Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past 24 hours.
Montreal-based app FoodHero, with a goal of reducing food waste, has partnered with Empire Company Limited to significantly expand its reach into new regions of the country including Ontario, Atlantic Canada and Western Canada.
Jonathan Defoy
Jonathan Defoy, CEO of FoodHero, originally got the idea for the concept in 2016. The first store it partnered with was an IGA in Montreal in May 2019.
“The vision originally, the mission, it’s always been about saving food, so reducing food waste,” he said. “When I got the idea originally, it struck me as I was watching a documentary on food waste, and I saw those horrific, numbers about how much food is wasted. And so I had been a tech entrepreneur for almost a quarter of a century already. At the time I, like, literally, all the strings kind of got magically attached together in my head.
“And I was like, okay, that’s what I want to do next. So it came to me very clearly that what I was able to build and what I wanted to build would be a B to B to C marketplace, where on one end we would have the supply from those grocery stores, maybe eventually, restaurants, farms. Pretty much everywhere where food is wasted, and would build a platform, as they say in tech lingo, mobile first and mobile only, and that was my original vision.
“So it was clear to me that I wanted a mobile app, just for the convenience, but also to be able for the consumer to localize, identify the stores around him or her that are currently offering food. So on one end you have the supply. On the other end you have the consumers, even small businesses sometimes that are looking for discounts, important discounts on food, and we’re the platform in between. So basically, from a retailer perspective, we’re providing a very complete technology solution that’s comprised of, obviously, connecting their back end to our solution so that we’re able to access in real time the inventory that they could be losing, and all the tools that they need to operate the solution. And on the consumer end, a simple mobile application where you basically, you shop on the app, you buy on the app, and you go pick up your order at the store, or stores where you decided to shop.”
FoodHeroImage: FoodHero
Through this national expansion, Canadians will gain access to deep discounts on surplus food at over 500 participating stores across Ontario, Atlantic Canada and Western Canada. The user-friendly FoodHero app connects consumers to local participating stores offering 50 per cent discounts in English Canada and up to 60 per cent in Quebec on select items. Since its launch in Quebec in 2019, the app has seen substantial growth, with over one million downloads and 100,000 active customers shopping at approximately 500 participating retailers in Quebec.
“Cost of living alongside the escalating issue of food waste are top of mind for Canadians,” said Defoy. “FoodHero connects customers with local grocery stores offering significant markdowns on products to prevent them from ending up in landfills. Our partnership with Empire Company Limited allows us to further our mission of combating food waste while offering Canadians enhanced value on their groceries.”
Image: FoodHero
Items available on the FoodHero app range from bakery, meat and prepared food to dry goods. With a consistent selection of items, customers can easily select from the available products and schedule a pickup time. The app also tracks the weight of products saved from landfills and estimates the associated reduction in CO2 emissions.
Kristi Lalach
“As a company committed to sustainability, we’re excited to be partnering with FoodHero, a Canadian success story fighting against food waste. This partnership supports our commitment to reducing food waste, ensuring more food reaches family tables instead of landfills,” said Kristi Lalach, SVP Legal and Sustainability, Empire Company Limited.
Defoy said the concept is now coast to coast in every province.
“This was supposed to happen in 2020, 2021, in the original agreements that we signed, but because of the pandemic, it really derailed our plans, but it’s okay. We never gave up, and we’re extremely happy to be able to bring that to all Canadians now, because it’s been very, very popular in Quebec, and we’ve, over the years, we’d have fellow Canadian citizens that were like, when is it going to be available?
“So we’re almost at 1,100 stores now . . . We would love to (expand), but for now, we’re obviously really, really focused on making sure that we are going to be as successful as possible with this launch . . . More, more to come, for sure, we’re open for business. But it’s a huge piece of cake that we’re starting to eat today because, you know, it’s six different chains. It took us one full year of very hard work to be there today. So the fun starts now.”
