Sobeys launches Compliments seafood brand
Sobeys has launched a line of Atlantic Canadian seafood under its Compliments brand, bringing provincially sourced and named products to its banners nationwide.
The line-up is made up of Compliments Newfoundland and Labrador Wild Cold Water Shrimp; Newfoundland and Labrador Snow Crab Clusters; New Brunswick Wild Lobster Claws; and Nova Scotia Wild Sea Scallops.
Stacie Sopinka, vice-president of Own Brands for Sobeys, says the launch is a reflection of growing consumer demand for homegrown and clear sourcing.
"Canadians are looking for transparency around where items are sourced—that’s increasingly becoming a priority," she says. "Depending on the type of product, they want to know if it’s Canadian, provincial or hyper-regional."
"That was the motivation for this program," she adds. "Starting with seafood was intuitive, given Sobeys’ long history in the Atlantic region and our ability to provide a national program with a provincial call-out."
Finding suppliers who could meet the demand for a national rollout was a challenge. Sopinka says the team worked closely with partners along the Atlantic coast to ensure consistent volume, while building flexibility into the program to adjust sourcing, as catch sizes vary year to year.
“These four products were about a year and a half to two years in development,” she adds. “A good part of that time was really landing on the scope of what would be in the program and what wouldn’t. We have a long list of 200 to 300 potential products that could be added in the future, but provincial sourcing limits how quickly we can expand.”
The new line focuses on single-ingredient seafood with minimal processing, part of what Sobeys internally refers to as “Compliments from the Land and Sea.”
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Packaging features retro design elements, like sketch-style illustrations and a vintage Compliments logo, signaling craftsmanship and quality. “The attention to detail in designing the products is everything,” Sopinka says.
Advertising isn’t supporting the launch; instead, the line relies on flyers and shelf presence to catch shoppers’ attention. “It really does stand out in the bunkers,” Sopinka says. “We also didn’t want to price it out of the market by making it super premium. We want the products to be part of Canadians’ everyday basket.”
The rollout spans Sobeys’ national banners: Atlantic Canada (Foodland, Sobeys), Ontario (Foodland, Sobeys, FreshCo), Quebec (IGA), and Western Canada (IGA, Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods).
In stores for about two months now, early sales data indicates strong support from retailers and trial by customers.
“Out of the gates, it’s overperforming what we thought it would do,” Sopinka says. She added that rising prices for other proteins, like beef, is shifting shoppers toward seafood. “There’s also a health element; people are looking for new recipes. The Newfoundland and Labrador Snow Crab Clusters are great on their own, and Newfoundland and Labrador Wild Cold Water Shrimp works in a variety of dishes.”
Sustainability is a core part of the program.
“All the products are wild-caught and MSC-certified,” Sopinka says, referring to the Marine Stewardship Council, a non-profit that sets global standards for sustainable fishing. “It’s a wonderful time to be a Canadian and working at Sobeys. Programs like this really reflect feedback from our stores, communities and customers.”
