wg jan/feb 05 - part 1 - western...

RETURN UNDELIVERED TO MERCURY PUBLICATIONS LTD., 1313 BORDER STREET, UNIT 16, WINNIPEG MB R3H 0X4 CPM SALES AGREEMENT #40062509

MAY/JUNE 2017

Visit us online!www.fontainesante.com

Organic Sorbet

Voted winner in the snack category by

consumers.

Voted winner in the dessert category by

consumers.

THE MOST AWARDED

THE MOST COLOURFUL ORGANIC HUMMUS

SÉLECTION

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THEBRING ON

MAKE YOURSALES SIZZLETHIS SUMMER!

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Gold Standard Display Maps to Ensure Strong In-Store Success profi ling all priority brands More show stopping POS tools in 2017 to increase points of disruption in store!

DEPEND ON KRAFT HEINZ TO BRING EXCITEMENTIN-STORE AND BUILD CORNERSTONESUMMER DISPLAYS!

CONTACT YOUR KRAFT HEINZ SALES REPRESENTATIVE FOR MORE INFORMATION

21 Outstanding Grocery Products of 2016 – Canadian Grand Prix Finalists Just Announced.

27 Keeping Cool!Refrigeration efficiency and thoughtful design add up to big savings for grocers.

31 Everyone’s Best FriendPet care products offer real growth opportunities for grocers with the right product offerings.

33 Cutting Your LossesSmart security

35 Innovative Eats Help B.C.’s Grocers Food processors and B.C. retailers need to work together to enhance sales,meet consumer demands and stand out.

39 Making Sales IrresistibleConsumers still crave their cookies and crackers, but they want to enjoy their treats minus a little of the guilt.

43 Stamp of ApprovalKosher certification reaches new levels of retail penetration.

45 Everyone Likes it HotBold flavours, ethnic options and clean ingredients are trending in the spice aisle.

WWW.WESTERNGROCER.COM 5

On Our Cover

Publisher & Editor, Frank Yeo; Associate Publisher & National Account Manager, Robin Bradley; Western Account Manager, Melanie Bayluk; Editor/Editorial Production Coordinator: Nicole Sherwood; AdvertisingProduction Manager, Marsha Coombe; Creative Manager, Sarra Burton; Circulation Department e-mail: [email protected]; Advertising Consultants: David Bastable, Sheilah Davila, Loren Fox,Elaine Dufault, Edna Saito. Publisher: Western Grocer Magazine is published bi-monthly by Mercury Publications Limited Head Office: 1313 Border Street, Unit 16, Winnipeg, MB R2H 0X4 Tel: (204) 954-2085Fax: (204) 954-2057 www.mercury.mb.ca • e-mail: [email protected] Associated Publications: C-Store Canada Magazine, Commerce & Industry Magazine, Western Hotelier, Western Restaurant News, Health &Wellness Retailer, Western Food Processor and Bar & Beverage Business. Circulation: Western Grocer Magazine serves the grocery and allied non-food industries. Readership includes distributors, brokers,manufacturers, wholesalers, independent grocers, food processors, bakeries, supermarkets, convenience stores, principal food service outlets, food researchers and consultants, government, voluntary groupsand co-ops in the four Western Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Northern Canada and the Northwest Ontario area. Subscription Rates: $45.00 for one year, $63.00 fortwo years, $93.00 for three years; $5.00 for single copy, plus 7% GST. Canadian rates only. Advertising: Deadline is 25th of the first month. Editorial: The contents of this publication may not be reproduced inwhole or in part without written consent of publisher. Photo credits not given unless requested in writing along with photo submission.

Publication Mail Agreement No: 40062509. ISSN# 0705-906X. Return Undeliverable Canadian addresses to Circulation Dept. at 1313 Border Street, Unit 16, Winnipeg MB R3H 0X4 e-mail: [email protected] Printed in Canada

15 Produce Dominates!Powerhouse produce departmentscan still be further – and easily - improved.

Cover Photography: shutterstock.com

Departments

In this Issue

MAY/JUNE 2017 • VOLUME 103 , NO.2

Serving Western Canadians for 100 Years

27

21

456 Market Update8 Calendar of Events48 In the Bag50 Category Management

We have all heard of how Amazon is tinkering withalternative — some may say disruptive — businessmodels to get a bigger slice of the grocery pie. Althoughthere have been technical glitches in the rollout of their“Just Walk Out” technology featured in the Amazon Gopilot stores, which allows customers to simply enter thestore, take what they require and have it billed to theirAmazon account without lineups, the company is continuing its investment inthis and other technologies they believe will transform the grocery business.

The principal focus of their efforts has been on automation. The company hasalready made its first deliveries by drone and is looking at “robot vans” that woulddeliver online grocery orders without any labour component. Right now, 80 percent of grocery delivery costs are attributed to labour expenses and wages.

They are also talking about developing combined grocery/warehouse storeswhere the orders for non-perishables are placed via a touch screen and are pickedby robots from a second-floor warehouse.

Automation is seen as the way for the online retailer to quickly scale up its groceryoperations where there is obviously much frustration because of lacklustre results.AmazonFresh, for example, has grown very slowly, expanding to just over a dozenmarkets in the span of 10 years. While Amazon Prime Now offers grocery delivery inmany U.S. metropolitan markets, (as do other innovations like Prime Pantry, dashbuttons and the snacks-and-savories service Wickedly Prime) the take up has beenvery slow. Overall, just 10 per cent of users turn to Amazon for their grocery shoppingin an overall market where only two per cent of consumers use online grocery shopping.

By offering free delivery on fresh products with automated warehouse anddelivery capabilities, Amazon could possibly convert many of the 80 million Primemembers it currently has.

The investment needed to develop and install this technology may be beyondthe capability of many traditional grocery retailers and this is where Amazon— with its significant cash hoardes — has a distinct advantage.

Frank Yeo,Publisher & Editor

Disruptive Automation?

publisher’s perspective

Robin Bradley

Associate Publisher &National Account Manager

[email protected]

Melanie Bayluk

Western Account Manager

[email protected]

39

4 WWW.WESTERNGROCER.COM

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market update

WWW.WESTERNGROCER.COM 76 WWW.WESTERNGROCER.COM

Aurora National Food Sponsor for ItalianHeritage Month

Aurora Importing has announced the company is the national presenting food sponsorfor Italian Heritage Month this June. With the help of Executive Chef, Christian Pritchard,an assortment of recipes ideal for backyard entertaining have been assembled. Visitauroraimporting.com to download the recipe booklet. Some of the recipes feature thefollowing products:

Basso Extra Virgin Olive Oil: From branch to bottle –it doesn’t get more authentic than this. A top-qualityproduct made from carefully selected Italian oils fromSouth Italy - Puglia and Calabria. Basso Extra VirginOlive Oil is a product of Italy with a fruity, fresh andbalanced taste with a bitter and spicy medium intensityand persistent taste enriched by pleasant vegetalnotes. Dress Basso Extra Virgin Olive Oil on a refresh-ing panzanella recipe.

Balsamic Barbeque: For the true balsamic lover, Deni-gris provides the world with Balsamic Barbeque saucemade with genuine Italian balsamic vinegar of Modena.This balsamic barbeque is 100 per cent natural withoutthe addition of artificial colour, artificial flavours, and isgluten free. A perfect spread for a barbecue porkchops recipe.

Loacker Fondente: With no colouring, preservatives orhydrogenated fats, these dark chocolate coated wafers

with eight per cent dark chocolate cream filling are pure goodness. The LoackerChocolat Fondente will immediately win over gourmets and anyone with a sweet tooth!Try Loacker Fondente in a delicious Zucotto recipe.

Discovery Organics Wins AwardsDiscovery Organics was the winner of two awards at the

Fairtrade Canada awards held in Halifax, Nova Scotia inFebruary 2017. The company won 2016 Trader of the Year,and Randy Hooper, managing director, won the 2016 All Staraward, for several years of commitment in helping small pro-

ducer groups become Fair Tradecertified and proving a marketfor their products. Discovery Organicshas a year-round supply of Fairtradecertified banana, avocado and grapefruit, and typically hasmore than 20 skus of organic fair trade certified producefrom the Global South. Growers and co-operatives that

work with Discovery have shared in over $750,000 in Fairtrade premiums during thepast several years and communities have benefited from health, education and infra-structure improvements from the premiums.

Berg Chilling Systems acquires IndustrialRefrigeration Systems

Two leading Canadian refrigeration companies have joined together to offer a compre-hensive range of industrial refrigeration services that includes Ammonia and HFC-basedsolutions. The acquisition of Industrial Refrigeration Systems Limited (IRSL) by Berg Chill-ing Systems combines the skills and expertise of the two companies, and will now providecustomers with a one-stop shop for all their refrigeration equipment and service needsregardless of refrigerant type.

Combined, Berg and IRSL have a complete service offering unique to the industry— featuring both natural and HFC-based refrigerants — and can respond to customer needson a 24/7 basis, anywhere in the world a plane can fly.

“We are very pleased with the positive response we have received since acquiring Indus-trial Refrigeration Systems in December, 2016,” says Berg Chilling Systems President DonBerggren. “Based on this very positive response we are confident that the combined strengths of our two companies represent a powerfuland much welcomed offering in the marketplace. The bottom line is, with the expertise to manufacture and service both natural and HFC-based refrigeration systems, companies now need only make one call for parts and service for any of their chillers.”

Catelli Pastaand Canada Turn 150In 2017

This year, Catelli Pasta and Canadaturn 150 years young together.

They share a birthday, a passion forfood and an understanding that likethis country, Canadian families haveevolved. The definition of ‘family’ haschanged. Blended, single-parent andmultiethnic families are part of Cana-da’s modern mosaic and familiesextend beyond traditional relatives. ForCanadians today, family means the peo-ple they trust, support, love, and wantto spend time with. For 150 years,Catelli has been inspired by watchingCanadian families come together.

The best memories are often sharedover good food. That’s why Catellitalked to Canadians coast-to-coast to

discover what influences their foodchoices and how they want to reunite.

With Canada turning 150, more thanhalf of families across Canada are moremotivated to celebrate with friends andfamily this year. When making a mealfor a family get-together, slightly morethan one third of Canadians (35 percent) seek a dish that is ‘guaranteeddelicious’ followed by a ‘tried and true’recipe (33 per cent).

This key insight from Catelli’s studyinspired the Catelli 150th AnniversaryRecipe Collection: a round-up of 12delicious, Canadian-based recipesthat families can make at home. Cre-ated by the Catelli family network ofchefs, foodies, and wellness experts,these recipes empower everyone toshare their love of good food (andgood pasta), with their family andfriends during Canada’s milestoneanniversary year.

