Alberta-based Sunterra Group, with a portfolio of grocery stores and meat processing facilities, has closed its third store in a few months.
This time the business is shutting down its Calgary store in the Britannia neighbourhood which it has operated there for more than 30 years.
In May, Sunterra closed its downtown Edmonton location on Jasper Avenue after three decades in business. And in September it shut down its Red Deer location in Bower Place. That location had operated since 2021.
The company recently went through a court-approved for sale or investment process within its court-supervised restructuring proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA).
In a Facebook post, the company said: “Thank you for 30 wonderful years, Britannia.
“After three decades of serving the Britannia community, we’re saddened to announce that our Britannia Plaza market will be closing on November 9, 2026.
“Due to changes in property ownership and tenancy arrangements in the building, we are no longer able to continue operating at this location. While we deeply regret having to say goodbye, we’re incredibly grateful for the loyalty, support and relationships we’ve built with our customers, neighbours and community partners since opening in 1996.
“Our Britannia market has been an important part of Sunterra’s history, shaped by the dedication of our team members and the community we’ve been proud to serve.
“While we’ll miss seeing you at Britannia Plaza, we warmly welcome you to visit our other Calgary markets or shop online for convenient grocery delivery.
“Fresh Rewards members: Your points will not expire as a result of this closure, and you can continue to redeem them at any of our other Sunterra Market locations.
“To our Britannia customers, neighbours and team members, thank you for being part of our story for the past 30 years. It’s been a privilege to serve you, and we look forward to staying connected for many years to come.
“With heartfelt thanks and best wishes,
“Your Sunterra Market Team”
Sale and investment solicitation process
In April, the Court of King’s Bench granted the sale and investment solicitation process for the company with a portfolio of agriculture and food businesses in Alberta including a multi-generational pork production operation with more than 595,000 square feet of barn infrastructure on 1.150 acres of land across eight facilities and a premium grocery retailer operating seven “farm-to-fork” market locations.
Interested parties who wanted to pursue this opportunity were given a deadline of June 25 to submit a letter of intent to the sale advisor, KPMG Corporate Finance Inc. The next phase involves the assessment of those submissions.
FTI Consulting Canada Inc. is the court-appointed monitor.
There has been no update regarding the sale process.
In February Retail Insider reported that an Alberta judge ruled that Sunterra engaged in cheque kiting on what the court described as an “astonishing scale,” finding the company liable to U.S. agricultural lender Compeer Financial for approximately $35 million.
In a decision issued on January 27 by the Court of King’s Bench in Calgary, Justice Michael Lema also held Sunterra’s president personally responsible for the debt, marking a significant escalation in the legal and financial pressures facing the vertically integrated agri-food group, said the news story.
The ruling arrived as Sunterra continued to restructure under court supervision following months of financial strain, lender disputes, and operational disruption. While the decision focuses on conduct between Canadian and U.S. affiliates and lenders, it carries implications for the broader Sunterra group, including its premium Sunterra Market grocery stores across Alberta, said the story.
Company launched in 1990 in Calgary’s downtown
In his written decision, Justice Lema likened the financial practices at issue to a game of musical chairs where there are not enough seats when the music stops. He concluded that Sunterra’s Canadian entities fraudulently misrepresented the availability of funds behind cheques sent to the United States, inducing Compeer to continue honouring payments that were not backed by actual cash balances.
Founded in 1970 by the Price family, Sunterra traces its origins to Pig Improvement Canada, a hog-production business built on higher-standard farming practices. The company launched Sunterra Meats and Sunterra Market in 1990, the latter debuting in downtown Calgary’s Bankers Hall with a European-style market concept that emphasized fresh food, in-house production, and premium positioning.
In 2025, Sunterra filed a Notice of Intention (NOI) to make a proposal under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA) and Harris & Partners was appointed as Proposal Trustee.
Court documents indicated the company had more than 200 creditors with liabilities of $18.9 million.
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