Empire Company Limited (TSX: EMP.A) is a Canadian company headquartered in Stellarton, Nova Scotia. Empire’s key businesses are food retailing, through wholly-owned subsidiary Sobeys Inc., and related real estate. With approximately $30.7 billion in annualized sales and $16.8 billion in assets, Empire and its subsidiaries, franchisees and affiliates employ approximately 128,000 people.
Adopt, the vibrant retail concept from France that focuses on fine fragrances and related accessories for the masses, is getting ready to make its debut in Canada with three locations.
Tony Flanz, of Montreal-based real estate firm Think Retail, has been working with the Adopt brand and its plans to expand into Canada.
Tony Flanz
Flanz said Adopt has just completed agreements to open in Quebec at Carrefour Laval, Galeries d’Anjou and Place Ste-Foy. The stores — 616 square feet, 629 square feet and 536 square feet — are set to open in September.
“This, however, is just the beginning. Thereafter, Adopt aims to open at least five additional Quebec locations in 2025, followed by expansion into Ontario in 2025/2026. It’s an exciting time for this global brand,” explained Flanz.
He said the additional Quebec locations will be around the province. Flanz and his team are looking for regional and super regional malls for the brand – mostly super regional.
Image: Adopt
Flanz said expansion into Ontario could be as early as the fourth quarter of 2025 in Toronto or Ottawa.
“Once we get into Ontario the initial focus will be on the GTA (Greater Toronto Area),” he added.
The potential is for between 35 to 40 locations in Canada.
“Founded in France in 1986 by perfumer Dominique Monlun, the Adopt is about choice, accessibility and reinvention. With fun and chic stores in more than 40 countries, Adopt is fresh and engaging—much like its target audience,” said Flanz.
“The Adopt range features more than 100 original, joyful, feminine, masculine or mixed eaux de parfums, all made in a beautiful historical production site in Cestas, near Bordeaux. Rather than embracing a single signature scent, the Adopt ethos is to have multiple fragrances for all of life’s moods and moments, from every day to formal and seasonal.”
Flanz said adopt stores also feature complementary items, such as sprays, body creams, candles and essential oils infused with its array of scents, so that customers can immerse themselves in their favourite fragrances. In addition, Adopt offers a range of skincare products for the face, from serums and moisturizers to lip balms and cleansers.
He said the stores are designed with a modern vibe, and the branding is electric, with packaging that appeals to all generations: The average customer is aged 34, with 37 per cent ages 18 to 25, 42 per cent ages 26 to 45 and 21 per cent over 45 years.
“The brand offers something for all tastes and lifestyles. In addition, products put people and planet first, with a multi-pillar commitment to sustainability practices throughout the value chain, natural ingredients, organic ranges and eco-friendly packaging,” he said.
“A regular on the pages of fashion and beauty magazines, as well as the feeds of social media influencers, Adopt is a proven concept with a strong global footprint and following.”
Image: Adopt
Flanz said ideal spaces are 500 to 800 square feet in enclosed malls and along busy high streets.
In a previous interview with Retail Insider, Marcel Rinaldy, President of Groupe 3M, who will be the Canadian partner/developer of the brand, said:
“We are convinced that there is a huge potential in the Canadian population – open minded people with a French culture, knowing that the fine fragrances are coming from France.
“Adopt makes the revolution in the perfume universe. Adopt is making the French Fragrance Revolution! The brand offers high quality perfumes at very accessible prices. It also distributes cosmetics, body care, skin care and home care.
“Adopt is unique. It proposes the wider range of the market with more than 150 fragrances of high quality 100 per cent made in France, created by the greatest perfumers, at an accessible price for all and respecting our planet.”
The brand has more than 180 stores in metropolitan France with more than 50 locations in overseas territories such as French West Indies, Reunion Island, Mayotte, Mauritius, Madagascar, Seychelles, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Saint-Martin. It is also in more than 40 countries with 2,600 points of sale as a wholesaler in places like department stores.
The Marine Building at 1411 Peel Street (at Ste-Catherine) in Montreal. Photo supplied
Downtown Montreal is seeing a resurgence as foot traffic returns and new initiatives to increase vibrancy in the area are implemented. Included are Sainte-Catherine Street and Peel Streets, which are seeing significant infrastructure updates. At the heart of it all is a notable Class A boutique office building, the Marine Building, with office space available for lease.
