2015 Grocer of the Year winners announced

The 53rd annual Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Awards, presented Tuesday night, proved to be an evening of recognition and milestones.

The awards program capped off the two-day Grocery Innovations Canada conference, which took place Monday and Tuesday at the Toronto Congress Centre.

The CFIG Awards Program recognizes the success of outstanding independent retailers and offers insights into innovations changing the way retailers compete. Each store is visited by a retail management expert who evaluates competing stores based on retailing excellence and innovation, store team performance, customer service, space utilization, freshness and cleanliness.

The awards were presented in front of a gala audience of 500 leading grocers, suppliers and distributors.

The Arnold Rands Heritage Award, which is given to the year's best privately-owned multi-generational store, was given to Panoka, Alta.-based Hamilton's IGA. To be awarded, owners must have been in the same family for at least two generations and in the same community for 35 years.

Five grocers were inducted into CFIG's Hall of Fame, including Central Butte Fine Foods (Central Butte, Sask.), Choices Markets White Rock (South Surrey, B.C.), Masstown Market (Masstown, N.S.), Quality Foods (Campbell River, B.C.) and Sunripe (London, Ont.).

L&M Food Markets was recognized for its 50 years in business, while Alberta's Freson Bros. celebrated its 60th year in business.

B.C.-based Overwaitea Food Group celebrated an impressive 100 years in business.

Here are other winners from the Grocer of the Year Awards:

Heritage Award – Arnold Rand’s Award

Hamilton’s IGA, Panoka, Alta.



Platinum Achievement Awards

• Central Butte Fine Foods, Central Butte, Sask.

• Choices Markets White Rock, South Surrey, B.C.

• IGA Bouchard, Sherbrooke, Que.

• Market Street Vulcan, Vulcan, Alta.

• Nesters Market, Summerland, B.C.

• Quality Foods, Campbell River, B.C.

• Sunripe, London, Ont.

• Valu-Plus Foods, Keremeos, B.C.



Regional Awards: Small Surface Category

• Pepper’s Foods, Victoria, B.C. (B.C./Yukon region)

• Freson Bros. Manning, Manning, Alta. (Alberta/NWT/Nunavut)

• South Hill Fine Foods, Moose Jaw, Sask. (Saskatchewan/Manitoba/northern Ontario)

• Concord Food Centre, Thornhill, Ont. (South-central Ontario)

• Lakefiled Foodland, Lakefield, Ont. (Eastern Ontario/Quebec)

• Powell’s Supermarket, Harbour Grace, N.L. (Atlantic Canada)

Regional Awards: Medium Surface Category

• The Market on Millstream, Victoria, B.C. (B.C./Yukon region)

• Freson Bros. Barrhead, Barrhead, Alta. (Alberta/NWT/Nunavut)

• Battistelli’s Independent Grocer, Lively, Ont. (Saskatchewan/Manitoba/northern Ontario)

• Longo’s Fairview, Burlington, Ont. (South-central Ontario)

• IGA Bouchard, Sherbrooke, Que. (Eastern Ontario/Quebec)

• Powell’s Supermarket, Bay Roberts, N.L. (Atlantic Canada)

Regional Awards: Large Surface Category

• Country Grocer (Bowen Rd.), Nanaimo, B.C. (B.C./Yukon region)

• Save-On-Foods–Seton, Calgary, Alta. (Alberta/NWT/Nunavut)

• Winkel’s Your Independent Grocer, Espanola, Ont. (Saskatchewan/Manitoba/northern Ontario)

• Longo Brothers – North Oakville, Oakville, Ont. (South-central Ontario)

• Metro Plouffe de Sherbrooke (Boul. Bourque), Sherbrooke, Que. (Eastern Ontario/Quebec)

• Colemans At The Gardens, Corner Brook, N.L. (Atlantic Canada)

For the full list of award winners click HERE.