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Roots Relaunches Iconic ‘Beaver Canoe’ Brand to Mark 40 Years: Interview with CEO Meghan Roach

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Roots Canada at Brookfield Place (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Iconic Canadian retailer Roots has re-introduced its historic Beaver Canoe brand to celebrate the brand’s 40th anniversary.

Meghan Roach, President and Chief Executive Officer of Roots, said Beaver Canoe was launched in 1982.

“The brand was associated with Roots for a very long time. We have our 40th anniversary this year and so from that perspective as we were looking at our archives and our heritage and thinking about what do we want to bring back and what are customers in love with today, one of the things is Beaver Canoe,” said Roach.

“If you think about the trends in the marketplace today from a retro logo perspective and also just from a resale perspective, we were seeing tons of people out there who were borrowing Beaver Canoe from their parents or buying them in the secondary market. So we knew there was a lot of demand for it. And so when we thought about what we wanted to bring back, Beaver Canoe was one of the top things.”

Roots Canada on Bloor Street (Image: Craig Patterson)
Roots Canada at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

The last time the product line was in a Roots store was around 2012/2013. It was also in Target stores in 2014 into the beginning of 2015 when Target exited the Canadian market. It had a very large business in Target of about $20 million in its first year, said Roach.

Meghan Roach

Roach said as part of the retailer’s normal product development process it always has conversations about what it has in its archives, what’s meaningful and impactful to the brand potentially, and how does it bring those things back at the right time.

“A lot of that contributed to our decision to bring it back now,” she said.

“Our business is a brand that’s always been known for being at home with nature. What you’re going to see from a digital perspective is you’re going to see a lot of exciting manifestations of nature in our windows. You go to some of our bigger stores – our Eaton Centre store, Yorkdale – you’re going to see the Beaver Canoe sign with the clothing, mossy, grassy ground. Those types of things that really bring to life the concept of this brand base associated with the outdoors and associated with the things Roots is associated with.”

Roots Canada at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

In the store, Beaver Canoe will be shown as part of the overall Roots brand and infusing it with everything it does in a physical location.

Roots Canada at Brookfield Place (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

“Beaver Canoe is across our portfolio. The other thing that’s really unique about Beaver Canoe is that it’s entirely organic. We’re shifting as a brand to have more organic and sustainable materials in our clothing. As we get to the Fall, the majority of our items will be made with sustainable materials. So this is kind of another launch,” said Roach.

Karuna Scheinfeld

The historic Beaver Canoe brand was started by canoeist Omer Stringer, who was born on Canoe Lake, Algonquin Park, in 1912 to an Algonquin Ranger.

Karuna Scheinfeld, Chief Product Officer, joined the company in July 2020.

“Beaver Canoe has had a strong and loyal following since it was launched in 1982. As we looked at our iconic heritage logos, we felt there was an opportunity for Beaver Canoe to be the focus of our summer collection, not only because it is so well loved, but also because of its authentic association with summer activities, from canoeing to cottaging to camp. We saw the 40th anniversary of Beaver Canoe as the perfect time to reintroduce the label, to offer great product for people who have loved it for years, as well as share it with people who are experiencing it for the first time, the response has been even more overwhelming than we anticipated,” she said.

Roots Canada at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

“As we brought this into store and started to shoot the product, it just reinforced the universal appeal of Beaver Canoe – all the people on the shoot became obsessed with the product, finding new ways to wear it, or just discovering it as their new favourite. The minute it was available we saw everyone at home office and our store staff buying and wearing it right away, always a key sign for a positive result. We allowed it to flow into stores as a soft launch prior to the official release, and the response was immediate as it jumped to the top of our weekly bestsellers.”

She said the photoshoot and windows both reflect the history of outdoor craftsmanship, shot in the Canadian wilderness of northern Ontario.

Patrick Davis, Director – Creative Marketing, said the Beaver Canoe campaign was an opportunity to go beyond just celebrating the brand with those who have known it for 40 years.

“As we honour and contextualize the four decades of the beloved brand, we also want to capture a contemporary feel for a new era,” he said.

