Western Grocer Serving the industry since 1916
GIC LIVE @ HOME 2020 Concludes with Proof that our Grocery Business Community is Very Strong and that there is a Bright Future During and After COVID-19!
26 NOV 2020 -TORONTO, ON – The third and final day of Grocery Innovations Canada’s first virtual trade show has concluded with A World of Opportunities. More Trade. More Tastes. More Trends. This virtual show pioneered the road in terms of virtual shows in the grocery sector and is a testament to the industry. Similarly, how the grocery sector has had to band together to continue operations, GIC LIVE @ HOME showcased how grocery business banded together in ways not seen in the past – from across the country – and the result was the premier virtual grocery show to date.
Among the keynotes on the final day of the show, “COVID-19 happened. Now what?” by Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Agri-Food Analytics Lab, Dalhousie University, struck a poignant note, and helped explain where we go from here. During a “Fireside Chat” panel, the discussion of teamwork, leadership, and overcoming adversity with NBA Coach of the Year, Toronto Raptors’ Head Coach Nick Nurse was held and had excellent advice on maintaining the status quo, while simultaneously advancing an organization.
With exhibitors across a multitude of categories, hundreds of retailers, there was an abundance of connections, and business to be done over three days virtually, and a networking experience that rivaled that of the pre-COVID world, making 2020’s GIC LIVE @HOME a resounding
success. Of course, staples of the show such as the Top 10 in Grocery were still highlights of the event, with the notable difference that this year products were selected from the New Product Showcases by attendees with their votes virtually. During the Celebration of Grocers
event the previous night the industry was feted for all their work in keeping Canadians fed during this pandemic, as well the prestigious Life Member Award in the Independent Grocer category was bestowed to Dave Powell of Powell Group of Companies, Bay Roberts, N.L., and
Life Member Award in the Industry Builder category was awarded to Stephen Kouri, VP Sales and Trade Marketing, Smucker Foods of Canada Corp. The National Scholarship Winner 2020 was also handed out to Sophie Semeniuk – Member Relation: Save-On-Foods, Edmonton, Alberta. Tuesday night, the best merchandising displays across Canada were celebrated at the Master Merchandiser Awards.
The Top 10 in Grocery 2020 are (in no particular order):
Good Bites, A Lassonde Inc.
Poo Pourri, Acosta
Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk, Tree of Life
Jack Daniel’s Original BBQ Sauce, Golden West Food Group
BASK Crisp Rose Wine, Arterra Wines Canada
Little Bites Brownie, BIMBO Canada
Balderson Natural Slices, Lactalis Canada
Kit Kat Ice Cream – Salted Caramel Burst, Nestlé Canada
Nutty Dips – Caramelized Onion, Summer Fresh Salads
Real Pops – Hibiscus Lemonade, Everreal
Product images and info sheets can be downloaded here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/134brXOC0tF1lPKY5nqJhg8zVyvTblnHW?usp=sharing
For all the information about the previous events held at the show, please refer to the following
press releases:
Full Master Merchandiser Press Release:
https://justinpoy.sharefile.com/d-s982e02b3f1fc4df495c215adeca2a416
Day 1 Press Release:
https://justinpoy.sharefile.com/d-s65e91e5c2b564deebb8b0cdfc1979134
Day 2 Press Release:
https://justinpoy.sharefile.com/d-sbeacadae04da4dd8946a401534c76564
Day 3 Press Release:
https://justinpoy.sharefile.com/d-sb6099f83b0574aca97a3afd5bff5379c
*Please find the full GIC schedule HERE.
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