Liquor Store.

WALMART CANADA has announced plans to open its firstever fulfilment centre in Quebec. The new, $100 million high-tech facility will be located in Vaudreuil-Dorion, near Montreal, and will function as a delivery hub for Quebec as well as Atlantic Canada. The retailer says the 457,000-sq.-ft. fulfilment centre will be capable of shipping 20 million items annually to local customers. Walmart Canada is investing $1 billion in infrastructure this year as part of its efforts to “speed up and transform the business for its customers.”

(Clockwise from top) Walmart is opening its first fulfilment centre in Quebec; Farm Boy announces ninth Toronto store; Nature’s Emporium is expanding to Oakville, Ont. PEOPLE P&G Canada has made changes to its leadership team. Jennifer Seiler, a 22-year veteran of the company, has been appointed senior vice-president of marketing, Canada. Meanwhile, Melody Wallis, who has racked up 20 years of experience at P&G in Canada and the United Kingdom, has been named vice-president of analytics & insights and technology, Canada. Seiler and Wallis succeed Bethanie Butcher, who has relocated to Panama to take on the role of senior vice-president-analytics & insights, Latin America. Suzanne Dalrymple has joined Gay Lea Foods and will transition to the role of president and chief executive officer of the company next February. The former Mars executive replaces Michael Barrett, who has announced plans to retire at the end of January. Barret has held the top post since 2014. At Conagra Brands, Sebla Guvener is the company’s new head of supply chain for Canada. Prior to Conagra, Guvener led the supply chain for nutrition at Nestlé Canada and she has also held several roles at P&G Canada.

Jennifer Seiler

Melody Wallis

Suzanne Dalrymple

Michael Barrett

Sebla Guvener

AWARDS/RECOGNITION

FHCP AWARD OF DISTINCTION

Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada (FHCP) has named Margaret Hudson, president and CEO of Burnbrae Farms, and former Tree of Life Canada executive Jamie Moody, as the winners of its 2022 Award of Distinction. The award recognizes “lasting and profound impact on FHCP and Canada’s food, health and the consumer products industry.” Hudson and Moody received their awards at FHCP’s annual CEO and Executive Leadership Conference held in Niagaraon-the-Lake, Ont., in October.