“The faces of the campaign are not just people but friends that we built relationships within our community. Tamara & Peter, with their individual fond memories of being camp instructors and wearing the original crew. Also, millennials Alex & Nick hold a connection with nature and love the collection’s aesthetics. This sense of community goes even further by partnering with Black Canadian photographer, Liam MacRae, and Toronto-based artists, Trevor Wheatley and Cosmo Dean. We believe this new Beaver Canoe collection is for everyone.”

Roots Canada at Brookfield Place (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Roots has 120 locations, including 11 pop-ups. It plans to open another four – three of them pop-ups – this year.

 In the first quarter of this year, sales for the retailer grew 15.3 per cent  year-over-year to $43.1 million. But net loss of $53 million was up from a net loss of $4.9 million in Q1 2021.

“Roots delivered solid first quarter results with sales increasing 15.3 per cent year-over-year mainly due to greater customer traffic. Our performance for the quarter validates our omni-channel growth plan and renewed strategy focused on optimizing our product portfolio, elevating our brand image and driving overall demand. While industry-wide supply-chain disruptions remain present, our team continues to stress operational excellence by diligently seeking optimal logistics solutions,” said Roach.

“Through high-profile collaborations with artists, celebrities and influencers, we continue to promote brand awareness to a broader global audience and leverage our highly attractive customer demographics. Over 70 per cent of our customers have been loyal to Roots for more than 10 years, while our brand has resonated across the marketplace for nearly 50 years. We also recently joined the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, reflecting our commitment to reducing our environmental footprint and promoting social justice throughout the global supply chain. Based on our enduring brand affinity, premium product offering and ongoing operational efficiencies, we plan to stay the course with a focus on our long-term, profitable growth strategy.”

Roots Canada at Brookfield Place (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Gross profit reached $26.2 million in Q1 2022 compared to $21.5 million in Q1 2021, representing an increase of 22.1 per cent. Gross margin improved to 60.9 per cent in Q1 2022 from 57.5 per cent in Q1 2021. 

“We really have focused on being a strong omnichannel brand,” added Roach. “We’re continuing to invest in that area as a brand to make sure we provide ourselves with a lot of flexibility.”

Roach said the brand learned through the pandemic how to be adaptable. 

“Really thinking a lot about what’s the brand ethos. What does it mean to our consumers. How do we continue to develop and bring products to the forefront that our consumers are really seeking, excited about,” said Roach. “We have a really strong core business. And if  you think about the market going forward and how challenging the last couple of years have been, the fact that we’ve had a really strong product portfolio and a core product portfolio has served us really well.”

She said the company has learned through the pandemic to be prepared during disruption. Disruption is a new normal in the retail industry.

“I think the concept of things going back to normal is not really going to happen. I think there is a new normal that’s been established. As a brand and as a retailer we have to prepare ourselves and build that muscle to respond to disruptive situations on a go-forward basis. So a lot of what we’ve been focusing on internally is how do we create ourselves to be very adaptable, how do we give ourselves the room to pivot. We really think about how do we deal with future macro situations by creating a lot of flexibility internally and being willing to pivot around as much as possible.”

Vertical Farming Company Looks to Replace Imported Produce at Canadian Grocers with Homegrown Varieties [Interview]

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Image: Vision Greens

Welland, Ontario-based Vision Greens, a vertical farming startup, has raised $7 million from investors to grow its business with a mission to improve Canada’s food system by disrupting the multi-billion dollar lettuce import market.

With the investment, Vision Greens will expand its operations to grow 700,000 pounds of saleable produce annually and scale distribution to leading grocers and meal kit companies that currently include Metro, Pusateri’s, and Goodfood.

Vision Greens’ Foodland Ontario certified produce is grown, harvested and packaged at its Welland farm and travels less than 200 kilometres –  or 92 per cent less food kilometres than imported lettuce to get from farm to table. The company grows its produce 365-days a year to provide consumers with fresh from the farm food, year round. 

“Each year, Canada imports 559 million pounds or about $2.2 billion worth of lettuce from thousands of miles away. This funding is already helping us deliver on our mission to help fix Canada’s broken food system and replace imported produce with clean food that’s better tasting. Now we can meet increased demand from leading grocers and are on track to capture double digit market share over the next few years,” said Lenny Louis, CEO, Vision Greens, former Tesla Country Director and Microsoft veteran. 

