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MARCH/APRIL 2020

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26 Rise & ShineRebranded OK Frozen Dough celebrates 25 years of serving in-store bakeries.

33 Birds of a FeatherChicken Farmers of Canada has been reducing their environmental footprint for decades.

35 Big Data Is Making a Big DifferenceLeading grocers are racing to find ways to use data to gain a competitive edge.

37 BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2020

40 Bring On Barbecue Season!New products to put some extra sizzle in your sales.

69 What is the Future of Self-Checkout?As more self-checkout machines are being deployed, newer technologies may make them a thing of the past.

71 Quenching ThirstTrends in taste, health and hydration.

75 Indulgent DelightsStrategic planning maximizes the opportunities for frozen novelties and ice cream.

81 From Field to TableSaskatchewan food industry growing strong.

On Our Cover

56 Wasteful ThinkingSustainability is on everyone’s radar – from consumers to retailers to suppliers.

Cover Photography: shutterstock.com

Departments

In this Issue

MARCH/APRIL 2020 • VOLUME 106 , NO.2

Serving Western Canadians for 100 Years

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406 Market Update

16 Calendar of Events

51 Retail Collaboration

53 Social Media Insights

87 In the Bag

With the worrisome headwinds of online grocerslike Amazon eroding the traditional market share ofbrick and mortar retailers and the need today to makesignificant investments in technology and physicalstores just to keep pace, independent grocers should rightfully feel the jitters.

But despite these challenges, the independent sector has shown incredibleresilience and strength according to the 2019 edition of the annual IndependentGrocers Financial Survey, a joint study between the Canadian Federation ofIndependent Grocers (CFIG) and FMS Solutions.

The study shows that over 2018, 62.2 per cent of independent retailersimproved same-store sales growth, in addition to 16.2 per cent holding theirground. This resulted in a same-store sales gain of +2.1 per cent, before inflationadjustments. A little more than four in every 10 dollars were generated byperimeter departments, including produce, meat, and deli. The most significantmargin improvements occurred in grocery, frozen foods and deli. Rising expenses,however, offset any increase in same-store sales and margin improvementleaving net profit before taxes unchanged at 1.5 per cent of sales.

The study also looked at the impact of minimum wage increases. No less than62.5 per cent saw upwards pressure on their labour costs, which reached astudy high of 14.8 per cent of sales. Independents focused on expense reductionsin other areas to help offset at least some of the increases in labour costs.

But the pressure is mounting on independents to make additional investmentsparticularly in e-commerce with fewer than 40 per cent now offering e-com-merce and just 12.9 per cent planning on adding online ordering in the next year.

Those that do make the investments, whether in technology or physicalstore, seem to be reaping the benefit. Those that have focused on fresh,particularly meat and produce, along with strong margin and expensemanagement, are the clear profit leaders averaging 5.4 per cent net profits.

Progressive independents would do well to attend the upcoming CFIG Groceryand Specialty Foods West trade show and conference this April in Vancouverwhere the latest innovations will be on showcase. These are the type of forumsthat will help the sector continue to thrive in a very tough environment.

Independent GrocersShow Strength in Face of Tough Market

publisher’s perspective

Robin Bradley

Associate Publisher &National Account Manager

[email protected]

Melanie Bayluk

Western Account Manager

[email protected]

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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

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Frank Yeo, Publisher & Editor

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market update

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DFC Breaking Down Misconceptions Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) has launched the latest evolution of its powerful Dairy

Farming Forward campaign, which breaks down myths and misconceptions around dairyfarming by highlighting the industry’s commitments to innovation, sustainability and animalcare in producing high-quality Canadian milk.

Created with agency of record DDB Canada as part of DFC’s 2020 marketing strategy,Dairy Farming Forward  targets a broad range of Canadians with a focus on millennialsand generation-Z consumers. It leverages the same creative approach as the original ver-sion of the campaignwhich aired in July2019, using snapshotsof real dairy farmersto showcase the hardwork, dedication andentrepreneurial spirittheir work demands.

In so doing, thecampaign illustratesthe industry’s com-mitment to environ-

mental stewardship andsocially responsible prac-tices in producing qualityCanadian milk.

“Like its predecessor,the latest edition of DairyFarming Forward  empha-sizes the forward-thinkingva lues and pract i cesembodied by farmers in

producing high-quality Canadian milk,” said Pamela Nalewajek, vice-president, marketing, DFC.“It breaks down misconceptions by showcasing farmers’ commitments around the key pillarsof innovation, sustainability and animal care, and reminds consumers that these are the samecore values reflected in high-quality milk and dairy products marked with our Blue Cow logo.”

ANNUAL HALALCONSUMERINSIGHTS STUDYfrom Nourish FoodMarketing ShowsShift in GroceryStore Preference

Nourish Food Marketing, Canada’sonly full-service marketing agencyworking exclusively with food, bever-age, and agricultural clients, is now onyear six of the annual halal shopperstudy. The study surveyed over 1,000principal grocery shoppers acrossCanada to gain insights within the halalconsumer market.

This year’s study shows a shift in whereshoppers are heading to do their house-hold shopping. Specifically, in Ontario,where the majority of this segmentresides, Costco tops the list and is up3.4 per cent from the previous yearwhile No Frills is number two and is upby 5.5 per cent from 2018.

“Each year we run this study and eachyear we can correlate the efforts beingmade in the community with the studyresults we see,” says Salima Jivraj, headof Nourish Multicultural and the founderof Halal Foodie. “While we see the shiftin which grocery stores consumers areshopping, we also continue to see con-sumer expectations rise.”

Up from 57 per cent in 2018, this year’sstudy reported that 64 per cent ofrespondents do not believe grocery foodchains are doing a good job meetingtheir needs while 68 per cent feel thesame way about major food companies.These ratings have worsened over time,continuing to drop further each year.

The Canadian halal market is one ofthe fastest-growing populations in thecountry. Statistics Canada data estimatesthat Canada’s Muslim population willreach 1.4 million and projects that itwill exceed the size of the Chineseethnic market by 2021. (As projectedby Stats Canada via alternativereligious mobility)

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market update

Brandseed Appoints Holly McKeonHolly McKeon joined BrandSeed Marketing Inc. on Monday, Feb-

ruary 3rd, 2020, in the position of key account manager EasternCanada based in Toronto. McKeon brings vast knowledge and expe-rience from the manufacture side as business development manag-er, Canadian Springs, Canadian sales manager, Castor & Pollux. Shealso owned and operated a luxury pet retail boutique, Spot & Pawsin Toronto. Her sales experience includes calling on accounts across Canada Whole FoodsEast/West, Choices Market’s, Longo’s, as well as Independents across Canada.

Puratos Marks its Centenary2020 marks the 100th birthday of bakery, patisserie and

chocolate leader Puratos. A milestone that will be celebrated byits 9,500 employees across the 70 countries where the groupis present. To honour its century-long commitment to innova-tion, Puratos will launch three new innovation centres acrossthree continents in 2020. To continue its international expan-sion and engagement with emerging markets, Puratos also

signed two new joint ventures in Kenya & Ethiopia in January. The group looks forwardto the next 100 years with a strong commitment to you and future generations, as wellas a continued focus on innovation, health and well-being.

Rachelle BéryOpens in RenovatedWinnipeg Safeway

As part of its growing health and wellnessdestination, the newly revamped SafewayRiver Ave, Winnipeg store will include aRachelle Béry boutique. A first for Manitoba,and only the third location to open outsideof Quebec, Rachelle Béry is the ideal desti-nation for customers who seek natural andorganic health and wellness products andsolutions. Available products range fromclean beauty to skincare, aromatherapy andsports nutrition products, as well as supple-ments and vitamins. Many of these productsare natural, paraben-free, cruelty-free, eco-

responsible, made from organic ingredientsand proudly sourced in Canada.    

Of note, we are proud to share that oneof the product lines carried at the new bou-tique is made and produced by Manitobacompany, Pure Anada. Pure Anada is aclean cosmetic brand, formulated andhandcrafted in a certified lab on the Cana-dian Prairies. Boasting a wide selection ofproducts, it offers natural makeup andskincare for all skin types and personali-ties. Pure Anada takes pride in sourcingingredients from nature and is proud thatits items are fairly traded and crueltyfree.  With more than 70 products availableat your local Rachelle Béry boutique, thereis surely something for everyone.

Holly McKeon

Discovery Organics AppointsStefan Misse President

Misse will leverage more than 15 years of experience withinDiscovery to lead the company’s business in Vancouver and acrossWestern Canada, focusing on bringing a high level of communica-tion, service and quality to customers while maintaining andstrengthening grower and vendor relations. Throughout his career,Misse has held leadership roles in sales, warehouse operations andmost recently as senior purchasing manager. Discovery Organicsis an independently owned Canadian distributor of Certified

Organic and Fair Trade produce.

Great Little Box Company Named one of BC’sTop Employers for 2020

Great Little Box Company Ltd. (GLBC) has beenrecognized as one of BC’s Top Employers for the15th time. This annual competition organized bythe editors of Canada’s Top 100 employers has selected GLBC as one of the companies tobe recognized for this coveted award.  This special designation recognizes the BritishColumbia Employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work.“Great Little Box Company is honoured to be considered one of BC’s Top Employers. Wehave always believed our success is attributed to the amazing employees on our team,”said Christine Tindall, vice-president, human resources of Great Little Box Company.

Stefan Misse

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market update

New Cocoa Beans Processor and ChocolateIngredients Supplier Opens in Mission

The owner of a new chocolate manufacturer called Emkao Foodshas chosen the District of Mission as its headquarters to producehigh quality, affordable organic cocoa products to Canadian cus-tomers. “We chose Mission because it is in the heart of the FraserValley growing area and is very supportive to local business star-tups,” says CEO Ayissi Nyemba. Ayissi is both a woman entrepre-neur and a recent immigrant to Canada who is passionate about

producing organic and direct-trade products that are both kind to the planet and fair toAfrican cocoa bean growers. Emkao is unique in that it sources all its cocoa beans from itsown family farm in Cameroon. This allows it to have full control over product quality and toprovide long-term growing contracts to its farmers so they have a secure source of income.“We want to be the most sustainable and ethical cocoa beans processor and chocolate ingre-dients supplier in Canada,” says Ayissi. Fortunately, demand for fair trade organic cocoa isgrowing strongly as consumers become more aware of and concerned about where theirfood comes from. “As evidence, we already have orders for our chocolate ingredients.”

Silver Hills Names Food IndustryVeteran, Robert Isabella,Chief Supply Chain Officer

Silver Hills, the parent company behind better-for-you-brands Sil-ver Hills Bakery and Little Northern Bakehouse, has announcedRobert Isabella as chief supply chain officer. A 16-year veteran of Weston Foods, Isabellabegan at the company as a transport manager, culminating in his appointment of director oftransportation. In 2008, he became vice-president of Logistics Quebec, honing his skills inlogistics and manufacturing and eventually rising to vice-president of Manufacturing Canadain 2018, wherein he was responsible for 11 manufacturing facilities across the country.

London Drugs andFresh Street MarketOpens in EmergingVancouver “Beach District”

London Drugs has opened its new loca-tion at Vancouver House at Pacific andHowe marking the first retail store openingin the ‘Beach District’; the emerging water-front neighbourhood located at the base ofthe Granville Street Bridge.

The 12,108 sq. ft. London Drugs wasdesigned to support the immediate needsof the neighbourhood. It features a robustpharmacy department, parcel pick up and acurated assortment of health, beauty, tech,and convenience products.

“Our goal is to offer the products and ser-vices that our new neighbours need, want,and care about, closer to where they live andwork,” says Clint Mahlman, president andchief operating officer, London Drugs.   “Thisnew location supports our ambition to takecare of people and make their lives less com-

plicated, and we also continue our unwaver-ing commitment to make a difference in thecommunities we serve.”

London Drugs, along with Fresh St. Marketwhich opens the same day, will help form theactive retail core of the new district locatedon the north side of False Creek. Building onthe success of Granville Island, the BeachDistrict aims to extend this concept acrossthe water, to the other side of the GranvilleStreet Bridge. Home to more than 2,000people by next year, the area features walk-able pedestrian oriented streets and bikelanes with a connection to the Seawall andpublic spaces that are programmed to beactivated year-round by outdoor markets,events, festivals and celebrations.

For Fresh St. Market, this will be its fifthstore. The new concept market is openingwith an intimate sized licensed 50-seatrestaurant, the “Fork Lift Kitchen & Bar”. 

“We are proud to bring a new-conceptgrocery and restaurant experience to Van-couver that is hyper local while givingback to our local community at the sametime,” says Gary Sorensen, president. “AtFresh St. Market, with everything from ourlocal seafood, cheese, curated meats andcraft beers, we are bringing the best ofBritish Columbia to the new Beach Districtin Vancouver.”

Robert Isabella

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Empire Company Partners withDistrict Ventures to Springboard Success forLocal Food Entrepreneurs 

District Ventures, Canada’s leading eco-system focused on bringing capital, market-ing, programming and commercializationto companies in the food, beverage andhealth CPG industries, has announced aninnovative new partnership with Empire Company and its family of brands. Thenational grocer has become title sponsor of District Ventures’ Accelerator programand District Ventures Kitchen.

Through this one-of-a-kind partnership, Canadian food entrepreneurs in theDistrict Ventures Accelerator program will receive valuable support from Empire,including coaching from Local Development Managers and opportunities to bringtheir products to the grocer’s store shelves within a region or across Canada. The

new partnership with District Ventures is anatural extension of Empire’s long-stand-ing commitment to being the nationalgrocer that Canadian families can counton for local food and well-being productsthat they have come to know and love.

The partnership comes on the heels ofDistrict Ventures’ acquisition of commercial kitchen, Food Starter, from the City ofToronto in late 2019. Now operating under the name District Ventures Kitchen, the20,000 sq. ft. commercial kitchen provides local food and beverage entrepreneurswith access to a broad array of equipment and programming to help build and growtheir businesses, including production spaces, packaging facilities, and business advi-sory services. Both the District Ventures Kitchen and District Ventures Acceleratorfacilities will proudly don the Sobeys logo. 

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market update Canadian Beef TradeFrom January to December 2019 Cana-

dian beef exports were up 10 per cent involume and 17 per cent in value, despitemarket access issues to China in the sec-ond half of the year, at 438,500 tonnesvalued at $3.2 billion. Export growth was supported by a six per centincrease in domestic beef production.

Big gains were seen to Japan. Three tariff reductions underCPTPP from December through April 2019, resulted in a tariffadvantage over the United States. Exports to Japan made a new

record at 49,300 tonnes valued at $353 million, up 56 per cent involume and 68 per cent in value. This secures Japan’s spot asCanada’s second largest export destination for beef representing11.2 per cent of total beef exports.

Exports to China and Hong Kong finished the year down six percent in volume and four per cent in value, representing 6.6 per centof total beef exports. The market access disruption in the secondhalf of the year meant Canada was limited in its ability to fill theprotein void left by African Swine Fever (ASF).

Beef imports were down 14 per cent to 154,450 tonnes with sharpreductions from all major suppliers: the U.S. (-14 per cent), Australia(-31 per cent) and New Zealand (-27 per cent). International compe-tition for product is strong with some product being diverted awayfrom traditional markets to fill more lucrative opportunities.

Hellmann’s CanadaCommits to Using100 per centRecycled Plastic

Hellmann’s announced that all of itsmayonnaise jars and bottles will be madewith 100 per cent recycled plastic byMarch 2020 — a transformation projectedto save one million kilograms of virginplastic this year.

“Canadians want to do what’s right,seeking out products and brands that pri-oritize the planet,” says Gary Wade, pres-ident, Unilever Canada. “By transitioningour bottles and jars to ones made with100 per cent recycled plastic, Hellmann’sis helping make sustainable choices moreaccessible, while continuing to deliver thegreat taste Canadians know and love.”

Hellmann’s efforts will contribute toUnilever’s commitment to ensure allits plastic packaging is fully reusable,recyclable or compostable by 2025 and isone way the brand is helping to deliver onUnilever’s Sustainable Living Plan. Withan overall goal of moving towards a morecircular economy, Unilever is workingacross multiple fronts to reduce the amountof plastic it uses and invest in plastics thatare made from recycled materials.