Everyone DeservesGood Water PBC Launches GoodWater ToEmpower Consumers

Imagine knowing that every time youbuy water, you’re providing the same vol-ume of water to a community in need.Pacific Bottleworks Company (PBC), anemerging leader in the healthy beverageindustry, has partnered with Christopher’sSpring in Harrison Mills to launch GoodWa-ter — a local B.C. water brand that hasalready made a big difference.

“We believe clean water should be a basichuman right. When a consumer purchasesGoodWater, the same volume of fresh, cleandrinking water is provided to a community inneed,” says Erik Silden of PBC.

GoodWater has partnered with ACTS, aVancouver-based chari-ty, to construct tapstands that flow waterto villages in Uganda.Their gravity-fed tapstand technology pro-vides clean water fromnearby sources to fami-lies that previously hadto walk hours each dayto col lect standingwater for basic needs.Local villagers are alsotrained on maintenanceand repair of these sus-tainable water systems.

“This creative part-nership enables con-sumers here to literally

transform lives on the other side of theworld through their purchases, making ahuge positive impact for years to come,”says Jeff Golby, director of resource devel-opment at ACTS. GoodWater is launchingnow at retailers across Canada. Learn more at drinkgoodwater.ca.

(L-R) Berg Chilling Systems President DonBerggren and IRSL General Manager Don Bayley.

market update


eventscalendar

May 23-25, 2017Sweets & SnacksExpoMcCormick Place Chicago, IL, USAFor more info: www.sweetsandsnacks.com

June 4-6, 2017IDDBA 17Anaheim, CA, USAFor more info: www.iddba.org

June 8, 2017FoodProWestWestin Bayshore, Vancouver, BCFor more info: www.bcfpa.ca/foodprowest

June 21, 2017Security Canada WestRiver Rock Casino ResortRichmond, British ColumbiaFor more info: securitycanadaexpo.com

October 18-19, 2017Security Canada CentralToronto Congress CentreToronto, ONFor more info: securitycanadaexpo.com

October 23-24, 2017Grocery InnovationsCanadaToronto Congress Centre – North BuildingToronto, ONFor more info: https://cfig.ca

September 16-17, 2017CHFA EastMetro Toronto Convention Centre, South BuildingToronto, ONFor more info: www.chfa.ca

Aurora Appoints Mills Paul Mills has been appointed by Aurora Importing

& Distributing as a key account manager responsiblefor the UGI group, LCL market division as well asWestern Canada.

Mills started his career with Boyle Midway in 1984in Toronto as a retail merchandiser. In 1995, he tooka career path change and went to work for WMDunne & Associates Ltd, as an account manager. InDecember 2006, he was hired as a vice-president ofnational accounts with Phoenix Brands. In May 2010, he was hired as the director of retail sales forCKF Inc. where he served in this capacity until November of 2016.

Tesco Goes Greenerand Significantly Cuts itsEnergy Bill

Academics at Loughborough University havehelped Tesco reduce its carbon footprint and saveon its energy bill by proposing alterations to theworking practices of its store staff.

The four-year project explored the UK business’senergy usage and efficiency through data evaluation,as well as one-on-one interviews with workers andmanagers, focus groups, and observations across hun-dreds of the company’s UK store metering network.

The research shows how goal-driven incentivesfor each worker coupled to careful job design canbring about radical reductions in energy use in theretail environment.

“As the UK’s largest retailer, Tesco had alreadysignificantly invested in technological innovationsin-store to save energy,” said Prof Dainty, the leadresearcher.

“We systematically examined the ways in whichenergy was consumed in the stores and proposed andtrialed a series of interventions to support suchchange.

“These included goal setting, job redesign,improvements to energy visibility via improvedsmart metering displays, and various incentivestructures, all of which were designed to comple-ment and be sympathetic to the design of theirretail environment.”

Prof Olga Tregaskis, of UEA’s Norwich BusinessSchool, said: “Aligning training and performance man-agement human resource processes with how jobs aredesigned can be a powerful lever in delivering signifi-cant organisational performance outcomes.

“Human resource practices and jobs design canhelp organisations deliver not only on performanceefficiencies but also wider societal wellbeing out-comes, in this case energy reduction.

“Giving employees the authority to use theirexpertise and rewarding them for this can yield sig-nificant positives for firms in terms of their eco-nomic and societal impacts.”

Between 2010 and 2014, the Loughborough teamworked with Tesco to amend the job descriptionsand working practices for every in-store role.

A series of changes were gradually implementedacross a range of test stores with a control groupbeing used to allow the effects of the measures tobe understood.

The outcome was a saving of £4 million in thefirst year that the new responsibilities were put inplace.


innovation, originality and (use) benefit. Educational workshops both in the morning conference and

afternoons on the trade floor were filled with information ongrowing specific category sales and how to tackle issues such asfood waste and e-commerce/Amazon.

There were also plenty of networking and business opportunitiesover the two-day show with the annual kickoff reception at theSteamworks where retailers and manufacturers enjoyed a pinttogether. There was also a mix and mingle event on the tradefloor Monday followed by a dinner at the Summit View room atthe convention centre.


Western Canada’s largest grocery exhibition and conference, the Grocery & Special-ty Food West (GSFW), returned for the 28th year to the Vancouver ConventionCentre (East) on March 20 and 21 for day one of its two-day conference and exhi-

bition program. This year’s show, one of the largest yet, opened the door for the future, and illustrated

how important this industry is to Canadians.As an industry that impacts every household’s day-to-day decisions, the grocery show

attracts more than 2,200 grocery thought-leaders and more than 165 exhibitors whoconvene for discussions about innovations, trends and how the future of the groceryindustry are expected to impact habits in the years to come.

In addition to keynote sessions from consumer marketing and industry experts suchas Tony Chapman of Chapman Reactions and Carman Allison of Nielsen on topics ofconsumption power and trends, the GSFW included a Top 10 Most Innovative Productjudging session that featured local food experts who anonymously evaluated a series ofproducts from the New Product Showcase, based on criteria including: packaging, overall

post-show review

FUTURE FORWARDGrocery & Specialty Food West Offers thePresent and Future of the Grocery Industry


Save the date for next year’s event that will take place April 23 and 24, 2018 at the new venue, Vancouver Convention Centre West Building.

www.GSFShow.com

Don’t miss the Toronto show this fall, Grocery Innovations Canada, October 23 and 24, 2017

www.GroceryInnovations.com

Winners of Top 10 MostInnovative Products in 2017 (listed in no particular order):

Oasis Hydrafruit & Oasis Infusion (A Lassonde Inc.)First low-calorie fruit beverage made from springwater with no added sweeteners.

Flavoured Caramel (Bad Duck Caramel)

Assorted Nut Oils (Bosa Foods)From pistachio to hazelnut and walnut, there’s an oilfor every recipe.

Egg Creations (Brunbrae Farms)Simply shake, pour and heat. Six flavours to choosefrom for every meal.

Freeze-Dried Pet Products (Canature Processing)Light-weight. Maximized nutrition for your pet withno artificial additives.

Assorted Artisan Cheese Dips (Chef Pieter Inc.)Made locally using the finest and freshest ingredients,organic when possible.

Sahara Delights (Rivale International)Freshly steamed dates made into an assortment ofproducts like date spreads and date vinegar.

Gourmet Jams & Unique Spicy Jellies (Saunders Family Farm)Tastes like how grandma used to make jellies and jams.

Ethical Bean Compostable Pods (EthicalBean Coffee; Distributed by Tree of Life)Zero waste, 100 per cent compostable.

Shelf Buddy (Brencar)A portable, magnetic game-changing stand for grocery store shelves.

DCI Sets New Directions - Q&A with Marc Fortin1. Can you briefly describe how DCI has operated in the past, itsinitial raison d’être and what value it brought to members?

DCI was created to regroup independent food retailers or chains(convenience and grocery) to provide them a competitive edge ver-sus major chains and corporate groups. DCI provide the opportuni-ty for all of these independents or small chains to remain competitive and participate innational volume rebate scales for which individually they would are not capable to reach.It also provided an opportunity to exchange on best business practices across the country.

2.With new management, how will the focus or mandate change?In the last few decades, our industry has been through a multitude of changes and

consolidation at retail, wholesale and manufacturing. DCI has remained the samethroughout these decades and now needs to evolve to remain relevant and becomeindispensable to independent retailers. Our focus will change to address opportunitiesand challenges that affect independent retailers and ensure we build win-win relation-ships between retailers and suppliers.

3.How do you plan to accomplish these changes?WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON THE FOLLOWING FOUR PILLARS:i. Defining who our members will be in the future and build the proper approach torecruit them. Our members will be independent retailers selling food may they be in theconvenience & gas, grocery, natural foods or pharmacy industries.ii. Build awareness of DCI through more and targeted communications, stronger pres-ence in the industry, powerful events and better programs.iii. Negotiate regional agreements to be more relevant to our regional shareholders(West, Quebec, Atlantic).iv. Invest in technologies to facilitate the contact and selling opportunities between ourshareholders (retailers) and partners (wholesalers and manufacturers).

What will this potentially mean for independents?This will mean more structure, more strength, more profitability and more relevance

to the industry. It also means that as a group all channels will have a chance to build astronger future and better relationships with supply partners.


Never has the time been better for pro-duce departments across Canada to bethe primary source of interest for shoppers.

Ron Lemaire, president of the CanadianProduce Marketing Association (CPMA), notesthat “Out west, there is aperfect storm of health-conscious shoppers, acultural mosaic with Asiandominance, as well asseniors and millennials— all of which accountfor produce departmentsachieving 25-26 per cent ofa total grocery store’srevenue. This is four per centhigher than the rest of thecountry, and with a smallerfootprint than the nationalaverage of 19 per cent ofthe total store’s footprint.”

CPMA research has identified four keyinfluences that drive produce sales. “The firstand foremost is price, followed by quality,then freshness, then local, and finally organicofferings,” says Lemaire.

The CPMA’s portrait of the producedepartment as a retail powerhouse is sharedby produce providers. “While a traditionalgrocery format typically has some departmentsthat operate on thin margins, it’s usually upto the produce department to provide strongprofits for the store,” notes Jacob Shafer,senior marketing & communications specialist

for Mann Packing, aleading provider ofinnovative, prewashed,and ready to use freshveggies. “Some wouldargue it’s the mostimportant section ingrocery.”

Shafer agrees thathealth is propellingmore and more people

PRODUCE DEPARMENT

By Robin Brunet

Ron Lemaire,president of the CanadianProduce Marketing Association.

photo courtesy: shutterstock.com


into the produce department, and thatincludes shoppers whose concern for theirown well-being compels them to buyorganic. “We see the growth of organicsin recent years as a key indicator for whatconsumers want moving forward, and thatis why we have focused on expanding ourline of organic products like the organicversion of Mann’s Broccoli Cole Slaw, whichjust celebrated its 25th anniversary atretail,” he says.

Lemaire explains why his associationchose organics as the last of the four

influences that prompt people to filltheir baskets in the produce section.“Organics continue to grow, and pricesare approaching those of their non-organiccounterparts — but with shoppers mainlyconcerned about staying within budgets,so-called `regular’ produce tends to beselected instead.”

