Articles

For grocers and their food distribution divisions, food shrink is a continued issue that keeps cutting into profits and also contributing to food waste. Consumers today are also more concerned about sustainability efforts, placing additional pressure on grocers and distributors to make improvements in their overall operational strategies. Here in the …

There’s a principle taught to engineering students: If you want to see how something works, watch what happens when it comes apart. (And if you’re a parent, you know a lot of kids figure this out on their own.) We all had a front-row seat to the dismantling of our …

By Tom Shurrie The Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG) has been the unique voice for independents since 1962 and in 2022 the association celebrates its 60th anniversary. Here are key highlights of what CFIG has accomplished for its members. CFIG led the fight over the years in maintaining pressure …

By Aaron Skelton Being the association that represents all things natural, organic and wellness, we’re lucky to get to bear witness to many different facets of the industry – from great new brands to consumer insights to what’s happening at retail, we’re uniquely positioned to be the eyes and the …

Ian Dickson After 36 years with Associated Grocers, Ian Dickson is hanging up his grocery apron, retiring from his current position as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. Ian was born into the grocery business.  He was the youngest of three children to Flo and Charlie Dickson.  Charlie was in the …

Design differentials By Melanie Franner The local grocery store has been inundated with change over the years. And the pandemic has brought to the fore just how important it is for these stores to continue to evolve. A recent report from Deloitte, The future of food: a Canadian perspective, underscored …

By: Mike Yeo There isn’t a single “sure-fire” method of increasing your impulse buys. Impulse buys depend on many different factors down to simply the mood your customer is in at the time. The following ten tips can help you to gain some control over your customers thought process when …

Given our heightened consciousness about food systems, workers have more political capital than ever By Sylvain Charlebois  Workers across the food supply chain are expressing concerns about their livelihood. Last weekend, workers at the online grocery retailer Instacart went on strike for better conditions and higher wages. Instacart is a symbol of the …

By Deb Draper Community Natural Foods, based in Calgary, has been providing organic and natural food products to health-conscious customers for more than four decades. It all began in 1977 when brothers Peter and Gary Wilkes wanted to be able to source and provide whole food and health options that …

The last two years have been tough, but the challenges will continue By Jeff Doucette, founder “Field Agent Canada” As we approach the second New Year since we started to feel the impacts of the pandemic on all our businesses, I thought it would be good to look at a …