Western Grocer Serving the industry since 1916
OCTOBER 28, 2026, TORONTO— The Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers closed out Grocery Innovations Canada 2026 on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at the Toronto Congress Centre, North Building, with keynotes, an expert panel, concurrent workshops, a bustling trade show floor and the prestigious Independent Grocer of the Year Awards Gala!
The day began with breakfast, followed by Brian Wong’s session on the unglamorous but high-ROI ways independent grocers can put AI to work, from better forecasting and fraud detection to smarter procurement and sharper customer insights, all without a data science team or a big tech budget. A Store Experience & Layout panel then brought together Blaine Bringhurst of Market 32/Price Chopper, Jay Highland of WD Partners, Paula Janssen of Janssen’s Market, Matthew Rogge of Summerhill Market, Ella Zhuang of Brother Fixtures and Amanda Lai of McMillanDoolittle. NielsenIQ’s Carman Allison followed with NIQ’s Consumer Outlook for 2027, exploring how financial realities, wellness priorities and technology are shaping what earns a place in the shopper’s basket.
Delegates then chose from four concurrent workshops: David Haaf of FMI on the key differentiation strategies in FMI’s 2026 State of Fresh report; Uwe Stueckmann of Innovate Marketing on what independent grocers can do while the big chains are still deciding; Aeron Lawrence of Flipp Corp. on how Canadian retailers and brands are winning back the value-driven shopper; and François Bouchard of GS1 Canada on how 2D barcodes are reshaping grocery.
The trade show floor reopened in Hall I, where retailers and delegates continued to explore the latest products, services and innovations from this year’s exhibitors. On the Advantage Solutions Insights & Innovations Stage, Amanda Lai of McMillanDoolittle presented The New Food Retail Playbook, sharing the latest grocery trends and retailer examples, with practical implications for store experience, format, convenience, assortment and differentiation.
The show wrapped up with the Independent Grocer of the Year Gala, featuring a reception, dinner and the awards presentation honouring the top independent grocers in the country. Life Member Awards were presented to Industry Builders John Tobin of Maple Leaf Foods and Tom Szostok of Lactalis, and to Independent Grocer Jeffrey Min of Galleria Supermarket. The evening also featured the draw for the Final Four for a grand prize trip to The NGA Show in Las Vegas, sponsored by Saputo.
2026 Independent Grocer of the Year Awards “LIFE MEMBERS” awarded to:
Industry Builder
John Tobin, Maple Leaf Foods
Industry Builder
Tom Szostok, Lactalis
Independent Grocer
Jeffrey Min, Galleria Supermarket
Grocery Innovations Canada 2026 has officially concluded. CFIG thanks this year’s exhibitors, sponsors, speakers, retailers and delegates for making it another outstanding show.
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ABOUT GROCERY INNOVATIONS CANADA (GIC)
Grocery Innovations Canada is Canada’s premier grocery exhibition and conference developed by industry professionals, for industry professionals. It is the only event in Canada dedicated to the entire grocery industry and is the largest one of its kind. GIC is at the forefront of innovation, showcasing cutting edge products and services. The conference provides exceptional opportunities for networking and foresight into current and upcoming industry trends.
For all media inquiries, high-res images or interview requests, please contact:
Nancy Kwon
Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers
E nkwon@cfig.ca
P +1 (416) 219-0952
Celia Liu, Project Coordinator
The Justin Poy Agency
E cliu@justinpoy.com
P +1 (437) 352-0693
Justin Poy
The Justin Poy Agency
E jpoy@justinpoy.com
P +1 (416) 565-6791
SAVE THE DATE!
Grocery Innovations Canada 2027 will take place on October 26–27, 2027 at the Toronto Congress Centre, North Building.
For updates, visit groceryinnovations.com.
SEE YOU IN VANCOUVER!
Grocery & Specialty Food West 2027 will take place on April 20–21, 2027 at the Vancouver Convention Centre, East Building.
For updates, visit gsfshow.com.