What, then, is driving the growth inorganics in 2017? Randy Hooper, co-founderof Discovery Organics (an independentlyowned Canadian distributor of certifiedorganic and fair trade produce), says, “Thereality is that the growth is driven byclever retailers reacting to consumerdemand and seeing that organics is not aniche market. Any trend seen in the non-organic produce industry is usuallyduplicated in the organic sector; the moveto increased sales of food grown within anorganic production scheme is not a trend,but a lifestyle choice consumers make.”

Not surprisingly, produce departmentsare a magnet for trends, many of themdriven by health concerns and originatingin the U.S. The `purple’ craze is the latestexample: mention `purple’ to any healthconscious shopper in California, and theywill wax lyrical about the benefits ofpurple cauliflower, purple sweet potato,purple carrots, Treviso, radicchio, andeggplant varieties. Purple is now commonly

discussed in Canadian health food outlets,and the migration to mainstream grocerystores is underway.

Shafer identifies another trend retailersshould capitalize on. “Consumers arelooking for quick meal and snack optionsthat are priced right and convenient,

which is why we recentlyintroduced a line ofinnovative snacking traysthat a re idea l fo rconsumers who are on-the-go.” He is referringto Mann’s SnackingFavorites Vegetable Trays,which include VeggieRanch, Veggies 4 Kidz,Cheddar Trail, VeggieHummus, Organic Veggies,Cheddar Pretzel, andHoney Turkey Cheddar.

Jim Grabowski, directorof marketing for California-based Well PictBerries, (which sells up to 26 million traysof both organic and conventional lines ofberries to retailers in the U.S. and Canadaannually), is another food supplier whoviews produce as the most important partof any grocery store. “And in theory, it’s nosecret how to maintain a successful one:sight and touch of the merchandise reels incustomers, and freshness — which goes

hand in hand with great taste — bringsthem back.

“Unfortunately, basic practices can beoverlooked. For example, ever sincestrawberries were first put into clamshellboxes, they’ve been treated as cannedgoods. I’ve seen some grocery staff stacknew clamshells on top of old ones withoutany attempt at rotation.”

“Organics continue to grow, and prices are approaching those of their non-organiccounterparts.”

Randy Hooper, co-founder of Discovery Organics.

Well-Pict Berries notes that sight and touchof the merchandise reels in customers, andfreshness — which goes hand in hand withgreat taste — brings them back.

“AND IN THEORY, IT’S NO SECRET HOW TO MAINTAIN A SUCCESSFUL PRODUCE DEPARMENT: SIGHT AND TOUCH OF THE MERCHANDISE REELS IN CUSTOMERS, AND FRESHNESS – WHICH GOES HAND IN HAND WITH GREAT TASTE – BRINGS THEM BACK.”


As far as Alison Kellogg, brand managerfor Litehouse Foods, is concerned, anotherelement contributing to the “perfect storm”of the produce department is the ongoingblurring of the lines between the pro-duce and deli sections.“This provides wonderfulcross-merchandisingopportunities that draw

attention to both depart-ments, with the use ofproducts such as our newline of OPA by Litehousepourables,” she says.

OPA is the industry’s firstpourable Greek yogurt-baseddressing; it and other

Litehouse dressings “provide retailers witha great opportunity to cross-merchandisewith fruit as well as vegetables,” accordingto Kellogg.

Warm meal kits are yet another wayproduce managers can enhance theirdepartments. “These value-added kits couldeasily fit in near the deli section, likeMann’s Nourish Bowls, which feature uber-trending vegetables: kohlrabi, butternutsquash, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, kale,and sugar snap peas,” says Shafer, addingthat the veggie-blend bowls “are appealingto millennials.”

While Grabowski says the gradual mergingof deli with produce doesn’t providecompanies such as his with opportunitiesper se, “the lines are also blurring betweendeli and bakery: it’s common for all threedepartments to share the same space, andit’s in bakery where our berries can bematched with other items.”

Drew Davies, retail operations coordinatorfor produce for Buy-Low Foods, offers someadvice on how retailers can make themost of their produce departments. “Inour experience, shoppers should only beaware of abundance and colour, not thefixtures or other ‘props’ — but you haveto strike a balance between abundanceand making sure not to overfill. Therefore,we use ‘dummies’ — trays — as a basefor produce displays, to make the displaysseem fuller and rounder.”

Buy-Low Foods also encourages retailers to take advantage of trends, no matter how fleeting,and make the most of their produce department.

“FRESH PRODUCE SHOULD ALSO BE ACCOMPANIED BY PLENTY OF PACKAGEDPRODUCE CHOICES, SALAD KITS, AND RE-SEALABLE SALAD KITS — IN ORDER TO APPEAL TO THOSE WHO DON’T HAVE THE TIME TO PREPARE MEALS.”

Mann’s Snacking Favorites Vegetable Traysare a line of innovative snacking trays thatare ideal for consumers who are on-the-go.

Litehouse Foods’ OPA is the industryís firstpourable Greek yogurt-based dressing.

WELLPICT.COM

As a top choice for moms, foodies, athletes and kids,our organic line is being asked for by name. Grown witheco-friendly techniques that promote sustainability,Well•Pict Berries are available all year-round.

OUR ORGANIC BERRIES ARE FLYING OFF THE SHELVES.

visit us at cpma booth #302.


Retail Council of Canada (RCC) hasrevealed the 100 finalists competingfor the coveted 2016 Canadian Grand

Prix New Product awards. These groceryproducts are the most impressive of all thenew grocery products introduced in 2016.

This year, both entrants and judgeswere from across Canada, making the 24thannual Canadian Grand Prix a truereflection of “the best of the best” fromcoast to coast. Especially strong this yearwas new participation from Western Canadathat included Save-On-Foods and FederatedCoop, and non-traditional grocers likeCostco, PetSmart and Rexall.

Becoming a Canadian Grand Prix finalistcan be a game changing experience fornew products. Finalists receive direct andextensive exposure to key retailers, theirbuyers as well as consumers eager to trythe celebrated new items getting all theattention and accolades.

To ensure products were evaluated

exclusively on quality and innovation,new to this year’s assessment was that allproducts introduced in 2016 had an equalchance of becoming finalists, regardlessof when in the year they were introducedand the size of their distribution.

“Every year the benchmark for deliveringon new product excellence increases. Thisyear it was great to see both the industry’samazing capacity to create products thatsatisfy the demands of grocery shoppersand that this innovation is being sosuccessfully realized by new product entriesfrom across the country,” said Diane J.Brisebois, president and CEO of RCC.

Regarding how new grocery products areevolving, jury chair and celebrated ChefMarcus Von Albrecht notes that this year,“The ingredient list is clearer with removalof preservatives. Manufacturers arebecoming more creative in their packagingto ensure their product is the freshest andfullest in nutrition it can be.”

To become a finalist, a product neededto score at least 70 per cent in judging.

Finalists and winners can use theCanadian Grand Prix logo on theirpackaging for two years. RCC also supportsthe awards with extensive consumer andtrade support in Canadian Retailer.

To view a complete list of finalists, visit:http://www.rccgrandprix.ca/content/2016-finalists

The winners of the 24th annual CanadianGrand Prix Awards will be announced at theGala on May 31, 2017 following the secondday of Retail Council of Canada’s StoreConference, Canada biggest retail conference.

RCC’s Grocery Division represents Canada’slargest grocery retailers, encompassing over90 per cent of all grocery sales. It is a sourceof information, advice and expertise on allmatters affecting food retail, including foodsafety and recall, labelling, nutrition, healthand wellness, product packaging, supply chainissues and environmental stewardship. ●


Davies also encourages retailers to take advantage of trends,no matter how fleeting. “It’s a good way to change things up,”he says. “Yes, we’ve acknowledged the purple trend by buildingpurple displays in a few of our stores and augmenting them withwritten information about the health benefits.”

Finally, Lemaire weighs in with his tips to retailers. “Apartfrom the basics such as ensuring quality and freshness, managersshould make sure that their staff is educated about produce— because too many consumers are not. Staff should be part ofthe displays, constantly replenishing and rotating — and thiswill drive sales, guaranteed.

“Fresh produce should also be accompanied by plenty of packagedproduce choices, salad kits, and re-sealable salad kits — in orderto appeal to those who don’t have the time to prepare meals.”

Fresh produce plays a huge role among consumers seeking tobalance nutrition with flavour; and since they’ve come to expectnew and unique flavours in grocery stores overall, producedepartment managers should take the opportunity to stock asmany types of fruit and vegetables as possible, with a pleasingblend of local, imported, and exotic offerings. This, combinedwith sharing ideas with the deli and bakery managers, will turn aperfect storm into an outright hurricane. ●

“STAFF SHOULD BE PART OF THE DISPLAYS, CONSTANTLYREPLENISHING AND ROTATING – AND THIS WILL DRIVE SALES, GUARANTEED.”


2016

®


The Canadian Grand Prix New Product Awards™recognize food, non-food and private label categories,

97 finalists in all from dairy to personal care.

Finalists Food

A. Lassonde Inc.Oasis Active

A. Lassonde Inc.Oasis Hydrafruit

Agropur Dairy CooperativeNatrel Lactose Free Butter

Agropur Dairy CooperativeNatrel Lactose Free Dairy Product

Agropur Dairy CooperativeOKA Cheese Portion Pack

Arla Foods Inc.Castello Decorated Cream

Cheese Spread

Arla Foods Inc.Arla Lactose Free Creamy

Cheese SpreadArla Foods Inc.

Castello Aged Havarti Cheese

Arla Foods Inc.Castello Tickler Extra Mature

Cheddar CheeseBonduelle AmericasVeg•e Proteins Blend

Bridor Inc.Au Pain Doré Origine Pastries

Burnbrae Farms LtdGourmet Nanny Hudson’s

Homestyle RelishBurnbrae Farms Ltd

Egg Creations ! Whole Eggs

Calbee North AmericaCalbee - Whole Cuts Flavoured

Potato ChipsCavendish FarmsRestaurant Style

Coca-Cola LimitedCoca-Cola Meals Pack 1.25L

Conagra BrandsHealthy Choice® SIMPLY Entrees

Cuisine Mallmousse Inc.Océania Solo Sauces & Mayonnaise

Direct Plus Food GroupMcSweeney’s Pep’ N Cheddies

Dumet AGCielos Crunchy Olives

Earth’s OwnSoFresh

Finica Food SpecialtiesGoat’s Milk Butter

Flow WaterFlow Water

Fontaine SantéOrganic Sorbet

Frobisher InternationalOcean Mama Organic

Sauté & Serve


Fromagerie Domaine FeodalLe petit Espresso Semi-soft Cheese

Fromagerie L’Ancêtre inc.Ivanhoe Goat Cheddar

GURU Beverage Inc.GURU - Organic Energy Water

Hain-Celestial CanadaSensible Portions™ Garden

Veggie Chips™Happy Planet

Happy Planet Soup

Happy PlanetDaily Squeeze

Lantic Inc.Lantic-Rogers Sugar + Stevia Blend

Les Plats du Chef Inc.Chicken Ramen Soup

Max + Marcus Gourmet Products Inc.