Conagra Brands Launches NationalRecycling Program

Conagra Brands Inc., manufacturer of Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP,a popular popcorn brand, known for its real, simple ingredients haspartnered with international recycling company TerraCycle to offerconsumers across Canada a way to responsibly recycle their Angie’sBOOMCHICKAPOP and microwave popcorn packaging waste.

“We are excited to have Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP be the firstfrom our family of brands to partner with TerraCycle with bothits ready-to-eat and microwaveable products,” said Ian Roberts,vice-president and general manager at Conagra Brands. “We knowwhen consumers buy Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP they are lookingfor popcorn everyone will enjoy and we want them to have the sameexperience with its unmistakable and vibrant packaging.”

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market update

Becel Brand TransformationBecel is renewing their commitment to heart health

and plant-based eating with a complete brand trans-formation.

To accentuate Becel’s plant-based ingredients,the brand’s heart-shaped logo has been reimaginedin a bold green colour and oil droplet to signify theplant-based oils featured in Becel’s products. The new logo appears onrefreshed packaging which will soon hit shelves at major grocery retailers. 

The wider campaign promoting Becel’s relaunch spans earned, digital, television, OOH andin-store and includes a new tagline, refreshed packaging design and a large campaignthemed around Strong Hearts.

Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A., Inc.Introduces New Pineapple Tags HighlightingOngoing Sustainability Efforts

Del Monte Fresh Produce N.A., Inc., has announced the launchof a new way  to communicate its ongoing sustainability efforts.Beginning this month, each Del Monte Gold pineapple will feature anew product tag displaying one of six unique Del Monte Fresh sus-tainability facts about its programs for a better world tomorrow.These facts include statistics surrounding wildlife preservation,recycling initiatives, responsible growth and scholarship programsin local farming communities. With this new initiative, Del MonteFresh Produce intends to engage directly with its consumers, ensuringthose purchasing its pineapples and other Del Monte branded freshproducts know they are doing so from an organization committed tobuilding a sustainable future.

Lino Saputo, Jr.Recognized asCanada’sOutstandingCEO of the Yearfor 2019

Lino Saputo, Jr. has been namedCanada’s Outstanding CEO of theYear for 2019, a prestigious awardfor chief executives in Canada.Surrounded by family, friends, col-leagues, business partners andmembers of Canada’s business com-munity, Saputo was honoured at theOutstanding CEO of the Year AwardGala in Toronto, Ontario. With over32 years of service under his belt,the last 15 of which as chief execu-tive officer, Saputo shares his prideand enthusiasm for this remarkableaccomplishment with the entireSaputo organization. “It is often saidthat you are only as good as thoseyou surround yourself with. Thisrecognition is a reflection of thetruly tremendous work of a passionateand dedicated team that is commit-ted to living up to the values onwhich our company was foundedover 65 years ago,” he remarked.

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market updateevents calendarApril 15-17, 2020SIAL CanadaPalais de CongrésMontreal, QCFor more info: https://sialcanada.com

April 26-27, 2020Bakery Showcase 2020Toronto Congress CentreToronto, ONFor more info: https://baking.ca

April 27-28, 2020Grocery & Specialty Food WestVancouver Convention Centre, East BuildingVancouver, BCFor more info: https://gsfshow.com

May 19-21, 2020Sweets & Snacks ExpoMcCormick PlaceChicago, Illinois, USAFor more info: https://sweetsandsnacks.com

May 26-27, 2020Store2020Toronto Congress CentreToronto, ONFor more info: www.storeconference.ca

May 28, 2020Foodprowest 2020Sheraton Vancouver Wall CentreVancouver, BCFor more info: www.bcfpa.ca

May 31-June2, 2020IDDBA 20Indiana Convention CenterIndianapolis, IN, USAFor more info: www.iddba.org

September 10-13, 2020CHFA EastMetro Toronto Convention Centre, South BuildingToronto, ONFor more info: www.chfa.ca

Egg Farmers of Canada Named a NationalCapital Region Top Employer

Egg Farmers of Canada has been named one of theNational Capital Region’s Top Employers for the eighthconsecutive year. This award recognizes employers in theOttawa-Gatineau region and their exceptional workplaces.

“Maintaining a strong connection with our staff and encouraging collaboration across theentire organization are important drivers in our ongoing success,” says Tim Lambert, chiefexecutive officer at Egg Farmers of Canada. “We take great pride in supporting our teamthrough a holistic approach to human resource management and in maintaining a vibrantand high-preforming environment.”

New wellness seminars, an organization-wide leadership development program, volunteerand networking opportunities, unit-led lunch and learn sessions and opportunities for staffto grow their careers are among some of the reasons why Egg Farmers of Canada is a topemployer. Through these efforts, the organization has built a reputation as a leader in Cana-da’s agricultural sector and in the Ottawa community. 

The organization has a long history of adopting new, innovative ideas to make farmingmore sustainable. From initiatives that reduce their impact on the environment and empow-er the next generation of leaders to witty marketing campaigns and programs that givefarmers a voice — Egg Farmers of Canada is nurturing a bright future for egg farmers fromcoast to coast to coast. 

a

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EVENT UPDATE

Taking place each May in Chicago, the Sweets &Snacks Expo is the largest gathering of the confec-tionery and snack industries in North America. The

2020 Sweets & Snacks Expo (May 19-21) is expected tobring together more than 850 of the most innovative confec-tionery and snack companies and brands, as well as thou-sands of retailers and distributors, from the United Statesand around the world, many of which are actively lookingfor opportunities to expand their businesses internationally.

Sweets & Snacks Expo attendees gain access to hundredsof the world’s greatest candy and snack makers; morethan 25 education sessions on topics like supply chaintransparency, retail innovation and shopper trends; theshow’s pre-show Most Innovative New Product Awards

celebration; and Destination Retail, the show’s hub fornew merchandising techniques and tips. On May 18, theday before the show floor opens, international attendeesalso have the opportunity to participate in an exclusiveguided merchandising tour of popular retail stores inChicago and attend the Most Innovative New ProductAwards to see the latest U.S. merchandising methods andinnovation in action.

Attending the Sweets & Snacks Expo delivers all theglobal consumer insights, international trend previews andretail education needed to create a winning strategy forthe year ahead. ●

Attending the Sweets & Snacks Expo as an International Attendee

Visit SweetsAndSnacks.com to learn more.

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In his capacity as Small Business Ambassador toSIAL, Michael Wolfson says these small, often start-up businesses are true innovators that create a dynamicmix to SIAL.

“Product Innovation”, says Wolfson, “comes fromsmall business.”

Wolfson should know. He has helped organizesmall business pavilions at shows like RestaurantsCanada in Toronto and has been at the centre of theformation of Toronto’s Food Starter facility, now re-

named District Ventures Kitchen, whichhelps small food businesses with productdevelopment, packaging and marketing.

At SIAL he is helping to set up an“incubator alley” that is designed toassist small businesses with food buyerintroductions. “These sections havebecome a major attraction in othershows. This is the stuff buyers arelooking for.”

As proof, at the 2019 SIAL held inToronto where Wolfson set up a pavilionwith sixteen small businesses, five out

of ten finalists in the SIAL Innovation Award Programwere in the food incubator program in Toronto.

“The companies involved all had a great response.SIAL would like to replicate that in Montreal.”

Although working for the City of Toronto, Wolfsonis passionate about the food and beverage industryright across Canada. He believes Canada must utilizeits natural resources better by developing a strongerprocessing sector. “While there is a lot of funding for

the agricultural sector, food and beverage manufacturersdon’t get enough. We must invest in facilities that willhelp bring the innovation of the future. Research anddevelopment without commercialization is no good.”

And that is what SIAL hopes to accomplish withthis year’s small business pavilion — giving buyersand sellers new avenues to grow their business.

Michael Wolfson is the senior advisor food &beverage sector for the City of Toronto EconomicDevelopment and Culture Division and has createda 40-year career out of his passion for culinary artsand business. For 20 years Michael supported anddrove new product development, sales, and marketingfor several natural food manufacturers anddistributors. In his current role Wolfson championsindustry wide initiatives such as: developing exportopportunities for Ontario food processors locatedin the Toronto region, creating labour force trainingfor this sector, incubation and commercialization ofnew products, and assisting large and small foodprocessors in Toronto grow their operations. He hasparticipated on the Greater Toronto AgriculturalAction Committee, Ontario Culinary TourismSteering Committee, the Toronto Enviro-foodWorking Group, the City of Toronto Food StrategySteering Committee, the Board of the Toronto FoodBusiness Incubator and later Food Starter, theAdvisory Committee for the Toronto Local FoodProcurement Policy and an advisor for the GoldenHorseshoe Food and Farming Action Committee.He is a graduate of both York University and GeorgeBrown College. ●

EVENT UPDATE

By Frank Yeo

Business Incubation

atSIALAn Interview with Michael Wolfson, SIAL SmallBusiness Ambassador

Michael Wolfson,SIAL Small Business Ambassador

While SIAL is well known for showcasing the top food companies and products

in Canada, the show and conference is also playing a big role as a forum for

small businesses to network with buyers and other food industry professionals.

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Grocers are renowned for their hands-on involvement in beneficial commu-nity events, and this proclivity was

most evident in the pre-dawn hours of Feb-ruary 7 in James Park Elementary in PortCoquitlam, British Columbia.

There, representatives from Save-On-Foods, Sobeys, Buy-Low, and Nesters Mar-ket joined a team of school volunteers toprep breakfast on behalf of Toonies forTummies, the annual fundraising campaignorganized by The Grocery Foundation thatprovides healthy breakfasts and/or mid-morning meals to hungry school-aged chil-dren in Ontario and Western Canada.

Save-On-Foods President Darrell Jones,Buy-Low and Nester’s Market Vice-Presi-

dent retail Sam Corea, Safeway DistrictOperator Ray Mattinson, and delegatesfrom 27 sponsoring companies donnedaprons and hustled to transport breakfastfixings from a small kitchen to tables in theschool’s main hall.

Sean McKenna, executive director at TheGrocery Foundation, explained why this par-ticular Toonies for Tummies was unique, “Thisis our first time in Western Canada bringingtogether retailers for this kind of event.”

“We started Toonies for Tummies in theWest four years ago with Save-On supportingus. Then Buy-Low came onboard followed bySobeys, and this year select IGAs, Safeway,

and Thrifty Foods are undertaking in-storefundraising campaigns whereby 100 per centof the money generated by shoppers takingthe Timmy’s Challenge goes to provide mealsto kids in the community.”

The James Park breakfast generatedmedia attention for what McKenna says is aserious problem throughout Canada. “Onein five children in this country go to schoolhungry, and in some areas that number ishigher. But thanks to events such as thisand the efforts of our grocer partners, wecurrently help feed over one million chil-dren through student nutrition programs.”

As the grocery and volunteer team made

wraps, parfaits, oatmeal and other break-fast items, the first of James Park’s 150 stu-dents trickled in, and the school’s principalRob Wright observed them as they selectedtheir breakfast of choice and sat at thetables. “There are lots of reasons kids comein hungry, and we don’t question why. Ourobjective is to feed them, because in orderfor them to learn and interact to the best oftheir ability they have to eat properly.

“It’s so incredible to see retailers in ourcommunity support this objective.”

From the perspective of the retailers,coming out early to feed school kids anddraw attention to the bigger issue was ano-brainer. “We’re excited about the 2020campaign and incredibly proud of ourcollective efforts,” says Corea, pointing outthat during the 2019 campaign Buy-Lowand Nesters raised just over $54,000.

He adds, “Over the past few years we’vehelped fund many studentnutrition programs thatexperienced chronic fund-ing shortfalls, and in somecases we’ve helped pro-grams that were previous-ly on wait lists awaitingfunding. Our goal this yearis at least 10 per cent moredonations per store.”

But in the end, the real heroes of Tooniesfor Tummies are Canadian shoppers, whoby donating just $2 at the till have cumula-tively raised more than $88 million tohelp ensure that all children in elementaryand high school have access to propernutritious breakfasts, snacks and meals. ●

EVENT UPDATE

By Robin Brunet

Toonies for Tummieslaunches a uniquecampaign in British Columbia.

BREAKFAST BENEFITS

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When Philip Thornton and Kevin Fors established OKFrozen Dough in the early 1990s they were keenly awarethat of all the food manufacturing processes, dough

making was truly artisanal — even though the baking industry bynecessity was seeking fast solutions.

As small players, the partners resolved that the old fashioned attributesof quality and reliability would make their frozen products a mainstayof in-store bakeries. OK Frozen Dough flourished, and today, as itcelebrates its 25th anniversary, the company has evolved to serve twodiverse markets: big national retail chains, and customers with specializedproduct development strategies — for whom OK Frozen Doughprovides small batch runs. “Our commitment to quality is consistent

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COMPANY SPOTLIGHT

By Robin Brunet

(L-R) CEO Bruce Glaicar and Plant Manager James Godfray

Supervisor Hazel Fryzuk

Rise Shine

&Rebranded OK Frozen Doughcelebrates 25 years of serving in-storebakeries

regardless of the size of the client,” says CEO Bruce Glaicar. “Infact, a lot of our goods still go to local fruit markets and stands.”

Glaicar adds that while his production facility in Armstrong,B.C. helps fulfil that commitment the real reason for their successis the company’s 35-member staff. “It takes competent anddedicated people to make and deliver well-crafted batches ofbread and bun dough, as well as to maintain the flexibilitynecessary to satisfy our clients’ wide-ranging needs.”

OK Frozen Dough’s product offerings cover every conceivabletype of bread, bun and roll enjoyed by Canadian consumers. Itsdough is formulated for white, French, Italian, rye, sourdough,and many other breads; Portugese, White Kaiser, Calabrese, anda huge range of other buns; Vienna, White French Crusty, WholeGrain, and a diverse array of other rolls.

OK Frozen Dough sources prairie wheat from Rogers Milljust down the road, and the specialty ingredients included in thecompany’s mixes are almost as numerous as the dough types.They include potato, cheese, raisins, flax, honey, chocolate chipsand spices to name a few.

If all of this conjures images of a classic old-world bakery, theactual production in Armstrong combines modern efficiencywith the best hands-on tradition. “Our flour is brought in bytanker and we abide by small mix sizes,” says Glaicar. “Oncethe dough is mixed, divided, molded, frozen and packaged itthen goes directly into the holding freezer.”

These processes are overseen by Plant Manager James Godfrayand have been coordinated in such a way that mix sizes of as little as80 kilogram batches can easily be accommodated. Product changeovers

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routinely occur several times daily, comparedto larger dough-making companies that havemuch longer production runs.

As for distribution, the company servescustomers throughout B.C., Alberta,Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, Glaicar says,“Our products — over 100 in all — havea 90 day best-before time range, and weguarantee 60 days best-before to allour distributors. So we’re pretty much ajust-in-time operation; we don’t housemuch inventory.”

Yet another old-fashioned attribute ofOK Frozen Dough is its relationship withthe rural community of Armstrong,located in the North Okanagan over-looking the Spallumcheen Valley. Thefairly nondescript production facility sitsamid beautiful green fields and is framedby mountains and big sky. As apromotional video on the company’swebsite states, “Good things grow inB.C.’s Okanagan Valley...our standardscome from community pride. We belongto a place that is known for beautifulfood born from simple ingredients. TheOkanagan is Canada’s most abundantkitchen, and in it we make dough foramazing bread.”

The rural setting is a distinct benefit interms of helping to provide staff with agreat life/work balance. OK Frozen Doughoffers a comfortable working environmentand the location offers staff a great placeto live. As Glaicar notes, “Our facility issomething you may expect in a larger centreand not everyone thinks of us as anemployment opportunity. However, ourgrowth is creating great opportunity andwe are in a hiring mode now.”

As part of its expansion, OK FrozenDough has undertaken an update of itslogo and an upgrade of its website. “The

(Above) Left to right:Saima Akhtar,StephanieSpode, DevinDimmick, Jordan Derksen

(Right) ProductionManagerLarry Keir

(Far Right) Jordan Derksen

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Resource Planning software that manages inventory levels andhelps him and his colleagues better understand client needs.

