From The Heart

Western Canada’s retail food industry steps up its philanthropy during hard times

By Robin Brunet

The different ways of giving back are limited only by one’s imagination. This is certainly true of the food industry, whether it is retailers or manufacturers of consumer goods, where being a part of the community and supporting causes that benefit people are in the very DNA of their corporate missions.

Case in point: Calgary Co-operative Association Limited, whose 3,850-strong team comprise one of the largest retail co-operatives in North America. With over 440,000 members Calgary Co-op is intrinsically committed to the communities it serves.

Most recently this took the form of donations and partnerships focusing on food security and the reduction of food waste. In 2022, an innovative food insecurity reduction pilot program called the Calgary Co-op Fresh Food Rescue Program expanded to reach all 22 food stores. To date, this program has provided over 1.06 million pounds of nutritious foods in approximately 100,000 food hampers. This is in addition to the $2.8 million in funds and non-perishable food donated in 2022.

Other initiatives include the Calgary Co-op Cares charitable foundation that provides support to seniors, children, the homeless and families at risk (donations up to $15,000 are matched by the Co-op and sent directly to regional organizations such as Calgary Food Bank and Calgary Meals on Wheels).

Penney McTaggart Cowan, VP, marketing & member experiences at Calgary Co-op, adds, “Another big event for us is our annual Charity Golf Classic, which since 1993 has raised over $5 million in support of deserving charities and not-for-profit organizations in the Calgary area.”

McTaggart Cowan points out that, “Our purpose is to enrich our communities. And since we’re a co-op our strategies are member-driven, which is really advantageous in that they have a firm understanding of what is needed the most.”

Giving back to its communities has been an integral part of Save On Foods’ culture for over 100 years now. Its long-time beneficiaries includes B.C Children’s Hospital, Alberta Children’s Hospital, and Stollery Children’s Hospital; and when the company expanded further into the Prairies it forged relationships with the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation (Saskatchewan) and the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba. To date, this has resulted in over $40 million in donations across Western Canada.

As Save On Foods continues to grow, so too do its philanthropic efforts. Since June of 2015, it has donated weekly deliveries of snacks and supplies to Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon totalling almost $1 million. Further, it provides weekly, monthly and annual support to local food banks via local stores, fundraising campaigns, and donation collections at checkout.

Save On Foods’ grassroots initiatives are as vigorous as those carried out on a corporate level, and its media relations department states, “We are proud that our stores take opportunities to offer grassroots support to their communities. Some examples include our stores in Victoria supporting Jeneece Place with grocery deliveries and gift cards; our stores on Vancouver’s North Shore supporting Lions Gate Hospital with ongoing fundraisers; and our stores in Saskatoon supporting Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital alongside their local WHL team.” 

Of course, the commitment to give back in the grocery sector extends to related businesses and organizations. An example of the latter is the The Grocery Foundation, a community of grocery, food, beverage and consumer product companies whose singular objective is to help ensure that no children will go hungry at school.

Shaun McKenna, executive director of the Foundation, says with regard to his retail and other partners, “The power of everyone working together yields great results.” Indeed, for the first quarter of this year his organization raised $1.4 million from shoppers in Western Canada (due to retail cashiers asking shoppers at check out if they would like to donate), which funds about 700,000 breakfasts.

Recently, the Foundation decided to return its Toonies for Tummies program to participating grocery stores in Western Canada, Toronto, and Atlantic Canada, with Safeway, Save On Foods, Buy-Low Foods and IGA being a few of many participants; 100 percent of the proceeds will help Student Nutrition Ontario or Breakfast Club of Canada.

McKenna expresses his admiration for the Foundation’s retail partners. “The pandemic doubled the number of kids going to school hungry due to the resulting inflation and parents losing their jobs, and these circumstances have also wreaked havoc throughout the food industry – and yet grocers and manufacturers have stepped up their efforts to give back. Given the hardship they have endured, their support is humbling and inspiring.”

Erin Filey-Wronecki, chief development and partnership officer at Food Banks Canada, points out that her organization “relies on the generosity and support of our grocery partners who make Food Banks Canada’s Retail Food Program possible. In 2021 alone, backed by corporate donations from Loblaws Companies Limited and Wal-Mart, over 19 million pounds of surplus retail food from 650 grocery retailers was shared across Canada’s network of more than 4,000 food banks and community organizations.” This program ensures that fresh produce, eggs, dairy and nourishing pantry staples are delivered regularly to vulnerable populations.

The Retail Food Program was established in 2012 and its growth has been instrumental in helping food banks manage rising demand for their services. But again, Filey-Wronecki stresses that, “The program is only made possible thanks to our long-term collaborations with the support of hundreds of grocery retailers.”

Fortified by this relationship, Food Banks Canada has a busy itinerary ahead. “We’re focused on supporting the network to help relieve hunger today by providing fresh and nutritious foods, and working toward longer term goals including social reforms to end hunger in Canada,” Filey-Wronecki says. “This year visits to Canada’s food banks reached a historic high, so we’re working hard to continue to expand the Retail Food Program with the support of grocery retailers.”

When all is said and done, at the heart of every philanthropic initiative is the realization of retail food industry members that strong communities are everyone’s responsibility. When local businesses are active in their neighborhoods, the community thrives; and when a community thrives, everyone wins.

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SIDEBAR: Keurig Pivots to Address Changing Community Needs

Given that community needs change over time, it follows that the best philanthropic strategies adapt accordingly. And with the pandemic having contributed to steadily growing food insecurity, Keurig Dr Pepper Canada recently decided to shift focus and concentrate on this issue.

It did so by entering into a unique multi-year partnership with the Canadian Red Cross (CRC). Olivier Lemire, president at KDP, explains that the new alliance allows his company to help vulnerable populations through various actions, including fundraisers and food drives throughout its offices, donating supplies and products, and mobilizing employees across the country to participate in CRC initiatives.

He adds, “We will also provide support in the amount of $500,000 over three years, in addition to supporting the Red Cross’ annual fundraising gala in Montreal, in 2023 and 2024.”

Keurig Dr Pepper Canada supports local organizations through financial and product donations, and its employees volunteer in warehouses, mobile food banks and food dispensers. Moreover, KDP has been a long-time supporter of several organizations that support food security, including the Breakfast Club of Canada, the Mississauga Food Bank, and more recently Food Banks Canada.

Lemire says, “Giving back is in our DNA. It’s also important to engage our employees. For example, through our Engage for Good program they can make a donation to one of the charities we support, and we match their donation. We also have a program that encourages employees across Canada to support their communities by volunteering for non-profits of their choice, which allows them to earn financial grants for those organizations.”

With the KDP/CRC partnership, KDP becomes the first beverage company to sponsor the Canadian Red Cross’s Community Health and Wellness programs, which include food security. In addition to donating products for the CRC’s food delivery programs, KDP’s financial support will contribute towards new and existing programs that give communities greater access to essential health and social resources, such as medical equipment loans, wellness checks, transportation, and food services to those in need.

When asked if he has advice for other food-related companies interested in giving back but not sure what the most effective strategy would be, Lemire replies,  “There is no right or wrong way to help. But I believe in focusing on areas related to your business, supporting like-minded organizations that can have a real impact in the community where you live and work, and engaging your employees. Our internal fundraising and volunteering programs are very popular, and they create a sense of belonging.”

Meanwhile, Lemire is excited about the potential outcomes of the KDP/CRC partnership. “We’re proud to be working with the Canadian Red Cross to impact positive change at the local level,” he says. “Corporate responsibility efforts are amplified by investments through various local partnerships that make a meaningful difference, and our intention is to keep going in that direction for as long as we can.”

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