Save-On-Foods enters Calgary with first of three stores

Calgary's southeast Seton neighbourhood will officially celebrate the grand opening of the Save-On-Foods on Oct. 19–the first of three stores Overwaitea Food Group is opening in the city over the next few months.

OWFG had a small store in Calgary some 13 years ago very briefly, said Julie Dickson Olmstead, the company's director of communications. But she said this new opening signals its entry to the market.

The 42,600-sq.-ft. Seton store's pièce de résistance is its new Save-On-Foods Kitchen that offers up plenty of mealtime ideas for time-pressed customers.

GALLERY: Tour the new Save-On-Foods Calgary (Seton)

There's a 16-hour slow smoked brisket, a fire roasted stove oven pizza and gourmet sandwiches made to order. Save-On-Foods has also taken a bit of the South up North, with its authentic southern barbecue. There's even a cowboy sushi in the sushi section, featuring meat.

Pizzas feature Napoli style crust that is slow-risen over seven days before it's put into the store's stone hearth oven.

In the meat department, personalization is key with in-store butchers offering special cuts and gourmet marinating. Store manager, Carl Ryan said, "Simply put, we aim to be the best shopping experience in town." There's also homemade gourmet sausages in the department and prime grade 100% Alberta beef.

For those with a sweet tooth, the bakery offers homemade fudge, and a chocolate melting station where shoppers can watch brownies and cakes being dipped in rich, melted chocolate. Breads are made fresh in-store daily, and they, along with rolls, cakes and pastry are made with Western Canadian milled flour.

Throughout the store there's a big emphasis on local products. Along with Alberta beef from High River, there's local pork, lamb and poultry.

The produce department has local fresh prepared fruit and vegetables from local growers such as Bassano, and tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers from Red Hat Co-Operative in Red Cliff, Alta.

In the cheese and deli department, there's mozzarella and ricotta from Calgary's own Alberta Cheese Company, goat cheese from Noble Meadow and smoked meat from Nossacks Meats in Red Deer.

For gluten-free baked goods, there are breads, cupcakes and cookies by Calgary's Lakeview Bakery.

Next Saturday OWFG opens a second Save-On-Foods store in Panorama Hills in northwest Calgary, and on Nov. 9 it opens its third store in the southern community of Walden.