Vision Greens at Pusateri’s (Image: Vision Greens)

Vision Greens was founded in January 2020. 

Lenny Louis

“We’re a vertical farm company. It is growing crops indoors in stacked layers. That’s really the gist of what vertical farming does. The complexity comes in that you’re controlling an environment to grow plants to perfection. And you have 26 harvests versus two harvests,” said Louis. 

The facility is located in Welland in the Niagara region. With the growing area stacked, it gives the equivalent of about 25,000 square feet of total growing area. 

Louis said the company is currently servicing mostly in Ontario. 

“Part of the reason when we got into vertical farming the intent was can we create premium food without the premium pricing. People want the whole no pesticides and sustainable and low carbon footprint but they’re not willing to pay double or even a premium at the point of sale,” he said.

Vision Greens at Metro (Image: Vision Greens)
Vision Greens at Metro (Image: Vision Greens)

“So if you’re going to create food and create it for the masses it has to be at an affordable price. We want to democratize premium food for the masses.”

Louis said the company intends to grow its business to other markets.

“If you just take lettuce, Canada is one of the largest lettuce importers in the world, if not the largest,” he said. 

“We intend to at least have facilities in the major cities where we can access the most consumers. We’re in Welland which services the GTA. But we’ll be in Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary over the next three to five years.”

The new funding puts Vision Greens another step closer to achieving its plan to be the number one consumer choice for lettuce, with the largest market share for locally grown greens in Canada, said the company. Lettuce is among the top 10 fresh vegetables consumed by Canadians with most coming from Mexico and California. In fact, the average lettuce sold in Canada travels as much as 3,000 kilometres and can take weeks to reach the end consumer, it said.  

Vision Greens at Summerhill Market (Image: Vision Greens)

“Vision Greens was founded by a group of accomplished business leaders concerned by mounting issues associated with imported produce, that include questionable food safety standards, lack of food traceability, increased chances of contamination, carbon emissions and poor quality. They recognized the opportunity to address these concerns through vertical farming and worked to develop a proprietary methodology for producing delicious, locally grown, non-GMO, pesticide-free, clean leafy greens at an affordable scale,” it said.

“Vision Greens leverages the latest in agtech from the University of Guelph, and Norwegian innovator, Intravision, that combined with its proprietary processes, enables it to grow high quality food at the lowest possible cost. This is a major feat considering many other vertical farms struggle with crippling operating costs that drive up price and make thriving in the consumer packaged goods market challenging.” 

The company said it uses 95 per cent less water and land than traditional farming methods

Vision Greens product line up includes: Crunchy Green Leaf Lettuce, Fancy Premium Lettuce Mix, Crispy Baby Romaine Lettuce, Crunchy Red Leaf Lettuce, Zesty Arugula and Living Genovese Basil.

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web For June 28th, 2022

By
Retail Insider
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Canadian Retail News From Around The Web

News at a Glance

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.

Staples Unveils Next Gen Working and Learning Store Spanning 2 Floors [Photos/CEO Interview]

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Staples Canada in Calgary’s University District (Image: Mario Toneguzzi)

Staples Canada has unveiled its next generation of the Working and Learning store in Calgary’s University District, near the University of Calgary.

The company said the newest concept store in Calgary’s mindfully-designed community includes the largest Staples Studio co-working location to date.

David Boone

“As one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities, and a hub of commerce and entrepreneurship, we’re excited to bring our newest concept location to the Calgary market,” said David Boone, Chief Executive Officer, Staples Canada. “We are proud to continue our ongoing expansion of Staples Studio given strong demand amongst entrepreneurs, small businesses, and remote workers and learners. We are confident our new University District store will become a space where locals can meet, collaborate and thrive.

“The store is a culmination of everything we’ve been doing for the past four or five years. Staples Studio is continuing to expand. There’s a lot of demand now with hybrid work, how work’s changed and we are seeing our Studios fill up coming out of COVID. That is unique and we’ve made this one bigger. What’s also unique is it’s a two-floor store. Co-working is on the second floor. 