Max + Marcus Dijon Mustard

Organic Meadow inc.Organic Single Serve Shelf

Stable Milk

Parmalat CanadaBlack Diamond Natural

Cheese SticksParmalat Canada

President Spreadable Goat CheeseParmalat CanadaLactantia® Butter

Patience Fruit & Co by Fruit d’Or

Organic Artisan BlendPiller’s Fine FoodsPiller’s Salami Whips™

RivieraRiviera GMO-Free Set-Style

YogourtRiviera

Riviera Collection Parfait

SodaStream CanadaSodaStream Fizzi Sparkling

Water Maker

The Healthy Crunch Company A Division of The Whole

Living Kitchen Inc.Healthy Crunch - Organic Kale Chips

Unilever BCS Canada, Inc.Becel Margarine

Unilever BCS Canada, Inc.Breyers Gelato

Vigneault Chocolatier LtéeOrganic Chocolate 80g packaging ‘’resealable’’

Weston Bakeries LimitedCOUNTRY HARVEST™ Canadian

Rustic Bean Bread

Wrigley CanadaExcel Naturally Sweetened Gum

Finalists Non-Food

Carlton Cards Ltd.Hyper Pop-ups

Carlton Cards Ltd.Twirly Treasures

Gebr, Weyersberg Inc.- King’s Crown

King’s Crown Ultimate Beard Box

Hallmark CanadaStar Wars Light Sound and Motion Bands

InQpharm North America, LLCbmiSmart™ I-REMOVE

Weight Loss™

Kruger ProductsSpongeTowels® Ultra Strong

Sun Products CanadaSunlight 4 in 1 Powercore Pacs

Finalists Private Label

FOODCanadian Tire CorporationFRANK + Picard’s Chip NutsFRANK CookiesFRANK Canadiana Mix Popcorn

Costco WholesaleKirkland Signature Pepperoni Pizza Hand Stretched Crust 4 Pack

Federated Co-operatives LimitedCo-op Gold Buttercrunch Toffee ChocolateCo-op Gold PURE Organic Coconut Peanut ButterCo-op Gold Fruit VinegarCo-op Gold SorbettoCo-op Gold PURE Sustainable Seafood Steelhead Trout

Longo’sLongo’s Signature Chocolate Chip Cookie Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwiches

Metro Brands, g.p.Irresistibles Chocolate Granola Crisp Blueberry AlmondSmooth Peanut Butter Organics- Irresistibles 500 g.Irresitibles Mini Gelato BarsIrresistibles Ultimate Beef & Bechamel LasagnaIrresistibles Dark ChocolateIrresistibles Lobster BitesIrresistibles Candied Atlantic SalmonIrresistibles Belgian Chocolate FigurinesIrresistibles Organics Whole Grain QuinoaIrresistibles Hand Stretched Frozen PizzaIrresistibles Vegetable ChipsIrresistibles Bacon wrapped Shrimp

RexallNosh & Co. Caramel Cheddar Popcorn

Save-on-FoodsWestern Family Sauced MeatballsWestern Family WrapsWestern Family Chicken WingsWestern Family Pulse Plus Whole Grain Loaf

Sobeys Inc.Sensations by Compliments Spirited Mickie BBQ SauceCompliments Super Squeeze Real Fruit Purée and Vegetable Juice Snack

Sensations by Compliments Naturally Smoked BaconSensations by Compliments Hand-Dee-Pies

Walmart CanadaOur Finest Belgian Chocolate CollectionGreat Value Cooking SauceOur Finest Uncooked Parmesan Smokie BitesYour Fresh Market Kansas City Style BBQ14” Round Take’n Bake Pizza

NON-FOODCanadian Tire CorporationFRANK + Full Circle Program (14 Products, 3 Refills) Dust Pan & Brush Set, Bubble Up Dish Brush

FRANK + Full Circle Program (14 Products, 3 Refills) Kitchen Compost Collector & Dust Whisperer Microfiber

PetSmart CanadaOnly Natural Pet Food

MondouVetdiet Dog Biscuits



Refrigeration is the cornerstone ofany retailer selling perishable orfrozen goods.

Refrigeration systems, however, are alsosome of the biggest expenses for grocers,not to mention a considerable risk toinventory if they suddenly break down.As times change, grocery stores will needto adjust their policies regarding energyefficiency and general refrigeration upkeepto stay competitive.

So, what does the future of commercialrefrigeration hold for the supermarket sector?

“Performance and energy efficiency iswhat all major grocery refrigeration equipmentmanufacturers need to provide,” says MarkPelechaty with Lowe Mechanical Services.

“Quality comes in the form of durabilityand the reliable life the equipment canprovide,” he continues, “especially forindependent store owners that hope toget a longer life than others.”

Important questions for a retailer toask when looking at refrigerationequipment are: “How progressive is aprovider in their overall package withrespect to energy, and case design? Whatis its after sale customer support?”

“Price is not always a factor, but let’sface it, it is an important line item,” addsPelechaty.

Stuart Feere, with Arneg Canada, agreesthat retailers should consider the energyconsumption of the display fixture.

“Arneg uses a one-piece polyurethaneinjection mold to maximize the insulatingvalue of our cases,” he notes. Feere alsosays it’s important to look at the fan motorsof the units to make sure they are energyefficient. LED lighting can be a considerablesource of savings, not only on immediatepayback but service maintenance in yearsto come. Arneg offers a five year directreplacement warranty on their patenteddesign, and Feere says this will certainlyhelp lower costs.

Temperature, air flow and cleaning area few more considerations when lookingat refrigeration technology, according toCheryl Beach, with Hussman Canada Inc,

“Another consideration is merchandisingwhich includes in-case LED lighting, makingthe shopping experience easy and smoothfor the customers, and design esthetics.”

The Hussmann Insight™ is their new multi-deck platform for produce, dairy, packageddeli, meat and beverages. The Insight wasdesigned with input from food retailers so itaddresses many concerns around food quality,sustainability, retail performance and

STORE DESIGN: REFRIGERATION

By Martha Beach

Kysor/Warren has been creating solutions with customers for over 125 years. Built on a tradition of excellence, we are proud of our commercial refrigeration products, services and commitment to our customers.

Kysor/Warren creates solutions that help customers

We provide unparalleled customer service and are on the leading edge of technology in the manufacturing of refrigerated display cases and refrigeration systems.

Our core values are fundamental to our success, building relationships and creating solutions for our

apart from our competition.

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Covering British Columbiawww.adnrefrigeration.com

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CONTACT A DEALER NEAR YOU.


merchandising. Hussman offers TheAdvantaChill™ performance package, whichBeach says is the heart of Insight and bringstogether fans, air flow, coils and lighting forbetter product temperature, lower energycosts, better lighting along with easiercleaning and servicing.

Pelechaty says that reach-in doors onmedium temperature display cases arebecoming more prevalent in the industry,and are proving to be a huge means ofreducing energy expenses and carbonfootprint.

“The next step in evolving technologiesare newer refrigerants, compressor designsand capacities. Co2 as a refrigerant growsevery year that goes by, and will continueto move forward.” He also says that hybriddesigns are appearing in the market place,pointing to Kysor as a manufacturer thatis addressing these new demands.

“A great sense of what Kysor hasprovided in this category can be foundon links to their You Tube Channel throughthe Lowe’s website.” Kysor’s Co2/Ammoniadesigns offer a huge advantage to reducingsubstantial energy uses.

Being informed and having expertsupport is all important when it comes to

choosing refrigeration units and figuringout how to fit them into the store design.

“Whether it is a large chain who knowswhat they want and need or a smallerstore that has yet to get the experienceunder their belt with all of the optionsand differences in products out there,having a relationship with the refrigerationequipment provider so all things can beconsidered is key to ensuring the retaileris ahead of their competition in what andhow they refrigerate and display their

goods,” said Pelechaty.Lowe offers resources and experience

in-house as well as within KysorWarren/Heatcraft to provide store design,system design, case layout and optionsthat will meet the needs of the retailer.

“We have had extensive experience withearly developments in energy conservationin Northern Canadian environmentsthat have extremely high energy costs,”noted Pelechaty. “Providing refrigerationequipment and designs that function

Today’s refrigerated display cases make items visible and appealing while incorporating the latest technology.


reliably is number one with Lowe.” Thecompany has been installing in grocerystores from coast to coast for 30 yearsand have quality people ensuring theequipment is installed right the first time.Lowe also offers technical support 24/7,both from in-house as well as theequipment manufacturers they use.

Feere says that Arneg has a full team ofdesign engineers in the plant that can assistwith the customer’s requirements and fittingthe products into the store design.

“Arneg also has licensed refrigerationmechanics on staff as well as our vastdealer network across the country,” whichcan be a huge source of support to theretailer. They also offer CO2 cases thathave a zero-global warming potential, self-contained propane units to meet theenergy standards of the world, an all

important issue for retailers and customersalike. Arneg can reduce hydro costs onaverage by 25 per cent. When it comes topromoting and showing off the products,the new Arneg high spectrum LED lightswork well to complement the naturalcolour and look of the products displayed.

Hussman works closely with foodretailers to understand today’s industrytrends and help them identify theirtarget shoppers, according to CherylBeach. “We have specialists across manyparts of our business that can work withfood retailers on overall store design,layout and equipment selection forprepared food departments, LED anddoor upgrades for existing stores andrebate management to apply forgovernment and utility incentives”.

Beach also says that they arecontinuing to see improved colourrendering of LED lights to improve the

look of the product. Visibility can enhancethe vibrancy of product and packagingof products in the refrigerated displaycase, and in-case lighting has movedtoward application of specific LEDsproviding the best colour, clarity andintensity across each product display.

“By personalizing the shoppingexperience, retailers will increase trafficto their store, increase spending withinthe store and build their brand loyalty.”

While the value and benefits of thespecific refrigeration equipment, main-tenance support, and preventativemaintenance depends wholly on the sizeof the supermarket retailer, and the averageperformance of its refrigerators, partneringwith commercial grocery equipmentdistributors who offer the newesttechnologies along with consistent supportis a worthwhile consideration for storeowners thinking about their next steps.

As expensive as refrigeration can befor grocers, energy savings also providea healthy financial return if businessesare willing to invest in new energy-efficient appliances, and when storeowners decide to invest in commercialrefrigeration equipment, for either thefrozen foods aisle or the prepared foodsdepartment’s fresh ingredients, efficiencyshould be first priority. ●

PET CAREBy Martha Beach

Pet care products offer realgrowth opportunities for grocerswith the right product offering.

