Deck the Aisles

The holiday season brings busy shoppers, hungry for entertaining ideas

By Carolyn Camilleri

The holiday season is the busiest in a grocery retailers’ calendar, presenting many opportunities to increase sales through pro-active merchandising strategies. According to Deloitte’s 2025 Retail Holiday Buyer Survey, the average year-over-year holiday sales growth is expected to increase by 4.5%, showing high optimism among grocery buyers for the season to come.

Complicating the picture this year, however, are the inflationary pressures on consumers to be more mindful of their spending even as they prepare for holiday gatherings. Many shoppers are expected to prioritize deals, promotions, and bulk purchasing to stretch their budgets further. As such, value-oriented retailers, along with club and warehouse stores, are likely to see an uptick in holiday traffic as families look for ways to save on essentials without compromising on festive meals and treats. Offering special seasonal discounts and well-timed promotions can help retailers capture price-sensitive shoppers without sacrificing basket size.

As multicultural demographics continue to grow, the demand for culturally diverse holiday foods is reshaping grocery store offerings across Canada. More consumers are looking to celebrate traditions outside of their own, expanding the popularity of diverse holiday foods.  For brands, it presents a key opportunity to cater to both multicultural households and shoppers who want to broaden their celebrations with authentic flavours from around the world.

Comfort, joy and connection

No matter what cultural traditions are celebrated by your store customers, food is at the centre of it all.

“Food is at the heart of many holiday traditions, bringing people together around the table to share comfort, joy, and connection,” says Angelo Boras, VP of sales for Italpasta.

Boras backs that with stats from Numerator’s 2025 Canadian Annual Holiday Survey: 50 per cent of Canadians plan to cook at home for the holidays, up slightly from 49 per cent in 2024. He further notes that with rising food costs, consumers are becoming more budget-conscious, seeking ways to stretch their dollars without compromising on quality. Additionally, today’s shoppers are more informed than ever, prioritizing value that goes beyond price to include consistency, reliability, and taste.

“As nostalgic and comfort foods continue to trend in the post-COVID era, simple home-cooked meals offer the perfect opportunity to gather with loved ones,” he says.

Pasta fits that trend beautifully as a standout choice for holiday entertaining. It’s easy to prepare, endlessly versatile, and capable of impressing guests with elevated additions like premium proteins and seasonal vegetables.

“At Italpasta, we’re proud to support Canadian families during the holidays by offering new, on-trend recipes designed for festive gatherings,” he says.

These days, there is even more reason to stock Italpasta.

“With the ‘Buy Canadian’ movement still going strong, Italpasta is the ideal option — proudly made in Canada using 100 per cent Canadian durum wheat semolina, delivering consistent texture and performance every time,” says Boras.

You might want to get an early start on your holiday promotions.

“Holiday planning, inspiration, and shopping can begin as early as August, spanning a variety of social platforms, devices, and consumer behaviours,” says Boras.

According to Numerator, most consumers make holiday food preparation decisions about two weeks before the event, but major holidays like Christmas and New Year’s often prompt planning up to three months in advance.

“With AI tools like ChatGPT becoming more widely adopted, it’s now easier than ever to generate customized recipes and personalized meal plans, bringing convenience, creativity, and confidence to the holiday table,” says Boras.

During the holidays, consumers often gravitate toward premium and artisanal products that bring a gourmet touch to festive gatherings. Recognizing this, Italpasta has expanded its Artisan pasta line to include four specialty shapes in time for the holidays: cavatelli, orecchiette, radiatori, and mezzi rigatoni.

“Inspired by Italian tradition and crafted with Canadian expertise, Italpasta Artisan pasta is bronze-die cut to create a rough texture that holds sauce beautifully, delivering rich, authentic flavour in every bite,” says Boras. “It’s an easy and budget-friendly way to elevate any holiday meal.”

Italpasta’s baked pasta range is also a seasonal favourite, offering both convenience and crowd-pleasing appeal.

“With options like lasagne, cannelloni, manicotti, and jumbo shells, Canadian families can enjoy stress-free entertaining with impressive dishes that are simple to prepare and sure to delight guests,” says Boras.

To maximize holiday sales, Boras says Italpasta products should be featured in secondary displays alongside complementary items or paired with in-store promotions to capture consumer attention and drive purchase intent.

Irresistible splurges

For many people, the holiday season would not be complete without Walker’s Shortbread. These tartan-wrapped treats are still baked in the Moray village of Aberlour, Scotland, and follow a recipe developed by Joseph Walker in 1898 that uses only four ingredients: butter, flour, sugar, and salt.