The City of Montreal is investing heavily into the downtown with the goal to make it cleaner and more accessible, and to bring more life into the area. Several months ago, Mayor Valerie Plante announced a $1.8 billion initiative to keep downtown Montreal culturally vibrant and economically attractive. There’s increased foot traffic with increased transit ridership and a return to work in offices. Tourism has also grown significantly — in 2023, Montreal saw 15% more overseas visitors than in 2019, and air passenger traffic is now surpassing 2019 levels. And Sainte-Catherine Street has been seeing updates which is transforming the public realm.
The intersection of Sainte-Catherine and Peel Street is centre ice for the City of Montreal, which is also implementing a major capital project on the north-south Peel Street. That includes a promenade spanning 2.5 kilometres with 11 themed stations and an audio guide where visitors can learn about the indigenous history in the area. More than $100 million is being spent on Peel Street with work planned into 2027, creating wider sidewalks and bike paths to improve the public realm.
The Marine Building at 1411 Peel Street in Montreal, and its corner retail space at 1035 Sainte-Catherine St. W. Photo supplied.
At the northeast corner of Sainte-Catherine Street and Peel Street is the Marine Building, which features five floors of boutique Class A office space above three levels of retail at its base. The prominent building was constructed in 1989 by entrepreneur Sheldon Mintzberg, who still maintains his offices there as owner and CEO of the Marine Group.
The Marine Building at 1411 Peel Street stands on the site of two smaller buildings that occupied the site and were built in the early 1900s. The 1980s was a boom time for Montreal with various commercial complexes having been added to the downtown core. Mintzberg invested heavily into the Marine Building as part of a legacy to the city. High-quality materials were used both on the exterior and interior of the prominent building.
Office space at the Marine Building at 1411 Peel Street in Montreal. Photo supplied.
The Marine Building has several opportunities to lease boutique office space, with each floor spanning less than 10,000 square feet of leasable space. Space currently available includes:
Office lobby of the Marine Building at 1411 Peel Street in Montreal. Photo supplied.Unique light show as part of the art in the office lobby of the Marine Building at 1411 Peel Street in Montreal. Photo supplied.
The office space is beautifully renovated, and the building’s lobby was also recently renovated with escalators and marble walls and flooring, as well as unique artwork.
The Marine Building is connected directly to downtown Montreal’s underground pedestrian walkway system that spans most of the downtown Montreal area that includes indoor access to an atrium and the STM Metro system (Peel Station) as well as the new REM system, which will be operational within a year. Numerous parking lots are located nearby and 1035 Sainte-Catherine itself has its own parking facility that is connected to the Underground City.
Retail Insider will be reporting further on what’s happening in downtown Montreal. And for those interested in leasing office space at the Marine Building at Sainte-Catherine and Peel, contact Kyle Mintzberg at:
Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past 24 hours.
Artigiano has opened a new flagship location in Vancouver under a new concept and has plans to expand. The brand’s new concept includes an evening program starting at 4pm where it will provide food and drinks to fill a gap in Vancouver’s evening dining scene.
Dean Shillington
The new Vancouver flagship is in Yaletown as it was chosen to reestablish Artigiano’s presence in this area of the city. This location will be the first to include the new Artigiano bar evening concept, offering both daytime cafe service and will transform into a European inspired bar at 4pm. The Yaletown location allows the brand to showcase its coffee program, food offerings, and the new evening experience all in one place.
“This is the future of Artigiano, and Yaletown is the perfect location to kickstart this exciting new direction for the brand. We wanted to ensure that we channeled an Italian aperitivo atmosphere with great drinks, light snacks, and a fun ambiance for our guests to enjoy right in the heart of their city. We can’t wait to welcome everyone to enjoy a daytime coffee or an evening drink,” says Dean Shillington, president and owner of Artigiano.