Lighting can make a huge difference in howproducts are presented.

Product facing made easy.

Pets today are more a part of the Canadian family than ever,and as a result, pet owners are increasingly interested in petfood and pet care options that address many of the same

concerns that are influencing human food trends and products. Estimates put the number of specialist pet stores in Canada at

over 2,000. This high concentration is placing intense pressureon grocery retailers, which have been challenged by lost sales inthis category to both pet specialists as well as internet retailers.These specialist retailers continue to expand and attract customerson the strength of their extensive product ranges and competentstaff, meaning grocers need to step up their game when it comesto product selection and merchandising.

According to John Milne with Canature Processing Ltd., the petisle in a grocery store typically offers foods, treats and accessoriesfor dogs, cats and other pets, and consumers are checking pet foodlabels more and more to differentiate between what is “good” andwhat is to be avoided in their pet’s food and treats.

Milne notes that nowadays, pet foods tend to be very safe andoffer nutritious meals that are enjoyable for pets, but pet treatsmay have room for improvement.

“Our grocery store pet aisles have both foods and treats, andsimilar to the advancements made in dry foods, pet treats havecome a long way towards delivering and performing healthy andnutritious rewards for our animals.”

Milne says that increasingly pet treats are following the exampleand sales velocity success of dry foods by offering products likelocally-sourced fresh ingredients, such as Fraser Valley chicken

and turkey, wild BC salmon andPrairie-raised beef and pork, anddiets that are designed andformulated without artificialcolours or preservatives.

Canature Processing, located inLangley B.C., operates Canada’slargest freeze dry technologymanufacturing facilities, producingfreeze-dried treats, functional

foods, and “toppers”, as well as freeze-dried ingredients that areadded to dry foods to create “FD plus K” diets (freeze-dried pluskibble). The company operates from five facilities that include acommercial scale R & D laboratory dedicated to pure food research,as well as practical development of both in-house brands “UBITES”and NUTRIBITES.”

The extension of healthier choices and lifestyles into pet careis a fundamental shift in consumer preference and capitalizingon this shift is an important way for grocery and mass retailersto focus on consumer demand and create shopping experiencesthat can add to overall growth and sales. ●

Everyone’s Best Friend

Cases can be arranged in unique ways.


SECURITYBy Melanie Franner

Cutting Your Losses

SMART SECURITY

The average loss in 2015 for the Cana-dian grocery industry is estimated tobe 1.4 per cent, according to Stephen

O’Keefe, a consultant with the Retail Coun-cil of Canada (RCC). That amounts to around$4.6 billion. Of that, RCC members estimate49 per cent is due to external theft.

“If we crunch the numbers, using theaverage apprehension theft value of $175,that works out to 13 million incidents ofunidentified theft,” states O’Keefe, addingthat it could represent one million peoplestealing 13 times a year — or not. “Andthat’s using the average theft value ofthose who have been caught. For all weknow, that value could be higher.”

There is no doubt that theft is an issuein the grocery industry — and one whereCanadian consumers take the hit.

“Between cleaning up inventory andshrinkage, grocery retailers often try torecoup their margins by reducing theirdiscounts,” states O’Keefe. “Consumers dosuffer the consequences.”

In for a Penny…Today’s grocery stores have evolved but

so, too, have the risks.“Security in today’s grocery retailer is

very important,” states Michael Vogler,owner, Marketing Impact Limited. “Intoday’s mass/grocery store, you can buya $200 toothbrush in the same section asa $2 toothbrush or a $4 bag of chips.These high-priced items require increasedsecurity at a store-wide level.”

Vogler speaks of the need forautomated/standalone security systems.

“For example, in today’s grocery store, afull aisle can carry 25 to 50 skus of differentrazor blades and shavers,” he explains.“When an individual item retails for $15 to$80, the total retail value on the stock issubstantial. Therefore, an in-aisle securitysystem is a prudent and wise investment.”

Grocery retailers, in particular, are at risk.“Grocery businesses typically operate

on thin margins so anything that reducesprofitability is of great concern, includinglosses due to theft,” states RavinderSangha, marketing manager, Halo MetricsInc., who adds that top items for theft inthis case include meats, cheeses, infantformula and razor blades. “As food pricesincrease, theft becomes more common.High prices are one factor that lead toincreased theft but a major one is stillorganized crime. This group deals in volume

and targets specific goods in a highlyorganized way.

O’Keefe admits that losses have beenelevated from previous years due toorganized crime. He refers, in particular,to food losses that not only cost thegrocer retailer but have the potential toharm consumers as well.

“We’re seeing a greater incidence of foodtheft that ends up in local restaurants andbars,” he explains, citing a wheel of parmesancheese as an example. “The bad guys don’tcare about the importance of cold and hot-chain management so by the time thatwheel of cheese ends up in the hands ofthe chef, it could contain a lot more bacteriathan it should have. We’ve seen some issueslike this involving theft and food safety,especially in cities like Calgary, where theeconomy has taken a downturn.”

Available OptionsGrocery retailers have a variety of

security options available to them. Butthese options are dependent upon theamount of resources available.

“Loss prevention or retail security mustbe handled from a corporate perspective,”states Sangha. “This includes hiring the



In B.C., you can’t throw a stone with-out hitting a small business owner ora grocery store employee. These two

forces can combine to benefit each othergiven the unique demands of theprovince’s consumers.

Independent food processing businesses,while perhaps small individually, aremighty in their force of bringing new,innovative and flavourful products toretailer shelves. The marketplace is packed,everyone clamoring for shelf space, butthose creating products with clean labelsfrom local ingredients and special flavoursare the grocer’s ally.

James Donaldson, CEO with the BC FoodProcessors Association notes the foodprocessing industry’s strength is itsdiversity.

“There are approximately 2,400processors in B.C. according to the BCMinistry of Agriculture,” he says. “Thoughabout 800 of those record less than $30,000per year in revenue.”

B.C food processors clocked up about 9.1per cent growth; higher than most otherCanadian regions. He adds this increase iscoming from value-added, innovativeproducts, especially those which are health-oriented and on-trend with consumerdemands for healthy, flavourful and local.

Some processors in B.C. seem to havefound the secret to reaching consumertaste buds and holding on tight. Onecompany, HapiFoods Group Inc., maker ofHoly Crap products, has certainly been alocal success story.

The company, owned by Brian and CorinMullins, received funding from the B.C.government’s Buy Local program toencourage in-store demos in B.C. retailerslike Whole Foods Market, Overwaitea, Saveon Foods, Choices Market and LondonDrugs along with smaller, independentgrocers. Close to 7,000 shoppers tried HolyCrap, taking single-store sales from fourbags a day to 25 bags a day.


right people, focusing on customer service,and using loss-prevention strategies thatsupplement existing strategies.”

Sangha is quick to add that any loss-prevention technology can be — and shouldbe — evaluated for return on investment interms of lower theft or even increased sales.

Current examples of loss-preventiontechnologies include Electronic ArticleSurveillance systems that use special labelsfor meat, cheese and other packaged foodsand Smart Response systems that providereal-time alerts. Other options includepusher systems and custom lock boxes.

“The bigger retailers have access totechnologies like articlesurveillance tags thatcan be embedded inthe merchandise,”explains O’Keefe.“There are alsocameras availablenow that have thecapability of running‘video analytics’.”

Video analytics has improved to thepoint where it can be used to determineif a customer is spending an undue amountof time in a certain area (perhaps casingthe store) or if a customer servicerepresentative is conducting financialtransactions for an “invisible” customer.

“For those independents that have noresources for full-loss prevention teams,there is no silver bullet,” states O’Keefe.“But we always recommend aggressivehospitality as the number one deterrent.”

According to O’Keefe, the majority ofthe population is inclined to considerdoing something dishonest (e.g. likespeeding) when the risk/reward is to their

advantage.“When it comes to the faceless

business we call retail, people whotypically sit on the fence will

usually cross over,” he adds.O’Keefe advises retailers

to increase the customers’fear of exposure.“If you’re speeding and you

see a police car, you slowdown,” he states. “If you treat

every customer the same way bymaking eye contact, acknowledging

and speaking to them, then their risk ofexposure becomes higher.”

Double DutyUsing loss-prevention technology can

help cut the amount of money slippingout of your back door but it needn’t beyour only answer. Good old-fashionedcustomer service may also help do thetrick. Making eye contact with yourclientele may go a long way to keepingmoney in your pocket. ●

BC FOOD REPORT

Innovative Eats Help B.C.’s Grocers

Food processorsand B.C. retailersneed to worktogether toenhance sales,meet consumerdemands andstand out.

By Ronda Payne

Marketing Impact Ltd. notes that in-aislesecurity systems are a prudent and wiseinvestment.

Halometrics notes that some of the top itemsfor theft include meats and cheeses.


Programs like Buy Local are instrumentalin helping smaller food processors withstrong products get into grocer, and thusconsumer, hands quicker and easier.

According to IAF (Investment AgricultureFoundation of BC), the number ofapplications and funding provided by theBC government’s Buy Local program rosesteadily in 2016. This represents morethan $3.2 million for 95 new projectsbenefiting the marketing activities ofcompanies in the province’s agriculture,food, beverage and seafood sectors.

“I think the big thing is that there ismore support out there to help them thanthey realize,” Donaldson notes of B.C. foodprocessors.

Carrying the next inno-vation from a local processoris an important element forB.C.’s food retailers, not onlyto keep competitive, butto push forward in anever-changing market withcompetition from all angles.It’s not just other retailers but

lesser-thought-about sellers like B.C.’spopular farmer’s markets and road-sidestands that force retailers to stay on topof what’s happening and gaining interest.

In 2016, according to Statistics Canada,the Canadian supermarket space had grossrevenues of more than $79.5 billion. Of this,B.C. is the leader in Western Canada. The2012 data from Statistics Canada indicatesB.C. makes up more than 41 per cent oftotal Western Canadian supermarket sales.

While the big retailers work to growbigger (Sobeys acquisition of CanadaSafeway in 2013 and more recently, thepurchase of 13 Quality Foods stores onVancouver Island by The Pattison Group)other players continue to carve their place

into the market share. WalMart,London Drugs and Shoppers DrugMart (while different in theirstrategies and methods) are justa few more of the less-traditionalfood retailers supermarket chainsand small food retailers alikemust keep an eye on.

The “top 3” in B.C. continueto be Sobeys/Safeway, Loblawand Overwaitea. The totalnumber of grocery stores in B.C.

are close to that of Alberta, but still (likethat neighbouring province) much higherthan that of Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Shifts in grocery store structure haven’tchanged the ups and downs in the industry.Western Canadian prices were down in2016 (when compared to 2015) by nearlythree times more than that of the rest ofthe country. The biggest category to seethe decline in prices was fresh vegetablesat a drop of 5.2 per cent. The overallprice decline in Western Canada was aboutone per cent with the national drop at .3per cent according to The Nielsen Company.

