2021 Independent Grocer of the Year Awards

VANCOUVER—April 25, 2022… The 59th Annual Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Awards Ceremony was presented tonight in Vancouver after the event was postponed due to covid last fall. The gala took place with over 300 leading grocers, suppliers, and distributors at Grocery & Specialty Food West 2022, Canada’s premier Western grocery conference and trade show.

Each year, the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG) Awards Program recognizes the success of outstanding independent retailers and offers insights into innovations that are changing and enhancing the way retailers compete.

The NATIONAL GOLD AWARD Winners for Top Independent Grocer of the Year for 2021 are:

Save-On-Foods – Scottsdale Centre, Delta, BC (Large surface)   

Longo’s – Liberty Village, Toronto, ON (Medium surface)

Urban Fare – Mount Royal, Calgary, AB (Small surface)

DAVID C. PARSONS AWARD OF EXCELLENCE IN SPECIALTY FOOD RETAILING (GOLD): Will & Ingrid Willemsen, Tracy Morrow, and Team, Sunripe Sarnia, Sarnia, ON

SPECIAL AWARDS

CFIG is proud to announce that Wayne, Harmina, Peter and Kathy Richmond, 49^th Parallel Grocery Ladysmith, Ladysmith, BC, are awarded THE ARNOLD RANDS HERITAGE AWARD. The award is given to the year’s best multi-­generational store that is privately owned, and that has been in the same family for at least two generations, in the same community for 35 years.

CFIG is proud to announce the following grocer into the HALL OF FAME (IGYA): James Inglis, Doug Nakano & Team, Blind Bay Village Grocer Ltd, Blind Bay, BC

About the Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Awards

The Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year is the most prestigious award CFIG can bestow. Each year, independent grocery stores from coast-to-coast in Canada compete for the coveted title in each of the specialty, large, medium and small surface categories. Each of the competing stores is visited personally by a highly respected retail management expert, who evaluates competing stores based on retailing excellence and innovation, store team performance, customer service, space utilization, freshness and cleanliness. The gala awards evening typically takes place annually in October at Grocery Innovations Canada, the premier grocery event in the country.

Here is the full list of Winners 2021 Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year

Large Surface

Gold:              Scottsdale Centre Team – Save-On-Foods – Scottsdale Centre, Delta, British Columbia               

Silver:              Longo’s – Yonge & Sheppard Team – Longo’s – Yonge & Sheppard, Toronto, Ontario

Bronze:            Daniel Plouffe –Metro Plouffe de Sherbrooke – boul Bourque, Sherbrooke, Québec

Regional:        Darryl Jacques and Team members –Freson Bros. Drumheller, Drumheller, Alberta

Medium Surface

Gold:                Longo’s Liberty Village Team – Longo’s – Liberty Village, Toronto, Ontario

Silver:                Dave Powell, Adam Powell, John Pritchett and John Mercer – Powell’s – Bay Roberts, Bay Roberts, Newfoundland and Labrador

Bronze:              Arden Fowler, Devon Crane and Team – Stong’s Markets – Northwoods, North Vancouver, British Columbia

Regional:          Cam Bowman and Team members – Freson Bros. Hinton Valley, Hinton, Alberta

Small Surface

Gold:                 Urban Fare – Mount Royal Team – Urban Fare – Mount Royal, Calgary, Alberta

Silver:               Joe Greco, Anthony Greco, Rina Virgilio and Michael Abballe – Greco’s Fresh Markets – Oak Ridges, Richmond Hill, Ontario

Bronze:             Rebecca Stowe and Team – Belbin’s Grocery, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador

Regional:          Nesters Market – Kelowna Airport Team- Nesters Market – Kelowna Airport, Kelowna, British Columbia

SPECIALTY STORE

David C. Parsons Award of Excellence in Specialty Food Retailing (Gold): Will & Ingrid Willemsen, Tracy Morrow, and the Impassioned Team – Sunripe – Sarnia, Sarnia, Ontario                  

Silver:  Market By Longo’s – Imperial Plaza Team – Market By Longo’s – Imperial Plaza, Toronto, Ontario

Bronze:  Brad McMullen, Christy McMullen and Robert McMullen – Summerhill Market – Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario

Arnold Rands Heritage Award Winner: Wayne, Harmina, Peter and Kathy Richmond – 49^th Parallel Grocery Ladysmith, Ladysmith, British Columbia

Hall of Fame: James Inglis, Doug Nakano & Team – Blind Bay Village Grocer Ltd, Blind Bay, British Columbia

Platinum Achievement (10 years):

Sydney-Anne Porter, Eric Lapointe, Greg Lapointe, AG Valley Foods, Invermere, British Columbia

James Inglis, Doug Nakano & Team, Blind Bay Village Grocer Ltd., Blind Bay, British Columbia

Buy-Low Foods – Oliver and Team, Buy-Low Foods – Oliver, Oliver, British Columbia

Longo’s – Milton Team, Longo’s – Milton, Milton, Ontario

 Rob Kerr, Rob Howie and Team, Quality Foods Courtenay, Courtenay, British Columbia

 Jim and Vicki Bexis, Peter and Augusta Vacirtzoglou, Sun Valley Supermarket Inc., Scarborough, Ontario