Artigiano Yaletown (Image: Artigiano)
“With the evening concept, at 4pm it turns into a European inspired aperitivo bar. We feature hand-rolled pizzas, small plates and desserts, with a selection of specialty cocktails and Italian wines with all bottles being 50 per cent off daily between four to six pm. Our signature cocktails include the espresso martini and negronis made with Artigiano private reserve espresso, the Aperol Spritz, and a smooth Earl Grey Sour made with our organic tea.”
Local support – murals and live music
Artigiano Yaletown (Image: Artigiano)
As part of its rebranding, Shillington says the brand will also be supporting local artists by showcasing live music and entertainment.
“As part of our rebrand, we do these murals in each of our cafes to really be inspired by the local community around it, and we always use local artists to go do these murals. Our cups now feature these murals too, showcasing the local art done in each of our cafes. We believe this truly adds to our space and also highlights local talent. I like talking about this as it showcases the local artists and programs we have to try and raise funds for local artists.” “At the same time with this bar concept, we are tapping into live music and entertainment as much as possible. So as we go forward, I look forward to getting more involved in the music community as well, giving them another stage to showcase their talent to our customers.”
This new approach allows Artigiano to support the local art scene while creating a unique atmosphere that reflects each community it’s in.
Check out the latest Yaletown views in downtown Vancouver at the SideSignal Collective.
Expansion plans moving forward
Artigiano Yaletown (Image: Artigiano
“Our goal this year is to add five new locations for the system, so Yaletown is the first of those with more coming in the second half of the year. We have been working hard to revitalize the brand in the Vancouver market. We are expanding into the Lower Mainland quite aggressively, and we have locations on Vancouver Island and Calgary, with plans to go beyond our provinces over the coming 12 months.”
Shillington says there will be three program variations: A purely cafe program where the cafe will have a focus on coffee and food offerings, Artigiano bar concept such as the new Yaletown location, and a partial bar concept where it will be offering a mix of daytime cafe and evening bar services.
“When I first purchased the brand four or five years ago, it seemed like an obvious opportunity to us to build our loyal customers, something different, and something that we felt was going to be a good alignment. The folks who come to us over the years are less likely to be looking for a club scene – they want to have a very chill environment to go to and enjoy some live music, go somewhere in the community that feels more likely, and have some good food. We really saw an important opportunity for us and we just don’t see anything like it.”
Cozey Vancouver Pop-up 810 Granville Street, Vancouver (Image: Cozey)
Furniture brand Cozey has opened a pop-up location in Vancouver as it continues to expand its physical retail footprint in Canada.
Frédéric Aubé, founder of the brand, started the furniture retail idea when he was a student at McGill University in Montreal studying finance and economics. The idea began in 2019 and the brand was launched initially online in June 2020.
Frédéric Aubé
The concept was purely digital until about a year ago when it opened a pop-up location at Stackt Market in Toronto. It opened its first store in Toronto on Queen St and Ossington Avenue in March in 3,600 square feet of space in March of this year.
“It’s been a tremendous success so far. It’s pretty amazing to see. It’s our first permanent store and it was really a test for us to see whether we wanted to go into physical retail or not and learn the ropes. But so far it’s been a great success,” he said.
“So we’re going to dive into even more retail locations in the future across Canada and the U.S. as well.”
Cozey Vancouver Pop-up (Image: Cozey)Cozey Vancouver Pop-up (Image: Cozey)Cozey Vancouver Pop-up (Image: Cozey)
Aubé said the Toronto market initially appealed to the brand because it was its largest market on ecommerce. Toronto is also a city that does well with its concept – modular, small and easy to maneuver products.
“It’s a product that does very well in Toronto and we said if we’re going to launch a store let’s do it in our biggest market and we picked a spot where we thought our customers like to go. Not just live in but like to go on week nights, on weekends. That’s why the location was perfect for us,” he added.
Cozey has launched a pop-up in Vancouver on Granville Street and Robson Street in 3,000 square feet of space.
