Sobeys news

Sobeys reported a challenging third quarter performance, with sales and profits impacted by the integration of Safeway in Western Canada. Western operations hold back company performance Sobeys’ third quarter sales increased by 1.5% to $6.0bn, with same-store sales up 0.4%. Excluding the impact of fuel and the retail West business unit, same-store sales would have increased by 2.7%. The ch...

We highlight the five trends set to shape the grocery sector in the US and Canada this year. 1. Format reinvention Our key trend to watch this year is ‘format reinvention’. We expect to see a number of new concepts enter the market, with a particular focus on the supermarket format. Over the last year, retailers in North America have been channelling increased levels of investment into this...

As Walmart expands its test of click and collect for online groceries to the Toronto area, we review how the channel is developing in Canada. Builds on successful launch in Ottawa Following the launch of an 11 store test in Ottawa last year, Walmart Canada has expanded this to 12 stores in the Toronto area. The Ottawa test revealed strong interest from shoppers in the service, with the con...

Sobeys has launched a number of new programs at Safeway to bring it closer in line with its core Sobeys operation. New programs launched under one team structure Having completed the acquisition of Canada Safeway at the end of 2013, Sobeys has spent the last two years focusing on the back-end technical infrastructure before addressing customer-facing areas. Central to this has been the cre...

With the recent challenges of integrating Safeway impacting Sobeys’ performance, could its Thrifty Foods division in Western Canda provide the model for future growth? Challenges as integration progresses Having completed the acquisition of Canada Safeway at the end of 2013, Sobeys has spent the last two years focusing on the back-end technical infrastructure before addressing customer...

We look at the themes and trends set to shape the Canadian grocery sector over the next 12 months. 1. A challenging economic backdrop driving a flight to discount While the impact of lower oil prices is already being felt in Alberta, with rising unemployment and lower house prices, other provinces may not remain relatively immune to this in 2016. With a lower Canadian dollar, high consum...

Sobeys has launched a new convenience format, Sobeys Express, in Atlantic Canada. Replicating convenience best practices from Western Europe Sobeys Express is the latest new format from the retailer following the launch of its South Asian focused store, Chalo! FreshCo, earlier this year. The Sobeys Express format has been based on the IGA Express format which was launched in Quebec two ye...

Sobeys has opened its first Nutella café at its remodelled Urban Fresh format store in downtown Toronto. All things Nutella Sobeys introduced the Nutella café as part of its aim to create unique and unparalleled experiences for its customers. The fully-branded café offers a range of pastries and artisan breads made with Nutella, along with fresh made-to-order crêpes filled with Nutella. A ...

Loblaw has started to roll-out its click-and-collect operation for grocery ecommerce to stores in Western Canada. Builds on existing operations in Toronto and Edmonton Starting this month, Loblaw will start to offer the service at its larger format Real Canadian Superstores in British Columbia, with stores in the Vancouver area, Kelowna and Red Deer in the first phase of the roll-out. Thi...

As the Overwaitea Food Group expands its grocery ecommerce service to downtown Vancouver, we review how the channel is evolving in Canada. Leading with store pickup and home delivery in Canada The addition of Vancouver to the retailer’s ecommerce initiative is a major milestone for the Overwaitea Food Group, one of the leading operators in Western Canada. In addition to home delivery, the ...