OK Frozen Dough’s on-going goals include steadyimprovements in food safety and product formulation in additionto production efficiency. Early on the plant became a third-party audited facility, which led to the development of a formalGMP Food Safety Plan, and today the company is Safe QualityFood (SQF) certified. As for product ingredients, an unwaveringattention to consumer demands prompted a switch four yearsago to an enzyme-based conditioner for all doughs.

Glaicar, who joined the company 13 years ago as a salesmanager (he previously worked for the bakery and food servicessupply distributor Snow Cap Interior Foods who was the initialdistributor of OK Frozen Dough products), remembers Thorntonand Fors as great guys with a true entrepreneurial spirit and adedication to hard work and planning. “They were unwaveringin their conviction that frozen dough was the wave of the future,and in turn I was hugely impressed by the consistency ofproduct.” Sadly, in 2014 Fors was killed in a motorcycle accidentand Thornton sold OK Frozen Dough in 2016 to a family runcompany that is committed to long-term sustainable growth.

In 2020, OK Frozen Dough staff members are busier thanever fulfilling production runs, but Glaicar admits that thecompetition has grown. “We’re definitely fighting for shelf spacewith par baked producers and other dough manufacturers.

Fortunately, we receive great support from our suppliersand distributors, which allows us to deliver a greatproduct to customers.”

“That said, I think if grocers give bakery departments moreattention there is an opportunity to engage today’s shopper. Agood bakery with high quality products plays a huge role in theshopping experience, and a grocer can create a lot of buzz withthe racks, the baking and cooling: it’s almost like magic combinedwith a bit of theatre. Yes, it takes more work than is required inother departments to make the bakery a destination, but thanksto our products the work isn’t as intense as it used to be.Therefore, we see plenty of chances for further growth ahead.We’ll grow to whatever size is required.”

As for eventually expanding further east or even into the U.S.,Glaicar laughs. “Nothing is imminent, but our team is doing agreat job of growing our company — so I think it would beprudent for me to say ‘Never say never.’” ●

30 WWW.WESTERNGROCER.COM

new logo is just a refresh but emphasizes that ‘OK’ stands forthe Okanagan,” says Glaicar. “We’ve also modernized the logo’sappearance and altered the colour scheme.

“Plus, to clarify exactly what we do in our plant, we’veincluded videos on our website that also give viewers a distinctsense of our values and objectives.”

It could be argued that the formation of OK Frozen Dough

was ideally timed with regard to what was going on in thebaking industry. In the early 1990s, Philip Thornton, who wasthen a partner in the Bakers Dozen bakery in Vernon, and KevinFors, who was the company’s production manager, appreciatedthat retail bakeries throughout Western Canada were makingthe move from scratch to frozen dough. “A lot of scratch bakerswere reaching retirement age back then and it was tough toattract and retain new blood because the baking trade was, quiterightly, equated with night shift work,” says Glaicar.

Frozen dough was viewed as the ideal solution to continuingto offer fresh baked breads and buns while efficiently andeconomically supplying dough to the Western bakeries, as the

product took up less space for transportationand on-site storage compared to par-bakedor fully baked frozen bread products.

But Thornton and Fors knew that somedoughs were better than others and thatquality frozen dough would be required byretailers seeking to distinguish themselves from the competition.So, in 1994, they established OK Frozen Dough at a smalllocation in Vernon. A local retailer, Butcher Boys Grocery Store,is credited for being one of the company’s first customers, “andas frozen took off in Western Canada so too did OK Frozensales,” says Glaicar.

The explosive growth in frozen was predictable consideringthe many advantages of the product, including that in-storebakeries could calculate production requirement right down tothe last loaf or bun, which in turn meant better inventory controland no over baking. Glaicar notes, “Also, the doughs couldbe thawed overnight and proofed and baked in the morning— no more night shifts.”

As OK Frozen Dough expanded distribution throughout B.C.and into Alberta, Thornton and Fors relocated their business tonearby Armstrong, and in 2006 the pair made a 10,000 square footaddition to their main facility to accommodate a spiral freezer.

This was followed soon after by more expansion to increaseproduction space and holding capacity. “Ultimately a second spiralfreezer was installed, and today we’re still looking at ways to growcapacity, especially considering we still have plenty of opportunityto expand our market share throughout Western Canada,” saysGlaicar, adding that the dough making is augmented by Enterprise

Lead Mixer Brenden Locken

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No one depends more on the land,soil, and water than farmers, andthey are taking steps to ensure

that their farms are environmentally sus-tainable. For Canadian chicken farmers,sustainability means protecting animalhealth and welfare, ensuring worker andcommunity well-being, preserving thehealth of the land and of Canadian farms,and contributing to the Canadian economyby providing affordable food to Canadians.

Over the last 40 years, Canadian chickenfarmers have adopted practices on the farmto reduce environmental impact which hasresulted in a 37 per cent lower carbon

footprint, 37 per cent reduction in non-renewable energy consumption, and 45per less water consumption.

“Per kilogram of protein, the carbonfootprint of Canadian chicken is lowerthan other North American livestockcommodities,” states Lisa Bishop-Spencer,director of Brand and Communicationsfor the Chicken Farmers of Canada,which represents over 2,800 farmerswho raise chicken for sale at retail inCanada. “Canadian consumers want to

know where their food comes fromand they want to know that the workbehind producing it is environmentally,economically, and socially sustainable —chicken farmers deliver. Canadian chickenfarmers take this stewardship seriouslyand are proud of the innovation and hardwork they put in every day.”

Chicken farmers in Canada have evolvedtheir practices significantly over the lastnumber of years. Automation and inno-vation are a major part of how farmers dobusiness. For instance, farmers can checkthe temperature and humidity levels in theirbarns remotely, allowing them to makeadjustments directly from their cell phones.

In addition, farmers have a great dealmore tools available to demonstrate toconsumers that they take food safety andanimal care very seriously.

“In Canada, specifically, a unique anddeeply collaborative approach is used toaddress animal care concerns within theCanadian broiler sector. The Canadiansupply management system is the only ofits kind and, unlike other countries,mandates that farmers must be licensed togrow chicken. This allows the sector toimplement strict on-farm food safety andanimal care programs that are mandatory,enforceable, and auditable,” she says.

The organization understands somepeople choose not to eat meat. However,when those choices are being made basedon myths and misunderstandings about

the sector, from supply management, toanimal care, to the environmental issuesthat consumers care about, Bishop-Spencerstates their mandate to educate and trulyinform become more important than ever.

“Canada’s chicken farmers are committedto ongoing improvement. Our programsare reviewed and revised regularly, and wecontinue to be committed to research,” saysBishop-Spencer. “By evolving our bestpractices to align with evolving technological,sustainability, and sector improvements, wewill continue to deliver on consumerexpectations for food safety, animal care,and sustainability excellence.” ●

By Carly Peters

a

11:44 AM

Chicken Farmers of Canada has been reducingtheir environmental footprint for decades

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

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Is Making a Big Difference

BIG DATA

SCIENCE

By Frank Yeo

Strategic use of food and beverage analytics — bigdata — can make a significant difference in anindustry where profit margins typically range

between one per cent and two per cent.There are two ways grocery retailers are now using

data more effectively. Firstly, big data analytics is providing insights into

inventory levels and the popularity of different products.It can identify the most profitable products allowingyou to focus your marketing efforts on those, and toreduce stock of less profitable items or drop them entirely.

Secondly, companies are now mining customer datathrough the deployment of apps to better understandbuying patterns and better customize the buyingexperience.

In the first case, data analytics can determine howquickly promoted products leave the shelf and predictwhen they will need to be restocked, resulting in fewer

empty shelves and dissatisfied customers. Accuratelypredicting inventory levels is particularly importantwhen dealing with perishable goods and is helping toreduce food waste. By using big data analytics to closelymonitor inventory levels, it ispossible to significantly cut downon overstock without constantlyending up with bare shelves.

Sensor data is also increasinglybeing used in monitoring thetemperature of fridges and freezersacross the network of stores.Every machine is monitoredcentrally, and predictive algo-rithms are used to determine whena unit will need servicing.

In terms of using big data togain customer insight, it is

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instructive to look at what Kroger, one of the U.S.’slargest supermarket chain by revenue and store count,is doing. The company has invested billions over thepast decade on data analytics, logistics and app-development to target customers based on theirbuying and shopping habits. Recent innovationsinclude infrared sensors that monitor the number ofcustomers in a store and automatically deploycheckout clerks as the number grows. A program isalso being developed to allow store managers seehow products are selling in each aisle, usingaugmented-reality apps on their phones that showthe prices and sales figures for the products foundthere. They are testing apps for shoppers’ mobiledevices that will highlight sales based on whetherthe customer eats meat or needs help finding recipes.

Soon, the company will be rolling out shelves withsensors designed to recognize and communicate withapps on the mobile devices of certain customers. Theapps contain data about each customer’s shoppinghabits, and the shelves, in response, display bannerads customized for them. Additionally, a wirelessscanning device it calls Scan, Bag, Go will be deployedat select stores. Customers will use the device to ringup groceries as they shop, then pay for their purchasesthrough an app.

Over the next several years as the technologydevelops further, expect to see big data usage becomea standard for the entire grocery industry. ●

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BIOFACH, the World’s Leading TradeFair for Organic Food, and VIVANESS,the International Trade Fair for Naturaland Organic Personal Care, achieved recordhighs for exhibitor numbers, exhibitionspace and international attendance at thisyear’s events. A total of 3,792 exhibitorsfrom 110 countries showcased theirproducts for trade visitors in a display areaof 57,609 m2 (net area, excluding specialshows). With the trade fairs occupying twohalls more than last year, more than 47,000professional buyers from 136 countrieswere won over by the new developments,

trends and innovations from all around theworld. Making up the top five countriesby visitor attendance this year wereGermany, Austria, Italy, France and theNetherlands. And with just shy of 10,000participants, the accompanying Congressconfirmed its position as the largestinternational platform for knowledgetransfer and networking. Highlight of theopening: the inspiring keynote by Dr. JaneGoodall Dame Commander of the Orderof the British Empire (DBE).

Petra Wolf, Member of the ManagementBoard of NürnbergMesse, comments, “We

are really pleased that BIOFACH andVIVANESS once again brought togethermore than 47,000 trade visitors inNuremberg for the annual sector gatheringin 2020. That’s only eight per cent lessthan last year, in spite of the hesitation

36 WWW.WESTERNGROCER.COM

ORGANICS

Global sector gathering wows more than 47,000 trade visitors

BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2020:

• 3,792 exhibitors from 110 countries in attendance in 12 halls • Dr Jane Goodall inspires international organic sector

HOW TESCO USES BIG DATA U.K. based Tesco is on the forefront of using cutting-edge,real-time analytics and the mostup-to-date data to come to termswith evolving customer behaviour,the need to reduce food wasteand better compete.

For example, modelling trends in customer behaviour has giventhe company useful insights into not just how customers shop in eachstore, but how they shop for each product. Using this knowledge,the company can order products in the right way, making sure theywill always be in stock, while reducing waste.With 3,500 stores in the UK alone, and each store stocking an

average of 40,000 products, tracking them all just once involvesthe creation of over 100 million data points. This is where in-data-base analytics comes into play — deploying analytics technologywhere the data is stored, rather than moving the data in batches forexternal analytics based around the Hadoop framework. Hadoopis the open-source implementation of the MapReduce algorithmpioneered by Google and Yahoo and is the basis of most analyticssystems today. Hadoop is the most well-known system for big dataanalytics, but other components are required before a real analyticssystem can be put together. For Tesco, this will provide a centralised,cloud-based repository for all its data, codified in a way to make itaccessible and usable by any arm of the company.

Dr. Jane Goodall, primate researcher, environmentalactivist and UN Messenger of Peace

All photos courtesy of NürnbergMesse

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caused by the coronavirus. The chief focusin the exhibition halls was on networking,trade and interaction on topics of interestto the sector. The general atmosphere washighly positive, and the emotional highlightwas beyond doubt the extremely impressiveDr. Jane Goodall with her keynote.”

Opening Ceremony withTop-level Attendance –Record Visitor Numbersfor Congress

The combined trade fair was openedjointly by Julia Klöckner, Federal Ministerof Food and Agriculture, and Dr. JaneGoodall, primate researcher, environmentalactivist and UN Messenger of Peace. Thesector was deeply moved by the keynotegiven by Dr. Goodall, and gave her astanding ovation. This was the first yearthat the BIOFACH and VIVANESSCongress gathered almost 10,000 delegatesand discussion participants in 149 indi-vidual sessions, confirming its role as themost important international platform forsharing knowledge and information in thesector. Magnets for visitors: “New OrganicRegulation: What will apply to farmersand producers starting in 2021?”, with250 participants (BIOFACH), and “Thenatural cosmetics market 2019: Facts,figures and outlook”, with 150 visitors(VIVANESS). The main congress theme,“Organic delivers!”, attracted an above-average total of 75 participants to each ofthe ten sessions.

New Halls Impress BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2020

provided even more space for organicfoodstuffs and natural and organic cosmetics.Halls 3A and 3C, noted for their sustain-ability, impressed exhibitors and visitorsalike, and were very well received. Feedbackfrom the exhibition advisory board for thepremiere of VIVANESS in Hall 3C waspositive without exception: “This is a hallyou feel at home in!”, “A real wellnesshall!”, “Super because it’s so spacious andlight!” The expansion of BIOFACH alsowent down well. “This combined event justkeeps on getting better!”

Award-worthy: Best NewProduct Awards

Once again in 2020, the trade visitorsvoted for their favourites at both tradefairs to win the Best New Product Awardin seven categories. Käserebellen GmbHwas one of the happy winners atBIOFACH with its “Organic VolcanoRebell” (Fresh food), as was EISL EISwith its “Organic sheep’s milk ice cream– ice cream in the glass” (Frozen food).In the category “Grocery products,cooking and baking”, SONNENTORwas very happy to pick up one of thecoveted awards for its “Essential SpiceOils”. HANS Brainfood impressed thetrade visitors with its “Hemp Bites” inthe “Grocery products, snacks and sweets”category. “RETTERGUT organic soups”from Dörrwerk won a Best New Product

Award in the “Other grocery products”category. In the Drinks category, Voelkelproved a winner with its “Voelkel Oatdrink gluten-free”, and Biobaula impressedwith its “Biobaula Eco-Cleaning-Tabs”in the Non-food category.

The dazzling winners at VIVANESS were: SPEICK Naturkosmetik, which should

be very happy with its awards for “WhiteSoap, Red Soap & Green Soap” inthe Facial care category and “SPEICKPURE Shampoo” in the Hair carecategory; another two-time winner isPRIMAVERA LIFE with its “Hemp SeedOil organic” (Special cosmetics/care) andwith “PRIMAVERA Wellbeing” in theWellness products category. Otherprizewinners included Ben & Anna with“Natural Care Shower and ShampooTablets” (Body care); LOGOCOSNaturkosmetik with “Fresh CucumberVolume Mascara and Classic VolumeMascara ‘black’” (Decorative cosmetics);and ELIAH SAHIL ORGANIC CAREwith its “Organic Tooth Powder ginger”and “Organic Tooth Oil turmeric”(Drugstore articles). ●

Save the date for 2021 now: February 17-20

The next meeting of the international sector at BIOFACHand VIVANESS will take place on February 17-20, 2021. Almost95 per cent of this year’s visitorshave already blocked these dates out, to be sure of attendingagain next year.

Contact for press and media Barbara Böck, Saskia Viedts (BIOFACH) Christina Kerling, Jasmin McNally (VIVANESS) T +49 9 11 86 06-83 29 [email protected] [email protected]

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BRING ON BARBECUE SEASON!

BARBECUE

By Carolyn Camilleri

As the weather warms up — and really, it doesn’t even have to be that warm — Canadians every-where will be thinking about barbecue season. As a grocery retailer, you’ll want to be readywith all the newest and most exciting barbecue-related products.