“It’s one of our biggest markets but one of the markets that we did not put a lot of effort in. We’re Montreal based. We did a pop-up last year in Toronto. But the western market we didn’t really pay attention to it before this pop-up,” he said. “So it’s our first chance to really connect with our customers, connect with new customers, connect with the community and really drive awareness and conversion in the market. But it’s one of our largest. We just haven’t gotten involved that much. We think connecting will drive even more customers to Cozey.
“This is a pop-up for now but we’re looking for a permanent location for 2025 or 2026 in Vancouver.
“The sky’s the limit for Cozey. In the short term, we want to make sure that we do things right. We’re a profitable company growing very fast and we don’t want to lose tons of money on retail either. We want to do things right, carefully plan out the expansion. We’ll start out with Canada because it’s our biggest market but 2026 and beyond the U.S. is a market that we’re doing really well in as well and we will launch stores in big metropolitan areas.”
Cozey is represented by Oberfeld Snowcap for its real estate needs.
Cozey Vancouver Pop-up 810 Granville Street, Vancouver (Image: Cozey)Cozey Vancouver Pop-up 810 Granville Street, Vancouver (Image: Cozey)
In a previous Retail Insider story, Aubé said:“The idea for Cozey at first was just to create one simple sofa, elegant, easy to move, in boxes that could be assembled tool free, shipped to your door in a few days at a really attractive price point.
“It was a test to see if other people had the same problem as me of moving sofas around in a move or assembling sofas that take four tools and 12 bolts. And if so, can I sell those sofas on the internet.
“It was one sofa, four colours, really simple. And that’s how it started.”
Cozey at 1026 Queen St W in Toronto (Image: Cozey)
Aubé said there’s a combination of reasons why the concept has resonated with consumers.
“Our value proposition, the quality we have for the price of our furniture I think is unbeatable in Canada. I think our approach to customer experience as well, the fast shipping, the risk free trial, our attention to customer service. All that together with the design of the products that are smart products that are thought for the customers, all of that I think make us a winning combination for customers in North America so far.”
By Liza Amlani and Raj Dhiman, Retail Strategy Group
Acquiring customers isn’t costly, losing them is. And, they can be lost when a company fails to deliver on what the customer is looking for.
But, why should that even happen in the first place? Especially since companies can get more information and insights about their customers than ever before.
The issue is twofold:
First, customer insights commonly reside in the bailiwick of marketing. Doesn’t matter where the insights come from, a loyalty program for example. These are viewed as a tool for marketing, creating customer segments and delivering targeted offers.
Second, different functions within an organization are often focused on different (and sometimes competing) goals. As such, functions don’t share information with one another that can help elevate the brand as a whole.
For retailers and brands, this is exemplified by the disconnected relationship between marketing and merchandising. They operate in isolation and only come together when a product assortment has been finalized.
Image: Ulta Beauty
The problem is that the customer is dynamic. Therefore, insights about the customer need to be fed back to merchandising to inform product creation. But, as described above, there is no opportunity to do so before the products are ready to hit the shop floor.
Brands then find themselves in trouble by putting either too many or irrelevant products into their assortment. Customers don’t buy the products and the brand sits on excess inventory which needs to be cleared out at a discount. This in turn hurts profitability and gross margins.
The trick here is for companies to change how they view insights and loyalty programs. No longer are they just marketing tools, they are tools for product creation. Brands can use the data they have on hand to conduct focus groups, cut underperforming products, and validate new offerings.
We offer three examples showcasing how insights can drive profitable assortment decisions.
First, ULTA Beauty’s success is reflective of the connection between marketing and merchandising. In fact, according to Business of Fashion, 96% of ULTA Beauty’s sales come from loyalty program members. Personalized marketing and product recommendations translate to sales. Further, merchandising teams track purchasing behaviour to inform product assortments and allocation strategies.
Second, the puzzle maker Jiggy discovered the value of using direct, loyalty insights. At first, the intention of the loyalty program was to drive repeat purchases. As membership grew, the CEO of Jiggy (Kaylin Marcotte) would call customers to ask them what was important to them in the product mix. Kaylin refers to her loyalty program members as her focus group. She pulls insights from her data and then follows up with customers for real-time conversations. Kaylin then forms new offerings based on that feedback. As such, she hedges the bet in her favor that customers will buy from her informed product assortment.