“As in years past, consumers remain content to splurge a little around the holidays,” says Lisa Zdunich, Canadian sales and marketing manager for Walker’s Shortbread Ltd. “Retailers seem to be recognizing this after a more uncertain holiday season of 2024 and are increasing assortment and volumes for 2025.”

Of special interest over the holidays are Walker’s Festive Shapes lines.

“Our #5 selling items nationally are our Festive Shapes lines despite being in-store for only three months each year,” says Zdunich. “We sell over 130K packets into retail throughout the last quarter of the year. This is a must-have for the holidays and an anchor for any holiday section.”

She recommends displaying them in a shipper, if possible, but says they merchandise well on the shelf, too.

Walker’s also has gluten-free offerings, as well as niche categories like cakes and tarts.

“Walker’s really has something for everyone,” says Zdunich.

For best sales results for seasonal products, you want to make sure people can see them.

“As with all seasonal shopping, visibility and assortment are key,” she says. “Shippers provide an easy way to get in front of shoppers and display your products out of section. This helps with the impulsive nature of seasonal shopping and translates to greater sales than an in-section display alone.”

Zdunich adds that assortment in terms of price points, gifting occasion, and everyday snacking is also key to meeting the needs of different consumers leading up to and throughout the holiday season. As an example, of a retailer who does an especially good job of merchandising in Western Canada, every day and seasonally, she points to London Drugs.

“They take a large assortment every day and increase that assortment over the holidays to include up to 25+ extra items,” she says. “Items are displayed well — in section — as well as in shippers throughout the store, and sell throughs are always strong due to the flawless execution and early planning.”

Quick and easy tips entertaining

Whether you are putting together a flyer or setting up in-store holiday or cross-merchandising displays, consider some of these tasty on-trend suggestions for easy entertaining tips from KraftHeinz Canada.

“The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes the joy of entertaining friends and family,” says Daniel Lundberg, head of marketing and strategy, EMMB and HDS, for KraftHeinz Canada. “As we gather around the table to share delicious meals and make memories, KraftHeinz Canada is here to help you stay on top of the latest holiday entertaining food trends. From classic comfort foods to modern twists, we’ve got you covered with our favourite ideas, featuring KraftHeinz Canada’s beloved brands.”

Lundberg offers a series suggestions following the latest trends in holiday entertaining, starting with global inspirations — a culinary journey around the world with globally inspired dishes

“KraftHeinz Canada has the brands that are perfect for creating international flavors, such as Korean-style BBQ beef sliders or Mexican street corn dip,” he says. “Simply use Kraft, Heinz, or Taco Bell sauces and dips to add a convenient and flavourful twist to dishes.”

The comfort food revival is another top trend products from KraftHeinz Canada fit in with beautifully.

“Comfort food is always a hit during the holidays, and KraftHeinz Canada’s Heinz brand is the perfect partner for creating warm, comforting dishes,” says Lundberg.

He suggests a Heinz Ketchup-glazed ham or a Heinz Baked Bean and sausage casserole.

“These classic recipes are sure to become new family favourites,” he adds.

Lundberg points to a third trend to capitalize on this holiday season: miniaturized morsels.

“Bite-sized appetizers and snacks are always a hit at holiday gatherings,” he says. “KraftHeinz Canada’s Philadelphia brand is perfect for creating mini caprese salads, mini quiches, or even mini cheesecakes. Use Philadelphia cream cheese to add a tangy and creamy element to your mini dishes.”

Lastly, pull out all the stops with DYI food stations.

“Create a fun and interactive dining experience with DIY food stations featuring KraftHeinz Canada products,” says Lundberg. “Set up a hot cocoa bar with Kraft Jet-Puffed marshmallows, a mac and cheese bar with Kraft Dinner, or a slider bar with Heinz Ketchup, Mustard, and Mayo. Guests will love the freedom to customize their own creations.”

Have a Strategy

With holiday shopping heavily influenced by inflation, brands need to deliver value without compromising quality. Offering discounts and promotions, especially around high-demand seasonal products, can capture price-sensitive shoppers. Instead of generic price cuts, consider value-focused strategies such as family-sized packs or holiday-specific bundles.

Convenience is equally important during the busy season, and brands should prioritize omnichannel shopping options to meet consumers where they are. A streamlined online ordering experience, quick in-store pickups, and rapid delivery are essential to attracting time-strapped holiday shoppers. Additionally, holiday-themed meal kits, pre-packaged sides, and ready-to-serve options are appealing for shoppers looking to save time. Emphasizing convenience-focused offerings in marketing efforts can position your brand as the go-to choice for consumers balancing holiday prep with busy schedules.