Wieners have always been a favourite on the grill, and the market continues to grow. “Overall, the wiener category represents a $284M opportunity in Canada,” says Michelle Harper,

marketing director for Freybe, referencing Nielsen MarketTrack, National XNFLD GB+DR+MM,latest 52 weeks ending Aug 17, 2019.

While the wiener category shows growth of four per cent, that growth comes from specialitybrands, not the larger commodity players.

“This is a trend we’ve continued to see over recent years,” she says. “This poises Freybe’sspeciality German items to meet the need of consumers looking for something a little more special,a little bit different.”

With that in mind, Freybe created two new products that are an upscale from the basic hotdogs. Freybe’s Alpine Wieners are a savoury throwback to classic German sausage varieties:mustard, coriander, and hints of lemon are highlighted by the more coarsely ground porkin this hardwood-smoked link.

“They can be popped on the barbecue and ready in mere minutes, or prepared in thetraditional method of bringing a pot of water to a rolling boil, removing it from theheat, dropping in the wieners so they’re completed covered, and leaving them with thelid on for seven minutes — it’s just as fast, too,” she says. “We recommend pairingthem with a grainy-style mustard and potato salad.”

Freybe’s Spicy European Wiener is Harper’s personal favourite on the grill. “It’spacked with real red bell pepper and Chipotle peppers for a flavourful kick — but isn’thot enough that it’s going to blow the roof of your mouth off,” she says, suggesting it betopped with fresh green onion and sesame for an Asian-inspired twist.

Merchandizing is all about making shopping easier.

NEW PRODUCTS TO PUT SOME EXTRA SIZZLE IN YOUR SALES

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“I always believe that merchandisingfor the whole occasion just makes it easierfor consumers,” says Harper. “Take-home recipe cards for inspiration andpractical instructions on prep — theseare the kinds of tools Freybe providesfor our customers — condiments, thetoppings – put them all with a themed,central display to inspire a meal eventand increase overall basket size.”

THE BENEFITS OF BISON Over the past decade, the bison

industry has grown and achieved stabilitydue the commitment of ranchers,associations, and marketers, such as NoblePremium Bison, to building the herdsand markets without compromising theintegrity of the animals.

“Noble Premium Bison is raisedsustainably on ranches in Canada withoutthe use of antibiotics or growthstimulants,” says Kelly Long, co-founderand owner of Noble Premium Bison.

“Our bison are free range, foraging onplants and grasses that are native to theeco-system that benefit the land and theanimals. We are committed to educatingconsumers on the benefits of bison as ahealthy protein choice and to theenvironmental advantages of raising bison.”

Bison is a leaner protein than beef andmay be a healthier choice for people

looking to maximize nutritional benefitwhile reducing calorie and/or fat intake.Bison has nearly 25 per cent fewer caloriesthan beef and is lower in total andsaturated fat. Both are good sources ofiron, zinc phosphorus, niacin, selenium,and vitamins B6 and B12, although bisonis higher in iron and Omega 3s.

And consumers are catching on fast.

“Bison eaters are a discerning demo-graphic,” says Long. “People who arevery much interested in the nutritionalvalue of the food that they consume andconscientious about where it comes fromfind bison desirable regardless of pricebecause of its superior nutritional profileto other proteins. Also, people want toknow where their food comes from in away that aligns to their own values.”

However, Long points out that bisonwill not sell itself.

“People look at the price and wonderwhy they should spend more on bisonthan beef,” says Long. “The valueproposition that bison has over beef andother proteins, such as how we manageour land and animals, the care andconsideration we put into making allof our bison products, and just asimportantly, the nutritional benefits ourcustomers receive from enjoying NoblePremium Bison, is considerable.”

Grocers need to start by educating theirown staff.

“Educating the sales teams is the bestthing that a retailer can do,” says Long.“Staff need to understand the benefits ofbison and why it costs a little more thanother proteins.”

Moreover, you can’t rely on packagingand POS materials only.

“People don’t like to read — they liketo have conversations and learn,” saysLong. “We have lots of engagement onour social pages — consumers are curiousand look for a reason to try it.”

Noble supplies all kinds of tools tosupport staff education.

Noble Premium Bison is raised sustainably on Canadian ranches without antibiotics or growth stimulants.

“Educating the sales teams is the best thing that a retailercan do,” says Long. “Staff need to understand the benefitsof bison and why it costs a little more than other proteins.”

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FULLY PREPARED PRODUCTS

Golden West Food Group (GWFG),a company based in Los Angeles,California, is a Jack Daniel’s licensee fortwo categories of barbecue-relatedproducts: Jack Daniel’s bottled barbecuesauces and Jack Daniel’s barbecue meats— fully cooked entrees that use JackDaniel’s in the barbecue sauce.

“We have distribution throughout theUnited States, and it’s the number onebrand in the United States,” says TonyCimolino, the chief marketing officer at

GWFG. “We are just bringing thatproduct up to the Canadian market witha dual language label. That product isactually going to be debuting this springin Loblaws stores. We’re very excited.”

While GWFG produces a number ofbarbecue meat products in the U.S., theirentry to Canada begins with two varietiesof pulled pork.

“We’re doing the ‘Original,’ what wecall the Old Number Seven or Black LabelJack Daniel’s pulled pork,” says Cimolino.“Then we’re also doing our ‘Honey,’ JackDaniel’s Honey label pulled pork.”

Premium quality pork is cooked in anoven, then shredded and chilled, withkettle-cooked sauce added to the meat atthe very end.

“What we’ve seen in the United Statesis that there’s a consumer demand for apremium barbecue, a more expensivebarbecue,” says Cimolino. “We believethat the consumers will respond.”

Another reason they believe Canadianconsumers will like these products:Canada is one of the leading countriesfor consuming Jack Daniel’s TennesseeWhiskey.

Cross-merchandizing aims at providinga complete meal, such as slider rolls and

coleslaw, or the fixings for barbecue porktacos: tortillas, rice, beans, and guacamole.

“You can make a barbecue pulled porkpizza, which is amazing because it lendsitself to complement the sweetness of thecheese,” says Cimolino.

Grace Foods Canada, known for itslarge variety of Caribbean favourites, hasalso introduced a prepared grill-readyproduct: Grace Jerk Chicken Wings.These fully cooked wings contain noartificial colours or flavours and areavailable in hot, mild, and honey.

Freybe Alpine Weiner and Spicy EuropeanWeiner are more upscale than a basichot dog.

Cross-merchandizing aims at providing a complete meal,such as slider rolls and coleslaw, or the fixings for the barbecue pork tacos: tortillas, rice, beans, and guacamole.

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“Our centre tends to see an increase in beverages,sauces, seasonings, barbecue briquettes, utensils,meats, and other grilling items in early to mid-April,”says Friend. “Ice cream and ice cream novelties tendto increase as the weather warms up as well. One cat-egory that has really increased over the past coupleyears is non-alcoholic beverages, with beers leadingthe overall category.”

When it comes to customer choices for what to puton the grill, Friend has noted some changes.

“One of the unique items we carry is a tomahawksteak,” says Friend. “Interest in this item seems toincrease throughout the barbecue season.”

A category that has grown dramatically, year overyear, is kabobs. “Not only the traditional meat kabobsbut full vegetable and fruit kabobs that are extremelyconvenient and ready to go on the grill.”

“We have a wide variety of fresh fish, including ourlatest addition, whole octopus, and in our meat ser-vice case, we carry pre-marinated meats which arepopular as well.”

Plant-based products are also growing at CrowfootCentre.

“While new lines/items are being introduced at arapid rate, we have seen an increase in our centre of 40to 45 per cent in sales since the introduction of theseproducts,” says Friend. “We do increase the presence ofthese items closer to barbecue season by building anend cap close to our grocery barbecue build.”

He adds that sales of tofu products have alsogrown and to meet popularity, they have expandedthe sales area.

And Crowfoot Centre has other ways to make themost of barbecue season.

“We believe the most important part of building anybarbecue-related display is cross-merchandising,”says Friend. “This makes the shopping experienceextremely convenient for the customer. For example,if you are building a meat end cap, we recommendplacing cross-merchandising items, such as ready-made salads, barbecue sauces, garlic bread, cheeses,etc. — the list is endless — but the key is to have thatextra item by the display. This acts as a visualreminder as well as extra sales in the basket.”

Friend has another recommendation: retail theatre.Incorporate summer props such as beach balls, beachchairs, and beach pails into your display to place cus-tomers in a summer mind frame and heighten theirawareness to purchase.

Additionally, Crowfoot Centre Co-op holds severalcontests and special events.

“One particular contest we hold every year is weplace a barbecue into our main barbecue build andthis is a free draw for customers to win at the end ofthe season,” says Friend. “One of the special eventswe hold each year is the ‘Best from the West’ event,where several local vendors set up tables and boothsto showcase their products with tasting and informa-tion sessions. It is truly a great event.”

Crowfoot Centre is truly a great store, where theyunderstand what customers want during barbecueseason. ●

STORE MERCHANDISING SPOTLIGHT

CALGARY CO-OP, CROWFOOT CENTRE, DOES BARBECUE SEASON RIGHT

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While the summer months are peak grilling season, Gary Friend, centre manager at theCrowfoot location of Calgary Co-op, sees a shift in sales much sooner than that.

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VEGGIES OPTIONSWhile plant-based burgers, chicken

breasts, and sausages are making barbecueseason just as exciting for vegetariansand vegans as it is for meat-eaters, otherplant-based products are also gainingattention. For example, Grace has recentlyintroduced Jackfruit — a delicious meatalternative that can play a starring role atbarbecues. “We highlyrecommend barbecueJackfruit Sliders,” saysIlisa Chacon, market-ing manager at GraceFoods Canada.

“The trend towardsplant-based optionscontinues to be a bigplay in the market, andconsumers, whethervegan, vegetarian, orthose wishing to eat lessmeat, are opting in,” shesays. “I believe plant-based foods offergreater options for barbecue season. Youcan achieve the same great tastes but havemore variety to choose from.”

Stephanie Goyette, category businessdirector for condiments and sauces atKraft Heinz Canada, says Canadians are

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

A Touch of the Caribbean

Grace offers a full line of delicious sauces andseasonings, including Jerk Seasoning (mild, hot,and scotch bonnet) as well as Jerk BBQ Sauceand Jerk Marinade.

Jerk Seasoning: Rub one-two tbsp. of the sea-soning on to raw meat, marinate for at least anhour then grill or barbecue for a classic jerk taste.

Jerk BBQ Sauce: Brush both sides of the meat withthis sweeter jerk sauce during the last five-six minutes ofcooking. It can also be added to stews, casseroles or stir fry dishes or used asa condiment or a dip.

Jerk Marinade: Mix into raw meat, marinate for at least one hour and it’s readyfor the barbecue, oven, or stove top.

From Classics to Mashups

Canadians love using Kraft Heinz condimentsand sauces, from Heinz Tomato Ketchup andKraft salad dressings to barbecue sauces. KraftHeinz is excited to launch more mashups inMay 2020! Mashups include Heinz Mayochupsauce, back for year two after a successfullaunch in the market last year, as well as HeinzMayoracha, launching for the first time this yearand combining Sriracha and Heinz SERIOUSLY GOOD!Mayonnaise together for a spicy tangy flavour. Mashupsare a great complement to any barbecue and a delicious sauce to add toFrench fries or as a burger topper.

Barbecue, Tennessee-Style

Golden West Food Group is licensed to produceJack Daniel’s bottled barbecue sauces, made inthe U.S. using real Jack Daniel’s TennesseeWhiskey. These authentically crafted, high-quality barbecue sauces are cooked in kettlesin small batches using wholesome ingredients,like brown cane sugar, tamarind, and pineapple,and are free of gluten, preservatives, and cornsyrup. Three flavours will be available in Canada:‘Original’ accounts for about 50 per cent of sales in theU.S. market; ‘Sweet and Spicy’ has mild heat from smoked jalapeno peppersand was the taste-test favourite at the 31st Annual Jack Daniel’s Barbecue inLynchburg, Tennessee in October 2019; and ‘Honey,’ made with real bee honeyfrom sustainably and responsibly raised bees.

Smokin’!

Ghostriders Smokehouse has 12 different skus— three marinating/basting sauces (Original,Spank Me, Sweet and Sassy). They are lowph, low sugars, and low sodium. They havethree hot sauces (Ring Sting, The Ghost,Smokey Thai). These three different hotsauces give a wide range of heat and flavours.They also have three spices (Rubs, Beef, Pork,Poultry). Beef is savoury, Pork is sweet andsavoury, and poultry is a blend of herbs and spice. Thethree flavoured mayos (Chipotle, Hickory, Dill) are different flavoured andare very light and creamy. All our products are made with local ingredientsand no preservatives, grown in greenhouses on the Canadian Prairies!

Jackfruit from Grace Foods Canadaare a delicious meat alternative.

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“The trend towards plant-based options continues to be a big play inthe market, and consumers,whether vegan, vegetarian,or those wishing to eat less meat, are opting in.”

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At the end of January, all storesunder the Sobeys banner elimi-nated the single-use plastic bag

and provided a range of alternatives tohelp shoppers bring home their purchasesfrom the store. These include the reusableshopping bags we are all familiar with,durable plastic crates and the reintroduc-tion of paper bags to the checkout stand.

An initial study that we conducted onthe first weekend of the change showedthat shoppers adapted easily by eitherbringing their own reusable bags fromhome or buying new ones in the store.Interestingly, eight per cent of shopperssaid that they would normally use a plasticbag but decided to simply carry-out theirpurchases with no bag at all! In short,bold retailer initiatives can drive changefor good choices by their shoppers.

In another example, Calgary Co-optransitioned its customers away fromsingle-use bags by offering an alternativecompostable bag for $0.10 per unit. Thisstill allowed a convenient option that wasenvironmentally friendly as the bags couldbe used in kitchen bins as part of Calgary’scomposting program.

But the reality is that plastic from singleuse bags is just the tip of the iceberg inthe amount of plastic waste that is broughthome from the grocery store. Clamshells,plastic bottles, plastic film/wrap and manyother types of recyclable and non-recyclable waste is created by our industry.

WHAT ELSE CAN OUR INDUSTRY BE DOING TOMAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Some shoppers have gone “all-in” asthey visit waste-free grocery stores thatare popping up all over the country.Shoppers bring their own containers fromhome and collect foods that are measuredby weight and can use the same containerover and over again.

This type of system could be a boon tothe bulk foods category and anything thatis sold by weight or item today, includingthe bakery where clamshells (notoriouslyhard to recycle) are heavily used. Thissystem does challenge food safetyregulations and poses questions aboutaccurate measurement of the goods in a

container but the challenges are notinsurmountable. Retailers should beworking with provincial health depart-ments to develop new standards forreusable containers and potentially re-tailers could work together to developstandardized packages for shoppers whowant to reduce waste just like the brewerieshave done with the standard brown beerbottle that can be reused by any brand onthe next part of its life-cycle.

Manufacturers are starting to findsolutions to this issue as well. In the U.S.,Canada and France we will start to seefood and cleaning products offered inreusable packaging powered by Loop, apartnership between major brands such asHaagen Dazs, Quaker and Crest; and TerraCycle, a waste reduction focused company.

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continuously looking to eat healthier andfresher options, which includes non-meatalternatives.

“Kraft Heinz has increased the numberof recipes available through our KraftWhat’s Cooking website to include morebarbecue options with vegetables,” saysGoyette, listing grilled portobellomushroom sandwiches, barbecue veggieburgers, and a grilled vegetable goat cheesestack as a few examples. “As moreconsumers opt to create their grocery lists

before they enter the store, Kraft What’sCooking serves as a great tool forconsumers as they look to make moreplant-based recipes while also drivingcross-purchase on fresh produce with ourbarbecue brands.”

SAUCES AND CONDIMENTS

You can never underestimate therole of condiments and sauces forbarbecue season. From family classicslike Kraft BBQ, Diana Sauce, andmarinades to bold tasting belovedbrands like Bull’s-Eye and PitmastersBBQ, Kraft Heinz has a barbecue saucefor every occasion, including grilling,marinating, and cooking.