Finally, Coach used customer testing to become the top handbag brand for female teens in the US. The Tabby Bag is an example of taking an archived style and using insights to make it a powerhouse product. The bag was inspired by a style from the 1970’s and developed using Gen Z customer validation and testing. Only when the initial release of the bag proved to be a hit did design get the green light to develop new versions. These versions have different sizes, materials and price points. As they are developed, they are tested with customers to ensure Coach was hitting the mark. The brand generated demand with a target demographic and is poised to create a new segment of loyal customers.
In all three examples, connecting the insights about the customer to product creation proves to be a success.
Conclusion
The importance of data and customer insights for brands and retailers cannot be understated. However, the true power of that information does not lie in the information itself. Instead, organizational issues must be overcome. Namely, for data to not just reside with marketing and for the insights to be fed back to product creation. This way, products are created that customers truly want and brands can drive profitability and preserve gross margins.
Bio
Liza Amlani X Raj Dhiman
Liza Amlani and Raj Dhiman are Co-Founders of Retail Strategy Group. The firm works with retailers and brands, helping them to improve profitability and increase organizational effectiveness. Even in turbulent times, market leading brands turn to Retail Strategy Group to deliver breakthrough results.
Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past 24 hours.
Ledingham McAllister is bringing a brand new era of thoughtful living to the City of Burnaby.
Southgate City, a revolutionary 60-acre master planned community in the Edmonds neighborhood, is one of Canada’s most significant and largest communities of its kind.
The project will eventually comprise 12,500 homes, more than 33,000 residents and up to 400,000 square feet of retail and office space.
Public amenities will include a five-acre central park, a 60,000-square-foot public plaza, five kilometres of bike paths, eight kilometres of pedestrian paths and a new community centre.
Image: Southgate CityImage: Southgate City
Dan Clark, Partner at Sitings Realty Ltd., which is leasing the retail and office aspects of the development, said a Safeway (50,850 square feet) will open the first phase of retail at Southgate City, joined by TD Bank (6,868 square feet) and CEFA Early Learning (20,817 square feet).
Dan Clark
There’s also a small food and beverage unit of about 1,270 square feet to be leased in the first phase.
“We have roughly 25,000 square feet of second floor retail/medical space that we can see being leased to physiotherapists, dentists, specialty medical, small and mid format fitness operators. Retail that can thrive in a second-floor setting and take benefit of the slightly reduced rents in comparison to ground floor space,” said Clark.
Future Safeway (Image: Southgate City)Image: Southgate City
The first phase of the commercial part of the overall development will be under construction soon with businesses expected to be open by 2028.
Clark is working with Nancy Bayly, Vice President, also of Sitings, to lease the project.
“I think we’re seeking everyday best in class service oriented tenants. So it’s more basic needs type of retail – grocery, pharmacy, liquor store, dental, medical, fitness. A typical grocery-anchored shopping centre lineup,” said Clark.
“Everyone, as a part of the neighbourhood that they’re living in, they want to have their grocery store. This site used to be home to the Safeway distribution centre. So they’re coming back into the property in a retail capacity which is great.”
The project, adjacent to the Edmonds SkyTrain Station, will include 26 highrise and 17 lowrise buildings with about 11 million square feet of residential area.
The SkyTrain has average daily riders of 23,833 on Monday to Friday and 13,372 average daily riders on weekends and holidays.
Image: Southgate City
The total trade area had a population of 87,435 in 2022. And it’s projected to continue to grow to 120,304 in 2025, 160,830 in 2030 and 175,544 in 2035.
“The interesting thing about this area is that it’s going to consist on buildout of 12,500 homes and upwards of 33,000 residents in 60 acres. Very dense. It’s a city. It’s larger than many small city’s/towns in the province,” said Clark.
“It’s a great setting. A new residential community. It will be a great place to live within Burnaby.”
