2016 Grocer of the Year winners announced

The annual Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Awards, presented Tuesday night, showcased the best and brightest independent grocers Canada has to offer.

The awards program was the grand finale of 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.

The Arnold Rands Heritage Award, which is given to the year’s best privately-owned multi-generational store, was given to Val-David, Que.-based L. Dufresne & Fils, a Metro store. To be awarded, owners must have been in the same family for at least two generations and in the same community for 35 years.

Two stores were inducted into CFIG’s Hall of Fame: Hamilton's IGA (Panoka, Alta.) and Metro Plouffe de Sherbrooke (Sherbrooke, Que.)

For the full list of award winners click HERE.

National Gold Award for Top Independent Grocer of the Year:

Longo’s – Woodbridge, Woodbridge, Ont. (Large Surface)

Longo’s – Bayview, Toronto (Medium Surface)

Pape Market Foodland, Toronto (Small Surface)

Yummy Market, Maple, Ont. (Specialty Category; David C. Parsons Award)

Master Merchandiser 2016 Gold Winners:

Dessureault Independent, Orleans, Ont. (Gold Large Surface)

Quality Foods Waterside Square, Parksville, B.C. (Gold Medium Surface)

Sun Valley Supermarket Inc., Toronto (Gold Small Surface)

Heritage Award – Arnold Rand’s Award

L. Dufresne & Fils Ltee, Val-David, Que.

Platinum Achievement Awards

• Askew's Foods, Armstrong, B.C.

• Choices Markets at the Crest, Burnaby, B.C.

• Freson Bros. Hinton Hill, Hinton Hill, Alta.

• The Market on Millstream, Victoria

• The Market on Yates, Victoria

• Western Foods—Langford, Victoria

• Western Foods—Sooke, Sooke, B.C.

• Metro Plouffe de Sherbrooke (boul. Bourque), Sherbrooke, Que.

• Metro Plouffe Sherbrooke (rue King Est), Sherbrooke, Que.

Regional Awards: Small Surface Category

• AG Valley Foods, Invermere, B.C. (B.C./Yukon)

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

• Harold's Family Foods, Prince Albert, Sask. (Sask., Man., North Western Ontario)

• Pape Market Foodland, Toronto (South/Central Ontario)

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

• Colemans Food Centre—Caribou Road, Corner Brook, Nfld. (Atlantic Canada)

Regional Awards: Medium Surface Category

• Nesters Market, Squamish, B.C. (B.C./Yukon)

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

• Battistelli's Your Independent Grocer, Lively, Ont. (Sask./Manitoba/North Western Ontario)

• Longo's - Bayview, Toronto (South/Central Ontario)

• Sharpe's Food, Campbellford, Ont. (Eastern Ontario/Quebec)

• Powell's Supermarket, Bay Roberts, Nfld. (Atlantic Canada)

Regional Awards: Large Surface Category

• Save-On-Foods - Park & Tilford, North Vancouver, B.C. (B.C./Yukon region)

• Save-On-Foods - Stoneycreek, Fort McMurray, Alta. (Alberta/NWT/Nunavut)

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

• Longo's - Woodbridge, Woodbridge, 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)