Nielsen also found that WesternCanadian grocers are seeing fewer trips to

the store by consumers. There were 668.4 million trips in 2016which is seven per cent less than in 2012.

Expansion into areas like online ordering and delivery willcreate more convenience for consumers while the foray into moreethnic lines and incorporating wine sales into the aisles areadditional ways to bring consumers (and their wallets) into stores.It remains to be seen which retailers, if any, are making distinctheadway with these strategies or if they will translate insteadinto strong customer retention plans.

Certainly, the addition of unique products from local foodprocessors are seen to make a difference, especially when thoseproducts are exclusive to just one retailer for a limited orpermanent timeframe. This is true in B.C. more so than any otherprovince because of the B.C. consumers’ demand for increasinglylocal and healthy choices, yet these options must be unique andflavourful as well.

On the local products front, it isn’t just those in the processingsector making the difference for B.C. grocers. In the seafoodcategory, Skipper Otto’s Community Supported Fishery accessedfunds through the Buy Local program to clearly brand the business

as a local supplier of seafood, different from others in themarketplace. The company’s packaging even features fishermen’sfaces and their B.C. locations.

The story of local seafood is an important one to tell consumersaccording to Skipper Otto’s Director of Operations, Chris Kantowicz.“With the right tools and training, we’ve become experts attelling the stories around our B.C. seafood products and thefishermen who catch them,” he says.

Even established companies like B.C.-based Sun-Rype productscontinue to make use of tools like the Buy Local program to growtheir bottom line as well as that of retailers. Funds received in2016 helped the company promote its 70th anniversary whichcontributed to a $200,000 increase in sales of Sun-Rype productsin Overwaitea stores in the first quarter of 2016 alone.

The B.C. grocery industry is challenging with its large numberof players, both established and non-traditional, making a playfor space in the market. By working together with savvy localfood producers and others in the food industry, grocers can helpto differentiate product lines and deliver on the demands of B.C.consumers for healthy, flavourful, unique and local products. ●

The food processing industry’s strength is its diversity notes the BCFPA.

Holy Crap products from HapiFoods Group Inc., has certainlybeen a local success story.

Skipper Otto’s Community Supported Fisheryaccessed funds through the Buy Local program to clearly brand the business as alocal supplier of seafood.


Consumers are bombarded with health informa-tion, and much of it is diet related. Whetherthe information is medically proven or a pass-

ing trend, it still influences consumer snack choic-es, or at least how much they indulge and how theyfeel about it.

The article “Expansion of U.S. cookie and cracker sectordue to healthy biscuits” (November 11, 2016,snackandbakery.com) examines how the decline in theconsumpton of high-calorie foods is causing a shift in thecookie and cracker market. A shift up, that is, for thehealthier choices.

“The U.S. cookie and cracker market (biscuits, cookies,crackers, waffles, and cake) is gaining momentum. If,from 2008-2013, its volume decreased by 4.8 per cent invalue terms (to $11.4 billion), then from 2014-2015, itexpanded in total by 11.3 per cent (reaching $12.9billion),” writer Irina Andreeva reports.

The increase is attributed to the growing popularity ofcookies and crackers perceived to be healthier. And whilehealthier choices are driving the popularity of healthiersnacks, it is also weakening demand for high-calorie products.

“These very same factors will promote growth in the

healthy cookie and cracker segment, which will developand expand, mainly due to the entry of new, smallerplayers onto the market,” writes Andreeva.

Here in Canada, the Alberta Agriculture report, “ConsumerCorner: Snacking and Mini-meal Trends in Canada: How totake a bite out of Canada’s snack food market,” says thesnack market in Canada is rife with opportunities. Thoughthe report mainly targets manufacturers, it reveals someinteresting details for grocers.

“Consumers are still demanding more from their snacks— accessibility, affordability and portability,” states thereport. It then references the huge 2014 Nielsen GlobalSurvey of Snacking, which found that the average Canadianconsumer enjoys 12 different types of snacks in a 30-dayperiod and that grocery stores remain the top destinationfor snack purchases.

COOKIES & CRACKERS

By Carolyn Camilleri


Toronto: 1-800-263-7054Montreal: 1-800-363-2606Calgary: 1-800-665-1298 Vancouver: 1-800-661-9655

www.treeoflife.ca

Also available :

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Now The World’s Finest Shortbread can be enjoyed by all!The same pure-butter taste, aroma and texture, but without the gluten.

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ingredients sourced from only the bestsuppliers, says White.

To help consumers follow a healthy,balanced, gluten-free diet, Schär has anin-house dietitian available to addresshealth concerns and answer any allergenand other nutrition-related enquiries.

As for how to maximize sales in thecookie and cracker category, Morello saysvariety is crucial.

“In fact, I would say have fewer brandsand more variety versus more brands withadded duplication of flavours,” says Morello.

White also recommends offering a wide

range of products to meet consumers’increasing and varied health concerns -and also to give consumers a reason toshop in these catagories.

“Health means different things todifferent consumers, whether it is low fat,low sugar, gluten-free, or non-GMO, andretailers are under increased pressure tooffer a broad and varied product selectionto their shoppers, despite shelf spaceremaining the same size,” says White.“Brands can help by offering items whichmeet multiple consumer demands withinthe same product.”

Secondary displays and cross-selling areother ways to boost sales.

“Off-shelf displays and cross mer-chandising with meats, cheeses, and dipsare the best way to help the shoppercreate an occasion which will, in turn,increase basket size,” says Miller.

And this approach really makes sensewith crackers and cookies.

“This is a category that respondsexceptionally well to secondary displaydue to the impulse nature of the products,”says Morello. “The pleasures that consumersseek to curb, those stress releases fromtheir everyday routine, or just to satisfythat simple craving for a sweet treat.”

Morello recommends prepacks displayersand half pallets as an ideal way for retailersto take full advantage and build theirbaskets. “As one of my old bosses used tosay ‘placing merchandise in danger ofbeing purchased.’”

And when it comes to cookies andcrackers, consumers may be able to passby once, but when they see those treatsthe second time, they are much morelikely to find them irresistible. ●


A closer look at the Nielsen survey(http://www.nielsen.com/ca/en/press-room/2014/global-snack-food-sales-reach-374-billion-annually.html) reveals globaltrends regarding “snacking with aconscience.” For roughly one-third of globalrespondents, “less is more.” Consumerswant snacks be low in sugar (34 per cent),salt (34 per cent), fat (32 per cent), andcalories (30 per cent). One-fourth of thosesurveyed want snacks that have eitherlow or no carbohydrates. “Conversely,roughly one-third are looking for beneficialingredients, rating fibre (37 per cent),protein (31 per cent), and whole grains(29 per cent) as very important attributesin the snacks they eat.”

The reality is, despite best intentions,consumers get tired of depriving themselvesof treats they love. So when cookies andcrackers carry a health halo, consumerspay attention. That’s why Market Ready,distributors of Mum Mums products, addedBrown Rice Crisps with Quiona to thepopular Hot Kid Rice Crisps line.

“Consumers have told us that wholegrains are important,” says Market ReadyConsultant Scott Miller. “All Hot Kid RiceCrisps and Want-Want Super Slim RiceCrisps are made from organic rice.”

Anthony Morello, president of AuroraImporting, says that while there is nodoubt that cookies are an indulgence andconsumers are also seeing it this way, hebelieves ingredients are the key to settlingconsumer concerns associated to health.

“Premium is a growing segment, andwe believe that is attributed to betteringredients and cleaner ingredient decks,”says Morello.

By way of example, Morello says LoackerBiscuits, which Aurora Importingdistributes, have now become the No.1wafer-based cookie globally.

“One of the major keys to their successis not price but rather natural goodnessbecause all the flavours come from naturaland not artificial sources,” says Morello.“This is extremely important to today’sconsumer and their growing concerns, asmore than ever, they are reading theingredient decks.”

Loacker has been making biscuits since1925 and is still family-owned and-operated company.

“They stand for ‘Natural Goodness’ asall flavours do come only from naturalsources,” says Morello. “They are a world-class organization that believes in quality

first and foremost, and their ability toshare global best practices with Canadianretailers should not be overlooked.”

Morello adds that, at Aurora Importing,they have great passion for the brandsthey distribute, which includes Loacker,as well as number of others, includingGrisbi Cookies from Vicenzi and everydayand seasonal favourites under their Auroraand Allessia labels.

“At Aurora, we have a strong belief thatquality is the paramount of deliveringgreat value,” says Morello.

Morello says two product-growth areasare sugar-free and gluten-free.

“We continue to see great growth withour Le Venizianne line of gluten-freecookies and bread sticks from Italy,” saysMorello. “They are the No.1 gluten-freebrand in Italy.”

Alicia White, lead marketing at Dr. SchärUSA, says an estimated 10 to 12 per centof the population chooses to eat gluten-free for overall health benefits.

“One to two per cent suffer from celiacdisease, a medical condition requiringthose affected to follow a gluten-free dietfor life, six per cent have non-celiac glutensensitivity, whilst the remaining amountsuffer from IBS or generally claim to feelbetter when cutting out gluten,” saysWhite. “At Schär, we’ve been dedicated todeveloping delicious and nutritious,certified gluten-free foods for decades tohelp those following the diet to live a fulland balanced life.”

White says, nutritionally, Schär cookieand cracker products are representativeof the nutritional values of their gluten-containing equivalent products.

“When developing new items, we do useas few allergens as possible to ensure weare meeting our consumers’ growing andvaried needs,” says White. “Our R&D teamis continuously working to improve ourexisting recipes to improve nutritional value,while preserving the high quality andunmatched taste profile of our products.”

White says Schär is the No.1 gluten-free brand in Europe and the fastestgrowing brand in the U.S. A wide varietyof high-quality Schär products are nowavailable across Canada, including breadand baked goods, cookies, and crackers.

“In May 2017, we will launch our U.S.best-selling Honeygram graham-stylecracker in Canada,” says White.

Additionally, all Schär items arepreservative-free and GMO-free with

ProductShowcaseBoosting Sales with“Natural Goodness”“We are having tremendous suc-cesses selling Loacker brand intoethnic retail because the brand isknown, recognized, and loved by

many of immigrantscoming to Canada,” saysAnthony Morello, presi-dent of Aurora Import-ing. “Loacker merchan-dising vehicles are stateof the art, fromprepacks, to stack dis-

plays, to half and full DRPs, theytruly have something for everyretail footprint, and they are notafraid to customize assortment tosuit the retailer’s needs.”

Double your SalesOpportunities“Dual merchandising, inboth the gluten-freeand mainstream cate-gory set, is the idealsolution to increasingsales as stores benefitfrom passive, impulsesales and also pre-planned sales from loyalconsumers,” says AliciaWhite, lead marketing at Dr. SchärUSA. If space is a challenge, Whitesays regular buyers of gluten-freeproducts prefer to shop a specificgluten-free set. “It makes items easi-er to find as shoppers know all itemsin the gluten-free set are ‘safe.’”