“Kraft salad dressings are ideal as amarinade for your favourite protein orveggie before firing them up on thegrill,” says Goyette, adding that KraftHeinz products and brands are marketshare leaders.

Oftentimes, it is the condiments thatadd the on-trend flavours people seek.

“Today’s shoppers are interested inexperiencing different cultures throughfood,” says Chacon, adding that Gracemakes it easy to add Caribbean flare.“Cooking Jerk Chicken doesn’t haveto be a daunting task — it’s as simpleas marinating chicken in Grace JerkSeasoning and then cooking the chickenas they normally would.” ●

Eliminating Plastic Bags – A Good First StepWHAT ELSE CANTHE INDUSTRYBE DOING TOREDUCE PLASTICWASTE?

RETAIL COLLABORATION By Jeff Doucette

photo courtesy shutterstock.com

Oftentimes, it is the condiments that add the on-trendflavours people seek. “Today’s shoppers are interestedin experiencing different cultures through food.”

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DREAM. GROW. THRIVE.

The marketing industry has evolved greatly over the last10 years — mostly by the influx of technology. A2018 Reuters report says that digital marketing spends

in US and UK is around US$ 52B, which was a 44 per centincrease over 20171. Chiefmartec.com2 hosts an annual con-ference and publishes a “supergraphic” poster (Google“Martech 5000”, thank me later), which details and breaksdown the different channels of digital marketing technologies,applications and companies. What blew my mind was thesheer number of marketing technology companies in 2019,totaling 7040; compared to 2011, which only listed 150.

To “futureproof” our businesses, we should take a seriousconsideration on what our digital marketing strategy shouldbe, going into the next decade. To begin, we can take a lookat a few skills that will be needed (and are in demand):

DIGITAL PSYCHOLOGYHumans are complicated emotional creatures. According

to a recent HBS Journal3, Harvard Business Professor GeraldZaltman says that 95 per cent of our purchase decisionmaking takes place in the subconscious mind. This highlightsthe importance of being able to persuade and compel the

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While the idea of shoppers coming tothe store with refillable containers mayseem like a niche idea today; the idea ofhaving someone pick your grocery orderthat you placed online so you could justpick it up in the store parking lot alsoseemed very niche just a few years ago.With big brands and big retailers bothhaving the power to persuade shoppers tochange how they shop, this is the perfectarea for retailer / manufacturer collaboration.

Another more “down-to-earth” ideamay be one that would be very easyfor an individual store to implement

allowing it to reduce the waste from itsneighborhood and support the localcommunity as well.

Having recently been on a Beaver Scoutsbottle drive it was amazing to see howmany households had a stockpile of bottleslaying around and how willing they wereto give them up to a good cause, especiallyif it was made easy for them.

A store could simply purchase a large“donation” bin like those we already seefor household items in many retail parkinglots and set it up for shoppers to bringback their refundable containers, whichthey could carry back in those reusableshopping bags.

By partnering with a local communitygroup (or rotating the cause each month),the store would donate the bottlescollected in return for the communitygroup emptying the bin as requiredand taking the bottles to the depot. Thiscould raise some much-needed funds forsome great causes and have a minimalincremental cost for the supermarket.

To engage suppliers in the cause, theretailer could have the supplier rep for thebeverage companies sponsor the bin forthe month, maybe by matching the amountof funds collected through bottle collectionas a matching donation that makes adifference in the community. Prominentlydisplaying a photo of the store manager,the supplier rep and some adorable Beavers,Brownies, soccer or hockey players is greatPR for the retailer and the brand.

To go one more step, the retailer andthe brand could bring the idea right intothe aisle with signage letting shoppersknow they can bring their bottles backto the store and make a difference in theirlocal community.

Tackling waste is not easy but ourindustry has a lot of very smart peopleand we can put our heads together andfind some great win-win solutions thathelp us reduce our overall footprint onthe planet. ●

Jeff Doucette isthe founder of“Field AgentCanada” a smart-phone drivenaudit service thatis revolutionizinghow retail audits and mystery shops are completed in Canada. He can be reached [email protected]

SOCIAL MEDIA

By Ken Kwong

DIGITAL MARKETING SKILLS FOR 2020INSIGHTS

SOCIAL MEDIA AND DIGITAL MARKETING

photo courtesy shutterstock.com

photo courtesy shutterstock.com

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subconscious mind; which can be a powerful tool for digitalmarketers, especially through online touchpoints. A fewexamples of such tools can be found just by looking at yourfavourite online shopping sites, such as price anchoring, lossaversion, social proof, urgency, and (in my opinion, a veryeffective tool) the principle of need to complete. Accordingto DigitalPsychology.io4, “We, as humans, don’t like to leavethings incomplete. We are motivated to finish a set of tasks,even with no further reward other than the satisfaction ofcompleting them.” Queue, the multi-step check-out pageswhen completing an online purchase (Amazon, HomeDepot,Dominoes Pizza, etc). THIS is Digital Psychology, a relativelynew field of study, combining psychology and behavioraleconomics. It is not meant to be creepy in any way, butrather employed to enhance the customer experience.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE (CX)As markets become saturated and customer choice becomes

more abundant, CX is the only marketing channel a businesstruly owns, which allows it to differentiate itself from itscompetitors. In 2011, a report from Oracle5, titled “CustomerExperience Impact Report” outlines some key points thathighlight the importance of CX. Oracle says, “Power hasshifted from corporations to consumers. This shift makes itnearly impossible for companies to sustain differentiationbased solely on price or product. The only option thatremains is the customer experience.”

The report goes on to say that, “Eighty-six per cent ofconsumers will pay more for a better customer experience.Eighty-nine per cent of consumers began doing businesswith a competitor following a poor customer experience.Seventy-nine per cent of consumers who shared complaintsabout poor customer experience online, had their complaintsignored. Fifty per cent of consumers give a brand only oneweek to respond to a question, before they stop doingbusiness with them.” Digital marketers need to shift theirfocus from selling products to selling experiences, and ensuringthose experiences holistically encompass all aspects ofinteraction a customer has with a brand, at every touchpoint.This means that every area of the business will impact theCX, from online to offline, including sales reps, suppliers,delivery, and customer service.

VIDEO MARKETINGVideo Marketing is fast becoming the most powerful content

marketing format. According to HubSpot6, 85 per cent ofbusiness are using video marketing as a tool. And SocialMedia Today7 found that six out of 10 people prefer to watchonline videos instead of TV, 96 per cent watched videos tolearn about products or services, 88 per cent spent more timebrowsing websites with videos and 90 per cent of consumersclaim that a video will help them make a purchasing decision.

Video marketing is great for increasing social engagement,building authority and thought leadership, improving SEO(Search Engine Optimization), helps with customerconversion, and increasing sales.

Some interesting stats from Social MediaPlatforms we are familiar with:

Facebook remains the No.1 platform forconsumers to watch videos from brands onsocial media. Eighty- four per cent of videomarketers used Facebook as a channel ofpromotion. Seventy-five million people visitFacebook’s video platform.

YouTube reports that 87 per cent of videomarketers used YouTube as a channel ofpromotion. YouTube has over two billion users,which is almost one-third of the internet.

Instagram reports that 51 per cent of videomarketers used Instagram as a channel ofpromotion. One in four consumers made apurchase after seeing a story on Instagram.

DIGITAL ANALYTICSAvinash Kaushik, co-founder of Market Motive, an author

and digital marketing evangelist for Google, defines DigitalAnalytics as, “the analysis of qualitative and quantitativedata from your business and the competition, to drive acontinual improvement of the online experience that yourcustomers, and potential customers have, which translatesinto your desired outcomes (online and offline).” If DigitalPsychology is the “why”, then Digital Analytics is the“what”. In an age of data-driven marketing, digital marketersneed to understand and be able to interpret the informationto manage data-driven decisions. This will help makepredictions on when and where your customers may appearin their buying journey, through their customer experience(CX). Digital Analytics can help identify things likeeffectiveness of digital touchpoints, customer acquisitioncost by various online channels, and effectiveness ofmarketing campaigns and content.

As we enter the next decade, we can expect that digitalmarketing will become a necessary standard in every business’smarketing strategy. The importance of the relationshipbetween the company and customer is even more importantin today’s age of technology; wherethe customer experience will bedefined by the journey they takewhen engaging with a business’spresence online. ●

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Ken is currently Executive in Residencewith Orionis Trading Company Ltd, ahybrid distribution agency specializedin digital marketing and online distribution services, as well as warehouse fulfilment for specialty and HABA categories. His opinions expressed in this column are solely his own and do not necessarily represent those of this publication. Ken can be contacted via email ([email protected]), Twitter (@kenkwong),Facebook (@kenkwong808),or LinkedIn (@kenkwong).

1 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-advertising-digital/global-spending-on-digital-marketing-nears-100-billion-study-idUSKCN1M30XN 2 https://chiefmartec.com/2019/04/marketing-technology-landscape-supergraphic-2019/ 3 https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/the-subconscious-mind-of-the-consumer-and-how-to-reach-it 4 https://digitalpsychology.io/need-to-complete/ 5 http://www.oracle.com/us/products/applications/cust-exp-impact-report-epss-1560493.pdf 6https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/state-of-video-marketing-new-data 7 https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/the-state-of-video-marketing-2019-2020-infographic/571553/

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WASTEFUL THINKINGSustainability is on everyone’s radar— from consumers to retailers to suppliers

SUSTAINABILITY

By Carly Peters When consumers walk into a grocery storethey’re making decisions that have an effect onthe world, as well as the people that live in it.

While that sounds grandiose, consider the impact of reduc-ing (or completely eliminating) single-use plastic bags andcontainers, selecting a discounted piece of fruit just slightlypast its prime, or ensuring your protein comes from an eth-ically raised source. Grocers are recognizing the need to aidconsumers in these better-for-the-world options, as well asmaking significant adjustments to their own supply chain inorder to have a smaller impact on the planet.

If grocers question whether consumers see these sustainableinitiatives as a draw, consider the 2019 findings from IBM’sstudy of 19,000 consumers in 28 countries. It revealed thefood and beverage sector had the highest exposure to thepurpose driven consumer. Nearly 60 per cent of consumerssurveyed stated they are willing to change their shoppinghabits to reduce environmental impact. And, for the nearly80 per cent of respondents who said sustainability isimportant to them over 70 per cent would pay a premiumof 35 per cent on average.

When it comes to becoming more sustainable, grocerystores definitely face an uphill battle — food waste, packaging,transparency are all tough issues to tackle. But Canadiangrocery stores appear to be up for the challenge.

PLASTIC AND PACKAGINGSobeys Inc. made headlines when they announced they’d

no longer offer Sobeys single-use plastic grocery bags atthe store’s 255 locations across the country. This change,which took full effect as of January 2020, has taken 225million bags out of circulation — that’s enough to wraparound the earth twice — and spawned innovative reuseand recycling applications such as public seating made fromrecycled plastic bags for Atlantic waterfronts, paving onestore’s parking lot with the equivalent of six million recycledplastic bags, and diverting more than 831,000 kilograms ofstore-generated plastic from landfills to make into deckingand furniture.

However, this highly reported initiative is just oneaspect of the chain’s commitment to reduce single-useplastic. In August 2019, the company introduced a lineof reusable mesh produce bags made from recycled waterbottles to provide customers with an alternative for theirfresh produce in Sobeys stores, while the IGA bannerspiloted a program where customers could bring their ownreusable containers for items such as dried fruits, nuts,produce, and prepared meals.

“Our customers have told us loud and clear that reducingplastic and improving sustainability is a priority for them,”says Eli Browne, director of corporate sustainability forSobeys Inc., adding they’ve also aimed to remove unnecessaryplastic from items such as mini cucumber trays and snackingtomatoes.

To further their dedication to reducing use and minimizingwaste of plastics in stores, Save-On-Foods is activelycollaborating with industry partners and working to educateconsumers on their new programs.

“We sell eco-friendly products including our own enviro-wise line of private label products and, whenever possible,we are converting our packing to include post-consumerrecycled content and looking for ways to live up to ourdecades-long continuous improvement commitment centredaround reduction of packaging overall,” states Julie Dickson,managing director for the chain.

FOOD WASTEAccording to Second Harvest, Canada’s largest food

rescue charity, 58 per cent of all food produced for Canadiansis lost or wasted, and this includes food at the grocery levelthat is thrown out based on being “not pretty” and overlyconservative best-before dates.

“A big barrier to reducing food loss and waste is the‘stigma’ associated with feeding people with diverted food.We must demystify food which can be rescued frombusinesses and not call it waste,” said Second Harvest CEOLori Nikkel in an interview with CBC. “This is unsold,this is surplus, this is excess food. It is perfectly edible.”

Save-On-Foods agrees, and in collaboration withorganizations such as FoodMesh and Loop Resource, alongwith Canadian food banks and other charity partners acrossthe country, 147 stores — nearly of all its locations — arenow diverting unsalable perishable food from landfills.According to the company’s 2019 CSR report, that hasadded up to 10 M kg of food waste being diverted sinceFebruary 2018.

Other food that is not safe for human consumption isprovided to family farms for animal feed and compost,which will help the chain achieve their goal of eliminatingall food waste by 2022.

Loblaws are also giving consumers the opportunity to keepfood out of the landfill and get a discount at the same time.

Flashfood, an app, launched at Real Canadian Superstoresacross Canada this past summer. With the app, items thatare nearing their best before date are put up for sale at asuper low price. The idea is that customers can getdiscounted food products that would usually just go towaste the same day they buy them on the app. Since itslaunch the app has diverted more than three million poundsof food from landfills.

Last year Sobeys also committed to reducing food wastein operations by 50 per cent by 2025 and are activelyworking to meet that target through innovative initiativessuch as sending IGA’s unsold fruits to La Transformerie,which uses food waste to create spreads and are returnedto shelves for customers to purchase, as well as piloting abreakfast smoothie program in Nova Scotia with a localelementary school where they donate less-than-perfectproduce for students to enjoy in drinkable formats. ●

However, sustainability isn’t just contained to the retail level. Food producers and manufacturers play a significant role in cleaning up the supply chain. These companies showcase how they are making a difference from farm/factory to table:

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photo courtesy shutterstock.com

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The future of the sustainability means changingconsumer’s mindset from “me” to “we.” Puratos,an ingredient manufacturer for bakery which

works closely with retailers and manufacturers to bringinnovative and delicious products to their customers, hasseen through their Taste Tomorrow consumer survey ashift in people’s buying habits to reflect that.

“We see sustainability growing and changing. It is nolonger about ‘my’ sustainability, but caring for others,”says Shawn Downey, sales manager, chocolate, for theingredient manufacturer which just celebrated their 100thanniversary in February 2020. “One of the things wesaw reflected in the most recent survey was consumerswant farmers to receive a fair price for their food.”

In fact, 39 per cent of respondents stated they lookfor fair trade when shopping, and 20 per cent expect todo it more in the future.

Creating sustainable livelihoods to reduce economicgaps and disparities within cocoa smallholder farmershas been the focus on Puratos’ Cacao-Trace program.Quite often prices paid for cocoa are too low, whichforces many farmers to stop cultivating cocoa, converttheir plantations, or simply quit agriculture. Whileindustry has tried to help farmers, it has resulted inpushing prices even lower.

Unlike other cocoa sustainability programs, Puratos’Cacao-Trace focuses on quality rather than quantity.Puratos’ Cacao-Trace focuses on helping farmers deliversuperior quality cocoa beans, which in turn means great

tasting chocolate and extra revenue. By supporting thefarmers during the whole process of harvesting andfermenting – high quality cacao beans can be deliveredand this results into a premium price. In addition, Cacao-Trace has introduced a unique Chocolate Bonus of 10Euro cents (roughly $0.15 Canadian) per kilogram sold.

“This means a three to four months additional incomein some countries,” says Downey. “Only by creatingvalue and sharing it with the farming communities canwe guarantee a sustainable future for our industry.”