Staples Canada in Calgary’s University District (Image: Jeff McIntosh)
Staples associates and the executives cut the ribbon introducing the company’s newest working and learning store to Calgary’s University District neighbourhood at 3909 University Avenue NW, June 25. Photo Credit: Staples Canada.

“Services. You will see a dramatically larger and improved service experience. Many of our customers are looking for that. We have expanded our shipping options. Shipping is a big part of what Canadian businesses are doing right now. You will see us touch almost every category with new assortments, new brands, fresh experiences. The last thing that is unique is we’re bringing together our B2B and our B2C business. So you will see representation of Staples Professional. There’s an integration of all of our programs and businesses outside of stores into the store.”

In total, the new Staples store is about 24,000 square feet with 4,000 of that for the Studio.

Rachel Huckle

The store introduces the seventh Staples Studio location and first co-working location in Alberta. It is located on the store’s second floor, featuring a collaborative, open-concept environment. Staples’ latest Spotlight Space is also located on the second floor, an auditorium-style event and community learning space which can be booked by Staples Studio members and members of the public alike. Like all Staples stores across Canada, this store features a Solution shop location assisting locals with enhanced services, including tech support, graphic design, marketing solutions, shipping, commercial printing and much more.

“Staples has been a part of the Calgary community for 27 years,” said Rachel Huckle, Chief Retail Officer, Staples Canada. “As the Working and Learning Company, we continue to help contribute to the communities we serve by being a dynamic, inspiring partner. To this end, we’ve created a space that helps them solve problems and provides growth opportunities.”

Staples Canada in Calgary’s University District (Image: Mario Toneguzzi)
Staples Canada in Calgary’s University District (Image: Mario Toneguzzi)

The University District store is its second one to be 100 per cent Bullfrog Powered – Bullfrog’s electricity comes exclusively from wind and hydro facilities that have been certified as low impact by Environment Canada under its EcoLogo program. 

“Calgary is a great market for Staples. We’ve always done well in Calgary,” added Boone. “In this particular area, we are close to businesses, we are close to the university, we’re close to a retail district (CF Market Mall). And we’re really excited about this development. We got really intrigued by that.

“Many years ago we used to have a store close to here attached to a mall (CF Market Mall). And so we thought we could better serve the community here and with the new co-working, the innovation centres being created, entertainment, it’s a very unique concept and we want to bring our most unique concept here. (University District) really fits who we are. I’m very excited about being part of this innovation and entertainment park and attached to the university because as The Working and Learning Company it makes a lot of sense for us.”

Staples has more than 300 locations and its seven co-working facilities are located in Toronto, Kelowna, Oakville, Ottawa and Calgary.

Staples Canada in Calgary’s University District (Image: Mario Toneguzzi)
Staples Canada in Calgary’s University District (Image: Mario Toneguzzi)

Boone said the retailer has the potential to expand its Studio concept “significantly more than we have now.”

“We haven’t put a number on it. But we’ve been watching post COVID what’s going to happen. We’re now at a point where we’re actually seeing demand come back and so I think there’s an opportunity for quite a few for us but we don’t yet have a number,” said Boone.

“There’s multiple different programs you can get in a Studio. You can lease an office in here. That’s been incredibly popular across Canada and we’re already seeing these offices in Calgary being leased out. You can buy and drop in or you can buy a regular monthly membership with unlimited access and you can access all of our studios across Canada. 

“We’re trying to take the services that Staples have, the products we have, and a great experience, community experience, in Studio and put it together to create something unique for those that don’t want to be working from home or working from a cafe.”

Video Interview: Ryan Gubic Discusses Canadian Consumer Stress Amid Challenging Times

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Video Interview: Ryan Gubic Discusses Canadian Consumer Stress Amid Challenging Times

Ryan Gubic, Founder, Financial Advisor, MRG Wealth Management, discusses a new survey showing money is the top source of stress for Canadians today.

Gubic talks about the impact of financial stress on anxiety, depression and mental health, the concern about rising costs for groceries, gas and other goods and services, the impact on spending, as well as tips for people who are feeling financial stress.

Youtube video

The Video Interview Series by Retail Insider is available on YouTube.