Guilt-free Whole Grains“All Hot Kid RiceCrisps and SuperSlimRice Crisps are made

with OrganicJaponica rice,the same riceused to makesushi,” says Mar-

ket Ready Consultant Scott Miller.“Look for gluten-free certificationfrom Beyond Celiac and a calloutfrom the Whole Grains Council indi-cating the grams of whole grainsper serving. For back to school andholiday entertaining, consider a 1/2pallet display of the top sellers.”

Even though they may be indulging less consumersstill find cookies and crackers irresistible.

GREAT FOOD HAS NO BORDERS.

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Generations ago, kosher food was regarded as syn-onymous with a particular culture, occupying aniche segment of urban grocery aisles at best. But

the push for safer food standards, coupled with the pub-lic’s quest for more information about where their foodcomes from, has transformed the designation.

Not only has kosher evolved beyond its cultural roots,it can’t even be thought of as pertaining to only certaintypes of foods. “About two thirds of all products in atypical grocery store are kosher certified,” says RichardWood, director of business and marketing for BC Kosher,the largest and most accepted Orthodox kosher certification

agency in Western Canada. “Kosher outsellsorganic and all-natural, and it outsells non-kosher items by 10-15 per cent.”

Bothwell Cheese is one manufacturer thatproudly bears the kosher symbol on itsproducts. “We recognized that there was agap in the market and consumer demand forkosher products was increasing,” explainsMegan Deaust, manager, product marketing.“It was hard for Canadians practising a kosherdiet to find kosher certified cheese — nevermind flavoured kosher cheese.”

Deaust agrees that kosher certifiedproducts are perceived to be “safer and higher qualitythen their non-certified counterparts. This is due to thefact that kosher certified products generally undergo ahigher level of inspection or supervision duringproduction.”

If there is any lingering misperception aboutcertification, it’s that it’s difficult and expensive toobtain. “In fact, it costs only $2,000-$3,000 per year tobe certified,” says Wood.

To which Rabbi MendyFeigelstock, who presidesover the certification processon behalf of BC Kosher, adds, “Theprocess can take as little as a week or as long as a month.”

Not surprisingly, BC Kosher is being approached by agrowing number of small- to medium-sized manufacturers.“They’re seeking certification in order to expand theirexport capabilities, because distributors are demandingit,” says Wood.

For grocers who want to further grow the koshercategory, Wood suggests that they focus on their privatelabel offerings. “Ensure that these manufacturers arecertified, and also ensure that their products bear thesymbol — because many companies get certified andthen don’t advertise the fact.”

Also, given that over 1,000 legitimate kosher symbolsare in circulation, Wood suggests that manufacturersdemand the ones most widely recognized.

Deaust remarks, “With the plethora of products andoptions available on store shelves, it’s important toensure there is adequate in-store communication, suchas point of sale materials that state availability ofkosher products, especially for categories thattraditionally do not have wide selection of kosherofferings, such as specialty cheese.”

“In addition, placement of point of sale materials out-of-section is important to drive traffic to categories thathave kosher offerings.”

It’s impossible to find any grocery in Canada whosebulk of products aren’t kosher certified; and with Asianfood manufacturers reportedly jumping on the certificationbandwagon, retailers will have even more opportunitiesto expand their offerings in the near future. ●


KOSHERS FOODS

By Robin Brunet

Kosher certificationreaches new levels ofretail penetration.

Rabbi Mendy Feigelstock

Stamp of Approval



The old saying is, “variety is the spice of life.” And nocategory is more varied than spices themselves. Whiletastes are trending towards bold, savoury flavours

there’s also the desire for global options to create internation-al-inspired meals in their own homes, meaning more kinds ofspices are being added alongside staple shaker flavours.

“Consumers are seeking spices that go beyond the traditional garlic, cinnamon, and ginger,” says Ellen Bouchard,director of Simply Organic Market, which has a current lineup of 27 bottled spices available in Western Canada. “Theyare looking to recreate and incorporate more globally-inspired meals in their own homes. Utilizing more cumin, saffron,smoked paprika, cardamom to experiment with Indian or Moroccan dishes is an example.”

Simply Organic just launched five new trending spices for the Canadian market, including Ceylon Cinnamon from SriLanka, Organic Smoked Paprika and Organic Saffron sourced from Spain, Organic Chipotle, and Organic Nutmegoriginates from Indonesia.

SPICES

By Carly Peters

Everyone Likes itHotBold flavours, ethnic optionsand clean ingredients are trending in the spice aisle


* Reg. TM/MD McCormick Canada,London Ontario, Canada N6A 4Z2

Ethnic herbs and spices are on the rise and new seasoning launchescontinue to increase, states Kristen Mynders, senior product manager forMcCormick Canada, which offers a full A-Z range of spices, including 45organic items, and unique spice blends through two major brands - ClubHouse & McCormick Gourmet.

“Canadian consumers are open to fusing different foods and flavourstogether and interested in learning about different cultures through food.This adventurous mindset has opened opportunities to try new and excitingflavours. We are seeing spices and herbs, notably coriander, cumin, ginger,turmeric and smoked paprika becoming popular pantry items and blendssuch as McCormick Gourmet Matcha Green Tea & Ginger and La GrilleBrazilian Style BBQ seasoning being embraced by consumers,” she says,adding spicy flavours continue to grow and have evolved from the love ofone-dimensional heat to layering of different flavours, plus heat (i.e. toadd a pop of contrasting flavour to Sriracha with a layer of fresh lime, atrend that was highlighted in the McCormick Flavour Forecast 2016.)

Equally as hot are seasoning blends, states Colleen Haussecker of CanadianOrganic Spice & Herb Co. Inc., which oversees the Splendor Garden line oforganic spices herbs and seasoning blends.

“The consumer loves having a large variety of seasoning blends to choosefrom,” she states, pointing to the Splendor Garden organic line which consistsof 24 different seasoning blends, 10 of which are salt free. “More and morespices and herbs are being used to replace sugar and salt. We are spicing up

our meals to add nutrients and the pungent flavours satisfy thepalette and thus we find we are satisfied while consuming morespices and herbs, which means increased nutrient consumptionand less sugar and salt.”

If it’s not already mixed together, customers are also more opento making their own blends for that perfect mix of salty and sweet.

“Experimenting with making blends (do-it-yourself) at homeis also trending. Millennials are much more open to using theirkitchens as ‘test labs’ and enjoy the experience of creating theirown blends and putting their own spin on a blend. One person’spumpkin pie blend might have more nutmeg than clove,” claimsBouchard.

The quality of the spices they blend, or use as standalone isalso becoming much more of a concern for consumers.

“Consumers want to see full ingredient disclosure on theproducts they are buying. Simply Organic has always gone aboveand beyond regulatory compliance and lists every single ingredientin each of their spices,” states Bouchard.

As interest in natural and “reaching back to basics” trendupward, purity will continue to be in the spotlight, agreesMynders. “Consumers will be interested in knowing that theirherbs, spices, or blends are high quality and in many casesorganically grown and free from adulterations and/or additives.”

Keeping spices fresh and vibrant also plays into consumers’choice of format, which needs to be as varied as the spicesthemselves. Although not considered a trend, the widely-acceptedformat for premium, organic spices is a glass bottle, statesBouchard, adding all Simply Organic branded spices come in thisformat. “Being able to see the vibrant, high quality spices inSimply Organic’s clear bottle is also a plus for shoppers.”

Another popular format is what Splendor Garden calls “less ismore” — smaller package sizes featuring high-quality productthat is fresh and pungent.

“Gone are the days of buying a huge container, consumers areincreasing their use of spices and herbs and like to be able topurchase a smaller quantity, thus being able to have a largeselection of fresh pungent spices in their spice cupboard,” saysHaussecker, adding Splendor Garden’s innovative packaging allowsthe consumer to transfer the product into a container if theywish and utilize a re-adhesive name label from the bag to put ona refillable container.

Fresh formats, bold flavours, ethnic options and cleaningredients keeping giving customers the variety they crave incooking and life. ●


Merchandising Tips:

Outside the Rack

Cross-merchandising opportunities across storedepartments have proven to be very successfulfor the spice category (i.e. temporary displayerswithin the meat and/or baking departments).

- Ellen Bouchard, director of Simply Organic Market

Just a TasteOffer retailers a sam-pling program. “Wesupply our storeswith samples of ourproducts. They canhand these samplesout to their cus-tomers giving them achance to experiencethe Splendor Gardenline of productsbefore purchasing”.

- Colleen Haussecker of Canadian Organic Spice & Herb Co. Inc.

Stop and ThinkAdd signage abovethe set to catchshopper’s attentionand guide them intothe section (inter-rupting shopperspath and breakingthe autopilot shop-ping mode). Also,aisle interrupter/shelf

blades to flag innovation, organic, on-trendproducts, and recipes to inspire shoppers.

- Kristen Mynders, senior product manager for McCormick Canada

The quality of the spices they blend, or use as standalone is also becoming much more of a concern for consumers.

“Consumers are increasing their use of spices and herbsand like to be able to purchase a smaller quantity, thus being able tohave a large selection of fresh pungent spices in their spice cupboard.”

BIRO Manufacturing Company

Marblehead, OH 43440-2099 USA419-798-4451 Fax 419-798-9106

www.birosaw.com 224RB-6-13

Vacuum Marinating Enhances Taste and Adds Value

Md. VTS-42Md. VTS-46 Md. VTS-44


WHAT’S NEW & IMPROVED IN THE GROCERY AISLE

advertisers indexArctic Refrigeration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20Arneg Canada Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Aurora Importing & Distributing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41BC Egg Marketing Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36BC Food Processors Assoc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36Biro Manufacturing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47Bosa Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7, 13Bothwell Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42Canadian Organic Spice & Herb Co. Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45Canature Processing Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31Casterland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18CFIG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Discovery Organics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20East India Company Restaurants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Elias Honey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Etalex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30Falesca Importing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IBCFontaine Sante Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Gateway Mechanical Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Hallmark Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .OBCHalo Metrics Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Heatcraft Kyso/Warren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26Hussmann Canada Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29Iceberg Cold Storage Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6Italpasta Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Kraft Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFCKruger Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25Litehouse Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Mann’s Packing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17Marketing Impact Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32McCormick Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44Meadow Valley Meats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37Rivale International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Saunders Family Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12SodaStream Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Tree of Life Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38Well Pict Berries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

48 WWW.WESTERNGROCER.COM WWW.WESTERNGROCER.COM 49

in thebag

Splendor Garden OrganicIntroduces Gluten Free Oats

Splendor Garden oatsare superior becauseevery step in their sup-ply line, from growththrough processing, ismonitored. “Havinggluten-free oats that arealso organic furtherassures customers thatour products are non-genetically modified (non-GMO)”, saysColleen Haussecker, company founder. Splendor Garden Oats areCanadian grown and processed. The company has been recog-nized for its unique efforts in healthy foods, and for its businessacumen. Canadian Organic Spice and Herb Co. was a finalist in theNew Business category for the prestigious 2015 SaskatchewanABEX (Business Excellence) Awards and won the 2015 Mark ofExcellence Award in the New Venture category.