The company is also very aware of the importance ofprotecting the environment and adopting sustainablepractices in the places they source cocoa. Puratos hascommitted to ensure carbon neutral operations by 2025for which the carbon emission footprint will becompensated partly through an agroforestry programwhich has a goal to plant 300,000 trees a year by 2023.Planting will take place in countries where Puratossources cocoa — Mexico, the Philippines, Papua NewGuinea, Ivory Coast, and Vietnam.

That’s just one of the many sustainability goals thecompany has for their next 100 years: investing in peoplethrough their bakery schools, looking into renewableelectricity from wind and solar panels, water savingplans, reducing its packaging footprint, and internalwaste reduction are all on the books to lead by sustainableexample for the customers they serve. ●

The Sweetest ofSustainability PURATOS IS AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OFADOPTING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES.

SUSTAINABILITY SPOTLIGHT

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A Bunch of Good Eggs

CANADIAN EGG FARMERS ARE LEADING THE WAYTOWARDS A MORE SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM.

SUSTAINABILITY SPOTLIGHT

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When it comes to sustainability, the EggFarmers of Canada (EFC) is not putting alltheir eggs into one basket. Not only does

the industry ‘get’ sustainability, their holistic approach ispart of their daily operations and support the long-termviability of farms. It means more than just addressingenvironmental impact. With pillars that cover animalwelfare, the well-being of communities, food safety, andinnovation, Canadian egg farmers are ensuring an indus-try for generations to come and are leading the waytowards a more sustainable food system.

Eggs are, by nature, one of the most efficient animalproteins, which in turn does not only provide Canadianswith affordable, nutritious food, but also gives farmersfair return for their work. At the heart of this balancedapproach is Canada’s system of supply management,which delivers stability to farmers who then reinvest intheir farming operations, driving new efficiencies. Thisalso means investment in their communities throughpartnerships with local food banks and school breakfastprograms, contributing to the economy and supportinginitiatives to make the industry even more sustainable.

“Our industry and farmers are extremely progressive,whether it’s investing in research or on-farm programs.When it comes to the future of the sector, Canadian eggfarmers have demonstrated that sustainability and growthcan work together. They embrace it and lead it,” saysTim Lambert, CEO of Egg Farmers of Canada, whichrepresents more than 1,100 egg farms in all 10 provincesand the Northwest Territories.

Research is essential to building knowledge aboutenvironmentally sound and sustainable egg production,and Egg Farmers of Canada is a world leader when itcomes to collaborating with the brightest minds todevelop an equally bright future. New research isconducted under the guidance of a network of researchchairs, which includes Egg Farmers of Canada’s ResearchChair in Sustainability, Dr. Nathan Pelletier, at theUniversity of British Columbia. They are also numerousprojects underway at universities across the country thatbring together students from undergrads to PhDs tomake continuous improvements to the sector.

“This knowledge sharing creates a dynamic, growingindustry,” says Lambert, adding it is also drawing in ayounger generation of farmers who are keen to embracenew technology and opportunities. Over the past 50years, the Canadian egg industry has produced 50 percent more eggs using less land, less energy, and lesswater — a 50 per cent drop in its environmental footprint— all while making hens healthier. With new self-assessment and benchmarking tools on the horizon, theegg farming sector is already adopting new tools tobecome even more efficient.

At the store level Egg Farmers of Canada’s new EggQuality Assurance™ certification mark (EQA™) makesit easier for the consumer to identify this staple producthas been produced in both a humane environment andmeets a level of quality they can trust. The EQA™certification program, which builds on the work of eggfarmers, scientists, animal welfare experts and more, isan industry-wide initiative that certifies Canadian eggsare produced according to strict food safety and animalwelfare standards. It includes on-farm inspections andthird-party audits. For Canadians, it’s an instantlyrecognizable symbol that their eggs are made-in-Canada,are of the highest quality, and are part of a food supplychain that is always thinking about the future. ●

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Go Your Own WayVERSACOLD LOGISTICS SERVICES ARE MEETINGTHEIR OWN SUSTAINABILITY GOALS.

SUSTAINABILITY SPOTLIGHT

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Food supply chains are some of the most difficultto manage as they must address time constraintsto avoid spoilage, as well as concerns about con-

tamination, and the potential impact of food being wast-ed rather than consumed.

“The supply chain industry has a high economicincentive to become more sustainable because energyusage is such a high component of the variable coststructure,” explains Mike Arcamone, president and chiefoperating officer of VersaCold Logistics Services whichoffers end-to-end supply chain solutions for both retailersand food providers, as well as operating the widesttemperature-sensitive LTL transportation network inCanada. “VersaCold’s purpose is to ensure the safety,quality and freshness of the food families eat. To deliveron that, our role in the grocery supply chain is toefficiently move product from source to destination withminimal environmental impact.”

By getting product to consumers in the most efficientway, VersaCold is able help reduce the amount ofgreenhouse gasses emitted during the distribution offood products. In transportation, continuousimprovement efforts focus on reducing empty milestravelled by trucks through better route planning andmaximizing volume carried on each truck to minimizethe number of loads shipped. In recent years, VersaColdhas embraced technology as a means to this.

One example is the usage of PeopleNet, a fleetmanagement software service that offers end-to-endvehicle tracking with a focus on travel logging, navigationand routing, fleet performance monitoring, safety, andcompliance.

“We’re now better able to track activities that impactenergy consumption. We are able to monitor idle timeand the speed of our trucks. With route planningtechnologies, we’re able to help drivers get to theirdestination in the most efficient way possible includingproactivity avoiding areas of high congestion or temporarydisruptions,” says Sandro Caccaro, senior vice-presidentand general manager at VersaCold TransportationSolutions, adding they also utilize online training toolslike CarriersEdge to help educate drivers to reduce fuelconsumption and improve operational efficiency.“Keeping efficiency top-of-mind across our teams helpsthem make better informed decisions.”

Additionally, by operating a network of warehousescoast-to-coast, the company is able to ensure food isstored close to where the majority of consumers areusing it, minimizing the need for long-haul transportation.

In VersaCold’s warehouses, monitoring data to reduceenergy consumption is also important for the company,as is looking at technology and equipment that meetsustainability goals. For example, at the company’sAbbotsford facility an old, natural gas underfloor heatingsystem was replaced with a heat exchanger systemthat minimizes energy consumption by capturing andre-using waste heat from compressors. Joe Sammon,vice-president, engineering states that any futureendeavours will include LED lighting, wall and roofdesigns with high insulation values and use of energy-efficient technologies, such as variable frequency drivesfor compressor and pump motors, even if doing so addsadditional cost.

VersaCold is not only meeting their own sustainabilitygoals, but are also helping food vendors achieve theirown social sustainability initiatives. The company haspartnered with Food Banks Canada to provide in-kindservices, including holding inventory and transportingproduct when needed. The food itself never moves untilit is required at a local food bank, which reducescomplexity and emissions.

“This helps Canadians get access to good quality food,stored at the highest food safety standards, instead of itgoing to waste,” explains Arcamone, adding since startingthe partnership in 2018, over one million pounds worthof food has been donated. ●

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Tom Hygaard, owner of Arctic Chiller, WesternCanada’s leading bottled water company, has anew mantra for 2020 — rethink plastic. This isn’t

about promoting the material but rather their passion forreducing environmental impact, along with supportingtheir customers’ sustainability initiatives, and challengingthe traditionally wasteful sector.

This inspired Arctic Chiller to create the ONEHUNDRED bottle and partner with Plastic OceansCanada. This new bottle is appropriately named as it’smade from 100 per cent recycled materials and is 100per cent recyclable. Furthermore, a portion of theproceeds from the sales of these bottles will be donatedto Plastic Oceans Canada, a non-profit organization thatfocuses on education and awareness to inspire changeacross the country in order to stop the eight milliontonnes of plastic that enter oceans every year.

“This partnership with Plastic Oceans Canada is veryimportant to Arctic Chiller as we love working with thecommunity and supporting non-profit organizations,”says Hygaard, adding the company has always offeredcustomers a chance to be part of their Partnership H2OProgram which matches company’s donations to thecharity of their choice. “This opportunity will allowour customers to contribute to a larger cause, such aseducation, shoreline cleanups, and other plasticremediation tactics. Simply purchasing our ONEHUNDRED bottles will allow customers to work withPlastic Oceans Canada and leave them feeling satisfiedthat they are contributing to a larger issue.”

With current demands to improve packaging from anenvironmental impact standpoint, the company is workingtirelessly to offer fully custom, private label productsthat feature packing options that are the best choice forthe environment, such as biodegradable water bottlesand hemp-based bottles. In fact, the company’s newinitiative to go 100 per cent green means changing overall products to eco-friendly bottles by 2021.

“Our leading-edge technologies are always beingimproved and perfected as much as possible in support

of a sustainable environment,” he states, pointing totheir new high speed/high efficiency bottling line intheir 60,000 square-foot-facility. “Now you can restassured knowing that your sophisticated custom bottlewill display your brand in a professional way whilesupporting a sustainable future.” ●

Bottle FlipARCTIC CHILLER IS GOING 100 PER CENT GREEN.

SUSTAINABILITY SPOTLIGHT

Tom Hygaard

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When they say there are plenty of fish in the sea,that’s not necessarily true. Concern regardingoverfishing and other environmental impacts

have prompted many consumers to be more consciousabout the fish they’re serving their family.

“Research shows that consumers care about acompany’s sustainability practices, and 57 per centclaim to have made a brand choice driven bysustainability,” says Margaret Jao, senior brandmanager for Janes. “Furthermore, 70 per cent believesustainability needs to be clearly labeled by anindependent organization.”

That the main reason why Janes partnered with theMarine Stewardship Council (MSC) in 2011, whichmade Janes the first branded seafood company in NorthAmerica to have 100 per cent of its retail seafoodproducts certified by the organization. “The harmonyand well-being of fisheries and communities is a long-term vision Janes is passionate about. Janes is proud ofthis accomplishment and works with retailers andconsumers to help increase awareness about the vitalimportance of healthy oceans,” states Jao, adding theyare working towards applying a similar sustainabilityapproach to all other products.

Sustainability has always been a part of Janes’ culture,starting with the use of recyclable packaging in theearly 1990s, long before being green was anyone’scorporate motivation. Today, the promise Janes printson their packaging is that, “As part of our commitmentto your family, Sofina Foods Inc. [which ownsthe Janes brand] uses 100 per cent recycledGREENCHOICE 100™ paperboard.”

Sofina’s plants have initiatives in place to supportits sustainability approach including waste management,energy consumption, water use, as well as taking everyopportunity to improve practices and offerings tobenefit their customers and consumers. Sofina recently

introduced recyclable meat trays for one of theirWestern Canadian customers, and started using reusabledelivery totes for another.

“One of the key strengths of our organization isour culture, which focuses on ongoing continuousimprovement. We never stop. This is how we alsoapproach sustainability.” ●

A Clear CatchSUSTAINABILITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF JANES’ CULTURE.

SUSTAINABILITY SPOTLIGHT

Sustainability has always been a part of Janes’ culture, starting with the use of recyclable packaging in the early 1990s, long before being green was anyone’s corporate motivation.

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The single biggest complaint made by customers attheir local grocery store is waiting in long check-out lines. Reducing this frustration while increas-

ing checkout efficiency has fuelled the trend towardsautomation and informal customer exchanges with theintroduction of self-checkouts. Self-checkouts, however,may be just a stepping-stone technology to true automat-ed retail that will quickly get passed by.

Reduced labour costs is one of the biggest potentialadvantages to self-checkout. Instead of needing one cashier

per checkout lane, stores can now have one check-outmanager oversee multiple machines. These machines alsogenerally take up less space, which means stores can addmore displays, or add additional checkouts. From thecustomer experience point of view, customers can benefitdue to a shorter wait in line.

But there are also disadvantages. The dehumanizationof the shopping experience is one and for less tech-savvypeople, self-checkout presents a challenge. Shoplifting isalso an issue.

What is the Future of

Self-Checkout?

As more self-checkoutmachines are beingdeployed, newer technologies may makethem a thing of the past

By Frank Yeo

photo courtesy shutterstock.com

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From soft drinks, to water, to juice and healthreplenishers, there have never been more coldbeverages available. Today’s consumers are

drinking these beverages for pure pleasure, to add nutri-tion and additional vitamins, minerals or protein andalso to replenish the body.

According to Statista, soft drinks are the number onebeverage Canadians reach for with 2.99 billion units

sold in 2019. Water followed in a close second with 2.67billion units, shelf stable juices and drinks at 1.29 billion,while refrigerated juices came in at 238 million.

“Customers are looking for something a bit moreunique than the regular cola,” says Kristina Cardinale,sales and marketing manager at The Grizzly Paw BrewingCompany, in Canmore, Alberta. “We offer new andexciting flavours such as Orange Cream Soda, Black

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In the U.S., PCC Community Marketshas removed all its self-checkouts, whichthe grocer started adding to stores in 2008.In their place, the Seattle-based co-op isadding an express lane, operated by acashier. The co-op ran a test last springin one of its stores, where it comparedthe number of people who used self-checkout versus going to a cashier.Two-thirds of customers chose cashier lines.This led PCC to conclude self-checkoutsjust weren’t a good fit for a chain thatfocuses on community.

But this seems to be the exception. Atthis point, Canadian retailers such asLoblaw and Metro are in fact addingmore self-checkouts. And, even moresignificantly, are enhancing the self-checkout experience by going beyond themachines entirely.

Loblaw, for example is ramping upself-checkout with new technology called“shop and scan” — a system that letspeople scan their items with a phone appwhile shopping, saving time at checkout.To use Loblaws’s shop and scan,customers download the PC Express appon their phone and connect to free Wi-Fi offered in their store. They then use

the app to scan items before putting themin their shopping cart. Stores will alsoprovide digital scales so customers canweigh their produce before scanning. Theapp creates a barcode for the totalpurchase, which customers can quicklyscan to pay at a cashier, self-checkout ordedicated “shop and scan” kiosk.

Walmart Canada is also adding moreself-checkout kiosks but has had torevamp its “scan and go” system whereshoppers scan their items while they shop.The company made big headlines whenit announced it was rolling out “scan andgo” in 20 locations. The system requirescustomers to pick up a portable scannerin the store and use it to scan the barcodeon their items before putting them in theshopping cart. The scanner tallies the billand customers pay at the cashier or useself-checkout. This was scaled back toonly three stores and in the U.S., it wasabandoned completely. It now looks likethe company is ironing out all the kinksand will be back on track with the newtechnology.

It appears self-checkouts will continueto increase as store owners continue tomodernize their locations, but the real

question is whether these efforts will leadto the complete elimination of self-checkout machines. Just-walk-out tech-nology has now been deployed byAmazon at its Amazon Go stores, wherethe customer doesn’t need to check outat all and can simply walk out of the storeand be charged for what they purchased.

While this hasn’t come to Canada yet,grocers are experimenting. Sobeys is usinga new smart cart as part of a pilot projectin Ontario. Shoppers can skip the cashieror self-checkout as their carts scan anyitems put into them, even weighingproduce, track their total bill and acceptpayment. For now, shoppers using thecarts must allow it to scan each item theyplace inside. Eventually, the cart, which“gets smarter over time,” will learn whateach product is and the company willremove the scanning requirement.

Equipped with AI and machine learningtechnology, the cart will continuallyevolve to improve beyond a speedycheckout. The cart’s easy-to-read screenwill eventually help customers navigatethe store to complete a shopping list,highlight great-value promotions andmake product suggestions to round outa favourite recipe. This pilot is part ofSobeys’ customer-focused innovationapproach to learn and continuouslyimprove through customer feedback.Sobeys hopes to develop the technologyto include suggestions about missingingredients for recipes based on what isalready in the cart and the ability forcustomers to upload their shopping lists.

If these technologies catch on, as theysurely will, then the future of self-checkout machines will be in doubt. ●

COLD BEVERAGES

By Karen Barr

Sobeys is experimenting with a “Smart Cart.”

photo courtesy shutterstock.com

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the four musts for breakfast which is fruit,pasteurized eggs, cereal and Greekyogurt,” says Desnoyers. It has no addedsugars, contains 14 vitamins and mineralsand 5 grams of protein. Try the strawberrydragon fruit or mango passionfruit andmerchandise in the refrigerator section,along side other smoothies.

“We have recently launched our newBolthouse Farms Protein Keto line ofdrinks in Canada,” says Alan Hilowitz,d i r e c to r o f commun i c a t i on s a tBolthouse Farms, from his office inSanta Monica, California. The fourflavours include: coconut, coffee, darkchocolate and even matcha.

For consumers lookingto add extra greens totheir diet, BolthouseFarms blends fruit andvegetables seamlessly,with their Green Good-ness smoothie, containingapples, mango, kiwi,spinach and broccoli.

Then there are products that help inthe aid of recovery. “Last Call is a vitaminbeverage used to recover from overconsumption or over exertion,” saysAmy Sarich, from the company’s headoffice in Vancouver, British Columbia.“Ingredients are in the cap tomaintain maximum potency atthe time of consumption. Whenready to consume simply peelthe sticker off the top and pushthe button so all the ingredientsflow into the reverse osmosiswater. Then shake and drink.”

Last Call comes in fourflavours — blood orange, prickly pear— the two top sellers, as well as acai and

cranberry, with only 15 calories per bottle.“Each flavour contains huge boost of B

vitamins and vitamin C. Our proprietaryblend of vitamins containing Co enzymeQ10, ginger, rosemary, dandelion andchlorella will help your body deal withinflammation, eliminate toxins and helpyou feel better faster,” says Sarich.

Consumers will continue to reach forcold beverages for a variety of reasons.Having the classics available, whilekeeping current with new products andthe trends will keep sales in this categoryprofitable. ●

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Cherry Cola, Grapefruitand Ginger Beer. Evenour Root Beer stands outdifferent from othercompetitors.”

The company adds abit of nostalgia. “Oursodas are available in retroglass bottles for retail,”she adds. Cardinale suggest storesmerchandise using their four-pack holdersto bring a stronger presence to the shelves.

The 2019 Canada’s Food Guiderecommends that water should be thebeverage of choice. What happens whenwater is just a little too plain? MarionDesnoyers, brand director for LassondeCanada Inc, in Rougemont, Quebecsuggests Fruit Drop, under the Oasisbrand, a water with 15 per cent juice, forhealthy hydration. Flavours include grape;strawberry; lemon-lime and strawberrywatermelon. Fruit Drop has no addedsugar, no artificial colours or flavours andonly 10 calories per 200 ml.

“With cold beverages, the liquid

enhancers category is growing,expanding five per cent in2019 driven by Mio, which isthe No. 1 branded player,” saysMiguel Quintana, categorybusiness manager, beverages,at Kraft Heinz Canada. “Con-sumption is seasonal, witha peak in the summer fromApril to September. Consumersgo to liquid enhancers tocustomize their water. With

one little squeeze, consumers canadd delicious flavours from amazingbrands such as Tang, Country Time, andKool-Aid as well as functional benefitssuch as electrolytes (Mio Sports) andvitamins B3, B6 and B12 (Mio Vitamins)while containing zero calories. We liketo say, ‘Boring water be gone!’”

LaCroix Sparkling water is an Ame-rican brand of carbonated developed,

manufactured and distributed by NationalBeverage Corp., in Fort Lauderdale,F lor ida . “Top f l avours inc ludePamplemousse, Lime, Lemon, Razz-Cranberry and Tangerine,” says TriciSwalina, companyspokesperson.

According to aStatistics Canadareport released in2019, consumersunder the ageof 19 receive 50per cent of theirvitamin C throughfruit juice, whileadults over 19 re-ceive 25 per cent. Statista reports thatorange juice still holds the biggest juicemarket share, followed by apple juice,grape juice and other juices, juice mixesor smoothies.

Oasis Premium Orange Juice is notfrom concentrate and available, with orwithout pulp or even with the additionof calcium and vitamin D.

Cold beverages also provide breakfast-on-the go for many consumers. “The new300 ml Oasis Morning Smoothie contains

Fruit Drop from Oasis is awater with 15 per cent juice.

Mio is a liquidenhancer that providesdeliciousflavours withone squeeze.

Oasis Morning Smoothie has no added sugars, contains 14 vitamins and minerals andfive grams of protein.

Bolthouse Farms Protein Keto line has four flavours –coconut, coffee, dark chocolate and matcha.

LaCroix SparklingWater top flavoursinclude Pamplemousseand Tangerine.

Last Call is a vitamin beverage used to recoverfrom over consumption or over exertion.

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Ice cream, popsicles and frozen treats have come a longway from the traditional Neopolitan. Today, frozennovelties are available in a variety of flavours and expe-

riences responding to the diverse Canadian consumer.“Canadians are seeking variety including dairy-free

alternatives, low calorie, ethnic inspired products, and afocus on higher quality ingredients,” says Marco Felicella,director of sales, TransCold Distribution Ltd.

However, this increased selection poses new challengesfor grocers as they need to be able to forecast which ofthese items they will add to their limited freezer space.

“The fundamentals of ice cream have not changed,” saysJoel Gregoire, associate director of food and drink, Mintel.“Canadians are focusing on quality ingredients that are usedin making ice cream, which is translating to increased interestin artisan varieties and premium flavours.” However, theindustry has seen some disruption including the expansionof low caloric frozen treats and plant-based alternatives.

“This is a category that is driven by assortment, includinghaving different types of products for different needs states,”says Paul McMahon, category sales development leader,ice cream, Nestlé. Selecting the items to add to this sectionrequires a delicate balance between favourite staples andfrozen novelties.

ICE CREAM AND FROZEN NOVELTIES

By Anne-Marie Hardie

photo courtesy shutterstock.com

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Mike Rogiani,president, The IceCream Depot, suggeststo “Try new items, getcreative with your

shelf space and listen to customerfeedback.” This includes stocking themainstay ice cream brands that are thebulk of sales and then filling the remainingarea with products that respond to theirinterests and needs. Products like Desi-licious Kulfi will respond to thoseconsumers seeking ethnic offerings whileBlueberry based Sorbatto is a greatalternative for those looking for healthierdairy-free alternatives. The Ice CreamDepot strives to supplement theirfoundational lineup of Chapman’sice cream, which remains one ofthe highest-selling items in WesternCanada, with niche products andbrands including those crafted bylocal manufacturers.

could increase the overall efficiency inthis limited shelf space. “Premium 500mlsare dominating sales and support a wider,innovative assortment per shelf,” saysMike McGregor, director of sales, Fiasco

Planning Shelf Space in Partnership with Manufacturers

Co-ordinating the retail planogramshortly after manufacturers launch theirnew innovations, shares McMahon, willhelp to drive a successful balance ofinnovative products and brand staples.This includes using secondary displayspace and including a large variety to helpcapture that impulsivity, including addingin the right mix of innovative products.Nestlé’s new launches include a Häagen-Dazs Ruby bar, dialing up the levels ofindulgence in the popular Häagen-DazsExträaz and a non-dairy vegan Drumstickresponding to consumers desire for anindulgent plant-based frozen indulgent.

When planning the freezer space,retailers should look at ways that they

TransCold Distribution Ltd. guarantees afrozen cold chain from start to finish.

Desi-licious Kulfiresponds to consumersseeking ethnic options.

Nestlé’s new launches include Häagen-Dazs Ruby Bar, Häagen-Dazs Exträazand a non-dairy vegan drumstick.

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core drivers of theirconsumers’ purchase de-cisions and then followup with the products thatrespond to these needsand buying habits. “It’sabout having a balanceof products bringing together those thatyou know will sell with those that mightpique their interest,” says Alex Kubinski,brand manager, Foothills Creamery Ltd.“Local is huge when it comes to ice cream.“Foothill Creamery’s locally producedpremium ice cream is known for its

creamy flavour and texture with AllCanadian Moose and mint chocolatechip remaining two of their mostpopular favourites. Screamin Brothersis their premium dairy-free alternative,made from organic coconut milk with noartificial flavours.

Embracing the Plant-Based Phenomena

The non-dairy frozen alter-natives is a category that ischanging so rapidly,shares Laila Keshavjee,founder, Happy Pops,with the plant-basedphenomena driving mo-

mentum in this category.Founder Keshavjee entered thecategory to offer an family-centricice pop focused on clean labels

and bold and authentic flavours. Mangoremains one of the most popular options,while innovative options like lemon mintand guava are also appealing to consumers.

“When it comes to plant-based products,there are a lot of differentaudiences that the retailersneed to connect with,”says Darcey Howard,global marketing director,

Gelato (Righteous). “Even though theselines offer comparable margins to theclassic tubs, they do it from less shelfspace per sku, and at a higher ring.”

When partnering with suppliers,retailers would benefit from investigatingthe entire process from their warehouseto how the product is delivered to thestore. “All we do is frozen, with ice creammaking up a significant portion of ourbusiness, guaranteeing a frozen coldchain from start to finish,” says MelissaLeung, president, TransCold Distribution.

“Since we are not working with multi-temperature trucks, the product is fullyprotected from start to finish. It is notjust about ordering the right product but

ensuring that the frozen novelty can bedelivered efficiently.”

However, not just any product willdo. Retailers need to understand the

All Canadian Moose is one of FoothillsCreamery’s most popular flavours.

Screamin Brother is a premium dairy-freealternative made from organic coconut milk.

Happy Pops provides boldand authentic flavours.

Raspberry Lime Sorbrettofrom Fiasco Gelato will berelaunched under the Righteous brand name.

Retailers need to understand the core drivers of their consumers’ purchase decisions andthen follow up with the products that respond to these needs and buying habits.

photo courtesy shutterstock.com

photo courtesy shutterstock.com

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Today more than 300 food processors operate inSaskatchewan, a number that is growing asresearch, investment and the entrepreneurial

spirit of the province work together to meet consumerdemands at home and in global markets.

Ag-West Bio, a not-for-profit, membership-basedcompany, plays a large part in this expansion. KarenChurchill, president and CEO, explains that Ag-WestBio operates as a connector in the food industry, bringinginnovation into commercialization. “We providementoring, assistance with business plans, and have asmall commercialization fund for perhaps a new start-up not ready to get a bank loan or investors.”

Churchill explains how the “Protein Highway”initiative was launched by researchers, small businessesand government entities in Canadian Prairie and U.S.Midwest/Great Plains regions — collaborating throughinnovation and technology to meet the demand for newproducts and plant proteins.

“With the recent expansion of the Saskatchewan FoodIndustry Development Centre in Saskatoon (FoodCentre), we’re seeing a lot more activity across the board

— research, development and a lot more investmentfrom non-traditional funding.”

The Food Centre is often the first stop for foodproducers looking to start or scale up food processingventures with more than 53,000 sq ft of processingdevelopment space. “Saskatchewan food processors arestepping up to the plate, offering options for plant-basedproteins–although meat proteins are definitely in themix,” says President Dan Prefontaine. “We are seeingso many more products coming to market — fermenteddrinks, protein sources from beyond the traditional soy-or gluten-based products, ethnic foods. We’re also startingto see alternatives like protein from crickets.”

The market is wide open for retailers as consumersbecome more accepting of alternatives and excited tosee products they feel are better for them and attuned tobeing part of their daily diet.

Prefontaine adds, “Retailers play a huge part indeveloping new products by encouraging local producersto enter the market, giving consumers local selection.They are doing an excellent job supporting thesecompanies and aren’t demanding huge volumes to fit

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SASKATCHEWAN FOODS

By Deb Draper

FROM FIELD TO TABLE

Coconut Bliss. “This includes exploringthe core drivers for these shoppers andthen delivering the products that willrespond to their needs.” Leung agrees,emphasizing that retailers need to moveaway from the term vegan, as it can feel

extremely exclusive. “Vegan is more abouta lifestyle, while plant-based focuses onthe food itself, including vegans, lactoseintolerant, dairy allergies, or simply thosewho want to add more plant-basedproducts to their diet,” says Leung.

When stocking plant-based products,retailers should look at clean labels, taste,and a variety of bases to appeal to a varietyof consumer preferences andallergen concerns. “For us,our biggest differentiator tothe other non-dairy frozendesserts is that we use

organic banana as our base,” says AndrewKinnear, cofounder, Yellofruit. Availablein three taste profiles, chocolate, mangoand strawberry, the Yellofruit frozenbanana desserts are crafted in Canadaappealing to those consumers who areactively seeking local products.

“Local remains popular, but qualitystill matters most, and artisan producers

are known for both of these,”says McGregor. Fiasco Gelato’ssignature product, RaspberryLime Sorbretto, is currentlyundergoing a rebranding andwill be relaunched underthe Righteous brand name.Righteous brand is excited tolaunch four non-dairy nut

options to the category including peanutbutter and jam and roasted pistachio.

The reality is that although Canadiansare more health-conscious, the primemotivator for ice cream and frozennovelties is indulgence. “At the end ofthe day, this is a dessert. And a dessertneeds to be satisfying and taste good,”says Keshavjee.

These customers want to ensure thatthe products deliver on both texture andtaste. Coconut Bliss’s new flavour BananaBrownie Swirl is one product thatresponds to these needs bringing togetherthe perfect flavour of banana, gluten-freebrownie chunks, a swirl of fudge with ahint of the superfood turmeric. Nestlé iscontinuing to extend into both the plant-

based and permissible indulgencescategories, offering mini versions of theirpreferred frozen bars.

Stocking and merchandizing the icecream and novelty section is a delicatebalance between the perennial favouritesand the new novelties. With limited shelfspace, retailers need to understand whatmotivates their consumers and provide theproducts that deliver on these needs. ●

SASKATCHEWAN FOOD INDUSTRY GROWING STRONG

The Food Centre is the first stop for processors lookingto start or scale up food processing ventures.

Coconut Bliss notes that plant-based products connectwith a lot of different audiences.

Nestlé’s new launches include a non-dairy vegan drumstick.

The reality is that althoughCanadians are more health-conscious, theprime motivator for icecream and frozen noveltiesis indulgence.

photo courtesy shutterstock.com

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Evova Foods Inc., a subsidiary of Saskatchewan Egg Producers,believes the time is ripe for new products.

“Evova had been researching for about seven years,” explainsAnderson. “We found that one of the most sensible directionswas to develop a light, self-stable product that works at ambient

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into the growth strategy of the manufacturer as well asinto the retail outlet.

“Because retailers have opened up more, we’re seeinga lot of our people who were traditionally selling theirproducts in Saskatchewan now distributing throughoutWestern Canada. Creating these new opportunities meanswe can be less reliant on imported foods.”

The egg sector in Saskatchewan is also looking atinnovations and opportunities to meet strong growthand evolving consumer demands as people regard eggsas good, affordable protein and nutrition.

“We’ve seen a strong effort by the egg sector in Canadato highlight the benefits of eggs and thinking about eggsoutside traditional breakfast,” explains Cam Broten,executive director of Saskatchewan Egg Producers. “Wehave producers providing different types of eggs, all theoptions consumers are looking for. Our farmers are

happy to work with our grading station to deliverwhatever the market demands.”

In addition, through extensive collaboration acrossthe egg industry, the national Egg Quality Assuranceprogram (EQA) is now being implemented in Canada.“The easy-to-identify EQA mark is beginning to appearon egg cartons, guaranteeing the eggs are Canadian andfollow the highest standards for animal care andsustainability,” says Broten.

Shawn Harman, CEO at Star Egg Company Ltd. hasseen more interest in family or “club-”size packs atretail as the demand for eggs continues to grow. “Weare producing more 30-packs and recently installed high-speed wrapping equipment to accommodate increasedvolume. As well, retailers can diversify their assortmentof eggs to take advantage of incremental sales that comefrom more value-added offerings.”

But there hasn’t been a lot of innovation in the eggspace, and Sara Anderson, vice-president of marketing,

Sherwood Co-op is a locally-owned and operatedretail co-operative incorporated more than 90years ago and in September 2019, opened a new

stand-alone store in Harbour Landing, part of the grow-ing SW quarter of Regina.“We did have an older store in the south end of the

city, but it wasn’t quite big enough anymore,” saysMegan Dunn, community engagement manager withSherwood Co-op. “We decided a new, larger footprintwould accommodate more offerings and better serveour customers.”