Contact 855-700-8219 or e-mail [email protected]

There Is a New Player on The Field!

Columbia Valley Family Farms Inc.has introduced Foster’s new PickledCarrots, extending an already greatline of pickled items.

The produce is harvested daily and immedi-ately shipped from the field to the fresh pack-ing lines or to the processing plant for pickling.“Growing the raw product in our own fieldsgives us an advantage, the consumer can buyour asparagus, green beans, or carrots know-ing that it’s been processed fresh and placedinto the jar for pickling within 24 hours,” saysKevin Filbrun, president and CEO. ColumbiaValley Family Farms Inc. is nestled in the heartof Washington’s fertile Columbia Basin. Owners Kevin Filbrun andBryan Lynch have a passion for agriculture and are family-orientedbrothers who have been farming for almost three decades.

Ready To Spring Clean Your Diet?

Recognizing the importance offewer, simpler product ingredi-ents, Clover Leaf Seafoods haslaunched a reformulation of theirextensive lineup of products.Beginning in March 2017, allClover Leaf tuna in water prod-ucts will be made with only three ingredients: tuna, water and seasalt. The reformulated products contain no preservatives or addi-tives and will bear Clover Leaf All Natural branding and non-GMOproject verified seal on the cans.

Spring into Pearl Onions

Due to the increasing popularityof multicultural menu items both athome and in restaurants, ThomasFresh is now including white and redpearl onions in their selection ofbranded pre-packed onions. Whenadded to a dish, red pearl onions makeit come alive with aromatic under-tones. Small and gem like, these rubyred onions retain their subtle flavour andtender texture in all styles of cooking. Asource of Vitamin C, fibre and potassium,red pearl onions are perfect for adding deep colourto your festive dishes! Buy fresh and blanche to create a crispysalad. When used raw, white pearl onions add a visual punch tosalads and salsa. But the real magic takes place when they’recooked: A light sauté or slow roast, mellows their subtle flavoursand coaxes out their natural sweetness. Small and firm, these sil-ver white onions retain their mild, delicate, flavour during cook-ing. A source of Vitamin C, fibre and potassium, they’re perfectfor soups, stews and casseroles.

Mann Packing Introduces Single-Cut Leaf Line to Canada

Mann Packing has introduced the compa-ny’s new leaf lettuce line to Canadian markets.Previously under the Simply Singles banner,the new Single Cut line includes BetterRomaine, Better Green Leaf, Better Red Leaf,and the company’s proprietary Better BurgerLeaf lettuces. The new labels for each of thesingle-cut whole leaf products bear the Mann’slogo, are similar in design, and use colour todifferentiate each variety. Mann’s value-addedlettuces are ideal for cross-promotions andmulti-location merchandising. The line can be merchandised directlynext to other leafy greens, premium leaf and whole head lettucesets, a refrigerated end-cap, or free standing refrigerated island forhigher visibility. “We’re thrilled to offer our single-cut leaf line toCanadian customers,” said Gina Nucci, director of corporate market-ing. “Responding to consumers’ demand for fresh options, this linewas developed to deliver variety, value and the quality Mann’s isknown for. We are excited and optimistic to introduce these prod-ucts, and look forward to an enthusiastic consumer reaction.”

Not just a pretzel, a Pressel!

A new healthy snack called PRESSELS has hit the market.PRESSELS answer consumers’needs with healthy ingredients.

They are non-GMO with up to 80 per centless fat than regular potato chips. There areno trans fats and the product is baked notfried. All this with a great taste as well. Fourgreat skus to choose from; Original, Sesame,Everything and Sriracha. Available throughStar Marketing.

New On-The-Go Meat Snack from Mcsweeney’s

McSweeney’s Premium Jerky & Meat Snackshas introduced L’il Peps, a new snack-as-you-gopepperoni offering.

Packaged in 150 gram portioned re-sealable pouches, these on-the-go snacks require no refrigeration and are perfect for busylifestyles. McSweeney’s L’il Peps come in Original or Honey Garlicflavour, are high in protein, naturally smoked and gluten free. Thisnew addition will be available across Canada starting February 2017.“Meat snack consumers want snacks that are portable, taste greatand offer the protein to keep them going until their next meal;McSweeney’s L’il Peps fit the bill, one pouch contains as much as 37gof protein,” says Kylie Landry, McSweeney’s brand manager.“McSweeney’s goal is to offer our consumers choice within the meatsnack section. These new bite size pepperoni sticks are ideal forsharing and easy to consume when on the go. With portable itemsincreasing in market share and a trend towards protein-rich and sat-isfying snacking, McSweeney’s L’il Peps are certain to satisfy.”McSweeney’s L’il Peps come packaged in retail ready boxes with eachindividual pouch being peggable for added merchandising flexibility.

Califia Farms Brings Top-SellingAlmond Beverages and Cold BrewCoffees to Canadian Market

Califia Farms announced that its popular almond beverages and coldbrew coffees are now available in Canada. Califia Farms’ award-winningalmond beverages are known for their delicious flavour and creamytexture. Unlike other almond beverages, Califia crafts its almondbeverages from whole blanched, not roasted, California almonds, anartisanal process that makes them creamier and more delicious.

Big Mac, Filet-O-Fish, andMcChicken Sauces Soon Available in Canada

This spring McDonald’s Big Mac, Filet-O-Fishand McChicken sauces will be landing on grocery shelves from coast-to-coast.

With this launch, Canadians will now be able to experience theworld-famous sauces they love at home. This is part of a continuedcommitment to giving Canadians more ways to enjoy McDonald’s.

Solo Introduces New Flavours

Solo Nutrition has launched two new flavours: WhiteChocolate Cherry and Peanut Caramel Sea Salt.

All bars are slow release carbohydrates for longer lasting energy.Low GI, high in protein, fibre and gluten free.

1 2 11:50

category management


We’re searching for better ways to tapinto shopper insights data to addressthe “why” in category management -

in other words, why did they buy or not buy-ulti-mately driving shopper satisfaction and ouroverall business results. As the shopper path topurchase becomes more complex, so does theanalytic pathway that we need to follow tounderstand the shopper. Linear thinking thathas worked for us in the past to complete cate-gory reviews, assortment and planograms won’thelp us as we move through massive amountsof more granular data, shopper insights andnew data sources in this quest for shopper sat-isfaction. This linear way of thinking creates abarrier to more strategic decision makingbecause the path to analytics isn’t a straightline, but one that zigs and zags based on whatthe data says. The key? Critical thinking, whichallows us to analyze and evaluate information toobtain the greatest amount of knowledge fromit. It provides the best chance of making the cor-rect decision, and minimizes damages if a mis-take does occur because you’ve thought theimplications of your decisions through.

The opportunity? Build your decision mak-ing and problem solving skills to become amore critical thinker to find connectionsbetween seemingly unrelated thoughts (e.g. dif-ferent data sources & perspectives, i.e. shop-per) and then present it in a clear and simpleway (through fact-based storytelling).

What is Linear versus Nonlinear Thinking?Critical thinking is defined as “the process of

conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing,and evaluating information to reach an answeror conclusion (Dictionary.com’s 21st CenturyLexicon). Think of it as being disciplined think-ing that is clear, rational, open-minded, andinformed by evidence or facts.

Are you a Linear or Non-Linear Thinker?

Linear / Vertical Thinkers:

• Your thoughts tend to form a line — onethought leads to the next, and to the next,

and so on. The thought process is easy tounderstand; conclusions are logically soundbut not necessarily profound (think of muchof the work that is done behind shelvingand assortment, where it’s process drivenand very tactical).• Stereotypical Examples: analysts, scien-tists, accountants

Non-Linear / Lateral Thinkers:

• You tend to not line up the premises in anormal step-by-step fashion, or youapproach a problem in a different order.Your thoughts lead to conclusions thatmay not have otherwise been evident andare more profound and insightful.• Stereotypical Examples: artists, design-ers, creative types

You don’t have to be either a linear or nonlinearthinker — many of us fall somewhere in the middle.

Here’s a simple (and very unscientific) chal-lenge to test your own nonlinear thinking skills.The answers are at the bottom of this post.

1. If you were alone in a deserted house at night, and there was an oil lamp, a candle and firewood and you only haveone match, which would you light first?

2. What can you put in a wooden box thatwould make it lighter? The more of themyou put in the lighter it becomes, yet thebox stays empty.

3. Which side of a cat contains the most hair?

4. The 60th and 62nd British Prime Ministers of the UK had the same motherand father, but were not brothers. How do you account for this?

I recently polled 150 students on what type ofthinker they were in a critical thinking education-al webinar, and the results were astounding.

Only two per cent of primarily category man-agement practitioners that were polled deemedthemselves to be a nonlinear or mostly nonlinearthinkers! Based on this, I believe that teaching

critical thinking is one of the biggest skill devel-opment opportunity areas in our industry.

Requirements for Critical ThinkingTo build your critical thinking skills, you need

to step out of your comfort zone and look atproblems and information from a different per-spective. Let yourself go into those areas thatmake you feel less comfortable and stretch yourthinking. This will open your doors to new waysof thinking and tackling the work that you do.

1. Distinguish between facts and your ownassumptions — often we tend to jump toconclusions or explain the unexplainable.If a number can’t be explained, don’t tryto explain it. This usually represents anarea that you need to drill into moredeeply to find the “why” (possibly usingshopper insights).

2. Look for missing information — checkto see if any premises or vital informationis missing — maybe some of those shop-per insights or different perspectivesfrom alternate data sources. A key pointto remember is that no conclusions canbe made without premises.

3. Expect and initiate change — moving tomore critical thinking will help you adaptto change, ensuring your survival in anever changing environment.

4 Steps to Critical Thinking1. Ask the right questions.2. Organize your data.3. Evaluate the information.4. Draw conclusions.

When we develop presentations that followthe critical thinking framework, we create sound,objective, and logical arguments that persuadeour audience. Using critical thinking skills willensure that we have a meaningful conversationwith our business partners. This way of thinkingrequires that we don’t simply accept the argu-ments and conclusions that we are presentedwith but rather have an attitude involving exam-ining and questioning the arguments and conclu-sions to identify the optimum course of action.

Answers to Questions:1. The Match2. Holes (or light)3. The Outside4. He’s the same guy

MOVING TO CRITICAL THINKINGA necessary next step for ultimate shopper satisfaction.

Sue Nicholls is the founder of “Category Management Knowledge Group”, an online, accredited category management training company. She can be reached at [email protected].

By Sue Nicholls

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