“We have a large selection of products made inRegina and in Saskatchewan, and the Co-op GoldBrand, created by FCL, is all from Western Canada.Our food manager loves to work with independentmanufacturers, meeting them at events and work-ing with them on packaging, labelling, pricing, andmaking sure they fit food safety standards. Ourcustomers love this, and we get comments all thetime about how excited they are to find productsmanufactured near their home towns, productsthey grew up with.”

Dunn adds that manufacturers who have done wellwith them have had the opportunity to expand andmove into retailer stores outside the local area.“We feel that being part of a co-op is the epitome of

local; our owners are our members, so it’s important forus to give back to local communities, and support localproducers.”That’s how the Federated Co-operatives Ltd got

started — by working together. And it’s that same spiritthat is moving the Saskatchewan food industry into astrong and prosperous future.

New Sherwood Co-op Store Serving the Community

Ag-West Biooperates as aconnector in thefood industryand brings inno-vation into com-mercialization.

Saskatchewan Egg Producers has seen a strong effort by theCanadian egg sector to highlight the benefits of eggs.

As the demand for eggs continues to grow Star Egg Company Ltd. isseeing more interest in larger packages.

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temperature so there weren’t questions about how toship and the expense of shipping. Looking at the growingsnack segment, the extrusion expertise at the Food Centredeveloped and patented a process using egg whites for aunique product. This innovation in extrusion combinedwith other prairie products like peas and lentils allowedus to create a light and crunchy product with egg whiteas its first ingredient — Todd’s Protein Crisps — anexcellent example of a value-added food product usingSaskatchewan primary ingredients.”

“We have six other egg products in development thatwill be foodservice and retail-ready coming to marketthis year,” says Anderson. ”It’s a very exciting time.There’s an entrepreneurial and innovative spirit in theSaskatchewan food industry, the almost fearless andhard-working ethic of people in the middle of the prairies.”

Harvest Meats, in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, part ofthat strong agriculture industry since 1928, is also adaptingto market trends while keeping traditional commitmentto quality and flavour.

“We go back to our roots,” says Ken Turcotte, vice-president sales and marketing at Harvest Meats. “Ourformulations stay the same, but we’re always looking atnew flavours that fit trends, ethnic tastes.”

Turcotte notes that consumers want the convenienceof heat-and-serve like most of the Harvest items: hotdogs, farmer’s sausage, smoked ham. “High in proteinis a big thing these days. Hot dog sales are continuingto increase, and Harvest Meats has held the top two

spots for hot dogs in the annualNielsen Canadian food reportfor the past five years.”

“We’ve come out with a lineof sliced meats, hot dog varia-tions and new flavours of ministicks,” says Turcotte. “Thesemini sticks don’t need to berefrigerated, are easily displayed on a metal rack forpeople looking for a convenient, healthy snack. We’vebeen making them for about 15 years, and demand hasgrown to the point that we’re adding more drying roomsin the plant in order to produce more.”

Retailers also play an important role in the growthand development of Saskatchewan’s food industry. “InSaskatchewan and even Western Canada, we have a smallgroup of players in a low density population,” saysPrefontaine. “The support of retailers allows them toget their product to market, and also prepares theseprocessors to become larger and think about supplyingCanada and eventually exporting.”

With strong support for innovation in productsand processes and retailers willing to work with localproducers, opportunities within Saskatchewan’s foodindustry have never been more plentiful and readyfor harvest. ●

Harvest Meatscontinues tolook for newflavours thatfit trends andethnic tastes.

Todd’s Protein Crisps uses Saskatchewan primary ingredients.

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New from Aurora

Aurora Panetti Crisps The perfect treat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Aurora panetticrisps are an authentic Ital-ian product, low in sodium,and baked to perfection!

Aurora Panetti SticksSweet or Savoury? Dip it,wrap it, eat it! Perfect forany occasion, these panettisticks are a great snackthat will satisfy everyone’staste buds.

WHAT’S NEW & IMPROVED IN THE GROCERY AISLEin thebag

WWW.WESTERNGROCER.COM 8786 WWW.WESTERNGROCER.COM

Level GroundLaunches New Line of Coffee

Level Ground Trading haslaunched a new line of spe-cialty coffee at a lower pricepoint, while still offering thesame commitment to fairtrade practices that theyhave been known for since1997. Small batch roastedin Victoria BC, the companyis introducing three neworganic blends; the dark andbalanced Rift Valley withorigins in Tanzania, Ethiopiaand DR Congo, medium andrich Andes Mountains, a smooth blend of coffees from Bolivia and Peruand the light and juicy Bright Roast, Level Ground’s lightest roast everwith beans from DR Congo, Ethiopia and Peru. All three are availablenow in 300g packages.

For further information: 1-888-565-6633

Lorusso Organic Slow Food JamsNow Available in Canada!

Made by a Spanish-Italian family company located in Chercos, a smallAndalusian village  in  southern  Spain, these unique artisan jams areproduced in small batches under the “Slow made”& “Slow living” philosophy, using renewableenergies. Only organic fruitsfrom small local growers withina close radius of the factory areselected. A unique combinationof southern  Spanish artisantraditions with modern andcontemporary designs fromnorthern Italy, the result ofour  mixed  Spanish and  Italiancultures. Each product is handcrafted  and  hand packed. The only jamswith 80 per cent fruit and certified organic. One hundred per cent artisanand free from colourings and preservatives. Vegan and gluten free.

For more information call Spain Gourmet Canada at 604-283-7216

Heinz by Nature

Inspired by nature, close tohomemade – that’s new HeinzBy Nature baby food pouches.Shipping early Q2 2020, HeinzBy Nature is 100 per cent organic,sustainably packaged and preparedin Canada, with natural ingredients(nothing artificial added), includingacerola cherry, an emerging super-

fruit boasting high levels of vitamin C and antioxidants. Grow the infantcategory by trading consumers up to this unique offering. With 11single-ingredient skus, Heinz By Nature meets consumer needs withmoms introducing their babies to solids.

Kraft Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Spread the word, new Kraft ChocolateHazelnut Spread is here! This sweet arrivalfrom the leader in the spreads category isdelighting chocolate spread lovers with arecipe that has no palm oil, and is low in-saturated fat, without compromising onindulgent taste and texture. Kraft ChocolateHazelnut Spread is made with skim milk,roasted hazelnuts and cocoa, and will besupported with a multifaceted marketing campaign to bringexcitement back to the chocolate spreads category.

Lump O’ Coal Continues Mission

The Lump O’ Coal Corp., continues its mission in offering WorkOpportunities to Adults with Developmental Disabilities in the StonyPlain community by way of the assembly of their product, “TheProverbial…Lump O’ Coal”. These work opportunities are ground

zero for training tomor-row’s workforce. Offer-ing work opportunitiesthru contract with thenot-for-profit organiza-tions, however, are onlyviable with support frommajor retailers. In the

2019 Christmas season fromNovember 1 – December 25th,the company’s sell thru numbers at store level are on average 86 percent, particularly if placed next to checkouts.

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in thebag WHAT’S NEW & IMPROVED IN THE GROCERY AISLE

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advertisers index

AB Mauri North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29AB World Foods Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Aliya’s Foods Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Arctic Chiller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65BC Egg Marketing Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13BCFB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24, 25Bee Maid Honey Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70Biro Manufacturing Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Bosa Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73CFIG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67, 68Chicken Farmers of Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . .OBCCoconut Bliss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80Colnuck Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47Digi Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36Discovery Organics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83Distribution Canada Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Egg Farmers of Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61EM Bakery Equipment BC Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31Enterprise Paper Co Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Etalex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Farm Credit Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52Fiasco Gelato . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76Foothills Creamery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74Ghostriders Smokehouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44Golden West Food Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43Grace Foods Canada Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Great Little Box Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Guru Lucky Snacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86Happy Pops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78Hussmann Canada Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86IDDBA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Italpasta Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14JB Sausage Maker Supplier Ltd . . . . . . . . . . .84Jireh Trading & Marketing Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . .70Kraft Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 45Level Ground Trading Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3LFL Solutions Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50OK Frozen Dough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32Olaf Packaging Group Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Palette Foods Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Puratos Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31, 59Red River College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Reimer Bros Trucking Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31Salt Spring Harvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38Schneider’s Gourmet World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84Seoul Trading Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11SIAL Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34Snow Cap Enterprises Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30Sofina Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90, 91Sorbatto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79Spain Gourmet Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Star Egg Company Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85The Grizzly Paw Brewing Company . . . . . . . . . 72The Ice Cream Depot Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78The Lump O’Coal Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8TransCold Distribution Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77Tree of Life Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFCVersaCold Logistics Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63

Blue Elephant Royal Thai CuisineMaking a Splash

Alykhan Jadavji and his wife Salima Gilani, were living in Thailandfor several years when they fell in love with the Blue Elephant prod-ucts. They returned to Canada in 2016 and realized they couldn’t getthe products here. They’ve been the Canadian distributor since Jan-uary 2018. The company offers a variety of products including theaward winning Ready to Heat Curry Sauces, Thai Authentic CurryPastes, Cooking Kits, Thai Black Rice and Dried Thai Spices (KaffirLime, Lemongrass, Basil, Thai Chili Galangal). They also have souppastes such as Tom Yam and Tom Kha as well as cooking sets formeals including Pad Thai, Khao Soi and Satay Barbecue. Tea is alsoa popular item for Blue Elephant and that includes blue tea, which ismade with butterfly-pea flowers and herbs. Blue Elephant productscontain no MSG, no preservatives or artificial colouring. Most are alsogluten-free as well as vegetarian and halal suitable. All their productsare hand made in Thailand with only authentic Thai Ingredients andyour customers will taste the difference!

For further information: www.blueelephantcanada.com or call 416-543-7586

CRAVE: New Varieties

Continue to disrupt the frozen aisle with a brand that deliverspremium flavour and big taste, with no artificial flavours or colours.Deliver category innovation with new CRAVE Handhelds (Turkey &Bacon with Ranch Melt, Buffalo Chicken Melt, and Philly CheesesteakMelt) and new CRAVE Dinners (Spicy & Creamy Cajun-Style Chickenand Sausage as well as Cheesy Loaded Potatoes with Angus Beef &Bacon). Since launching in March 2018, the brand has been a successand CRAVE is the largest player in the premium frozen meal segment.

Cracker Barrel Mac & Cheese

Here’s a chance toleverage the equity behindthe No.1 brand in naturalcheese to shake up theMac & Cheese category.Available in December2019, Cracker Barrel Mac &Cheese is available inCheddar, White Cheddar,

and Cheddar Havarti. While trading consumers upto premium, 45 per cent of CB M&C volume will be sourced fromincremental growth (new users and increased baskets).

BOCA - As Good as the Real Thing

Canadians are decreasing their meatconsumption and looking for proteinalternatives. BOCA provides an easy wayto replace meat that tastes as good asthe real thing! With no artificialflavours or colours, BOCA prod-ucts have at least 50 per centless fat than their comparablemeat substitutes. Available in Q22020, the lineup includes BOCAOriginal Veggie Burger, BOCAOriginal Chick’n Veggie Burger, BOCAVeggie Crumbles and BOCA Veggie Chick’n Nuggets.

Cheez-ItMakes a Crunch in Canadian Market

Cheese-obsessed Canadians now have another reason to be grate-ful! Kellogg Canada is bringing Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers —made with real cheese baked into every little square — to Canadiansfrom coast-to-coast. Gone are the cheese-induced trips across theborder to stock up, the need for a Green Card application to satisfyyour cheese cravings, and the urge to hide your last box from friendsand family. After nearly 100 years of satisfying American snackers,the much-anticipated Cheez-It crackers have finally arrived!

Featuring the same real cheese recipe that has made Cheez-It theNo.1 ranked brand in the cracker category in the USA, Canadians cannow experience real, big cheese flavour in their own backyard withfour delicious flavours across two snacking formats:

Cheez-It Crackers — these bite-sized, square snack crackers deliveran iconic big cheese flavour. Their distinct shape with ridged edgesmake it “hip to be square” in Original flavour, and bring on the heatwith Hot & Spicy.

Cheez-It Crunch Crackers — these rippled, chip-like textured snackcrackers offer bold flavours with a satisfying crunch. The best of acracker and salty snack in one, this is how cheddar got its grooveback in Sharp White Cheddar and Zesty Cheddar Ranch flavours.

For further information: 905-290-5146

Colnuck Eco-DurablesUnveils New Plans for Jute andOrganic Cotton Reusable Bags

Colnuck Eco-DurableProducts, one of theleading Canadian suppli-ers of reusable bags, hasannounced its intentionto expand its focus toinclude the natural mate-rials of jute and organiccotton to its existing line.

“As with all industries,the market is changing, and more and more con-sumers are embracing natural materials for their reusable bagchoices,” said Tony Towers, sales & marketing manager. “Jute andorganic cotton materials represent the most eco-friendly options,while keeping costs reasonable.”

“Colnuck goes to great lengths to ensure all of our products aremade under conditions which are scrutinized and jute and organicCotton especially,” says Patricia Salazar, owner of Colnuck. “We havetaken great care making sure the crops are grown, harvested, andthen become bags in the most ethically, and environmentally-sensi-tive way. These materials have wonderful eco-properties and we areexcited to expand our product offering to include them.”

For further information: www.colnuck.com or call 1-866-594-2247.

GOODTO GO Soft Baked SnackBars Debut New Flavours in Canada

Eating Keto has never been tastier. Riverside Natural Foods, acreator and manufacturer of healthy snacks, has expanded its popularline of keto-friendly soft baked snack bars, GOODTO GO, to includefour new flavours - Strawberry Macadamia Nut, Chocolate Mint,Blueberry Cashew and Double Chocolate. The new flavours join theexisting offerings of CocoaCoconut, Vanilla Almond,Raspberry Lemon and Cin-namon Pecan.  “Since itsdebut in early 2019, GOOD-TO GO has provided a deli-cious, keto-friendly optionin a snack space that isvery underserved,” saidNima Fotovat, presidentand CEO of Riverside Nat-ural Foods. “The responseto GOODTO GO’s core line-up has been outstanding and we want to continue to provide newflavour profiles to meet the needs — and cravings — of our consumers.”

Vegan, gluten-free, peanut-free, kosher and Non-GMO ProjectVerified, GOODTO GO is 160 calories, contain low net carbs (threegrams/bar), just a hint of sugar (two grams/bar) and 13 grams of plant-based fats. They are also made with real, organic ingredients offeringa better-for-you snack that doesn’t compromise on taste.

For more information please visit www.good2gosnacks.ca or followalong on Instagram and Facebook for product and brand news.

Jack Daniel’sLaunches BBQPulled PorkEntrées

Jack Daniel’s is launchingBBQ Pulled Pork entrées andbottled barbecue sauce intothe Canada Market for the

first time this spring 2020. Authentic crafted barbecue productsmade with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey. “Every Day We Make It,We’ll Make It The Best We Can”. Since 1866. See Jack Daniel’s atGSFW show BOOTH 620.

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The Valens Company LaunchesWhite Label Cannabis-Infused Beverages In Canada

Valens GroWorks Corp. has launched aline of cannabis-infused beverages, pro-duced under a white label agreement withA1 Cannabis Company (a subsidiary ofIconic Brewing). The new line of beveragesincludes BASECAMP, a CBD-forward icedtea, and SUMMIT, a THC-forward citruswater. SUMMIT and BASECAMP weredeveloped using the SöRSE by Valensemulsion technology which transforms cannabis oil into water-solubleforms for use in beverages, edibles, topicals and other consumer prod-ucts while eliminating cannabis taste, colour or smell. The technologyprovides a number of advantages including faster-observed onsettimes compared to other infused beverages and edibles; a significantreduction of offset time; an ability to use lower doses of cannabinoidsdue to enhanced bioavailability; and increased consistency andstability with the potential to achieve more than one-year shelf life.The Canadian market for cannabis beverages is growing rapidly, andaccording to a report by Deloitte, it is expected to reach C$529 millionon an annual basis. Additionally, the firm projects that in Canadaalone, consumers are expected to spend C$1.6 billion annually oncannabis extract-based products (including beverages).

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