Connect with Mario Toneguzzi, a veteran of the media industry for more than 40 years and named in 2021 a Top Ten Business Journalist in the world and the only Canadian – to learn how you can tell your story, share your message and amplify it to a wide audience. He is Senior National Business Journalist with Retail Insider and owner of Mario Toneguzzi Communications Inc. and can be reached at mdtoneguzzi@gmail.com.

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Also check out the other series offered by Retail Insider, including The Weekly podcast and The Interview Series, which are both available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Podcasts, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Simplecast and other podcast players.

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Nature’s Emporium to Open 25,000 Square Foot Downtown Toronto Food Store, National Expansion Planned

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Shops at One York, image via Dustin Fuhs on June 27, 2022

Nature’s Emporium, a fast-growing and leading family-run health food market, is opening its first location in downtown Toronto as it kicks off a multi-year expansion across Southern Ontario.

The brand, founded in 1993, will be Located at 1 York Street inside Menkes’ landmark One York development, the approximately 25,000-square-foot store is expected to open late 2022 to early 2023 and will employ approximately 100 people. The store will replace a Coppa’s grocery store that opened in March 2019 and shut last year.

Nature’s Emporium currently has locations in Newmarket, Maple, Burlington, and Woodbridge.

“We decided to seize the opportunity to bring a unique shopping experience to Toronto’s South Core District and Harbourfront communities,” said Joe D’Addario, Chief Executive Officer, Nature’s Emporium. “Our new location inside Shops at One York will offer exceptional all-organic produce, healthy handcrafted meals to-go, superior supplements, natural health and beauty essentials, and much more.

Click image for interactive Google Map
The Shops at One York (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

“We aim to be your ‘eat well and live better’, one-stop-market for food and health. Our team carefully selects and curates items intended to inspire healthy choices and healthier communities — this is the Nature’s Emporium difference and we’re beyond excited to bring it to the residents, office workers, and visitors in the area.

“We’ve been wanting to come to Toronto now for a number of years. A lot of people would message us and email us ‘can you please open up a store in Toronto’. We just weren’t able to find the right location until now. We found the right location. We think there’s a void in the city. There’s a void in the South Core and in the Harbourfront community here in Toronto. We’re here to fill that void. We’re super excited. It’s a very diverse community. Very active community. So we thought there was a need for a retailer or a supermarket that sold organic, as well supplements, health and beauty and everything to do with organic in a one-stop shop.

“The opportunity came here at the Shops at One York. We decided to seize upon that opportunity and finally get our number one store in Toronto and hopefully it will be the first of a few more to come in the city.” Shops at One York is the new name of the recently rebranded mixed-use building formerly known as One York.

Lease plan via Menkes — Second City theatre will be upstairs
Future Nature’s Emporium at The Shops at One York (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

D’Addario said the company has a couple of new locations coming, which are located more in the suburbs.

“We’re hoping to open up in the next five years at least 10 more stores. That’s the mandate that we’ve been given to do,” he said. “We have store number five here coming and six and seven coming soon and many more to come in the near future.

“It will go beyond the GTA. We’re hoping to be in more of the southern Ontario market and then hopefully after southern Ontario we’re hoping to expand even to Western Canada and Eastern Canada as well. But right now we’re focusing on GTA and the southern Ontario market.”

Joe D’Addario, Chief Executive Officer, Nature’s Emporium at the Future Nature’s Emporium at The Shops at One York (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
The Nature’s Emporium Team at The Shops at One York on June 27th, 2022 (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

The company’s first location was in Newmarket.

“We’ve been in business for 30 years. Our mandate has always been to help educate people to live well and live a better, healthier, longer life,” said D’Addario. “And that’s been our mandate since day one. We’re hoping to spread it around to various communities around the GTA in the next few years.”

The story behind the launch of the company is an interesting one. D’Addario grew up in the business. His family has always been in the health food business since 1980. They started with a small health food store in Ajax. That store burned down years ago and after the fire it led D’Addario to Newmarket to start all over again.

Former Coppas’s storefront at the Shops at One York on Monday, June 27. Photo: Dustin Fuhs

“That was the genesis of Nature’s Emporium right after we lost our business to a fire. We opened up a health food store that sold vitamins, supplements, as well as bulk foods. It was a small 4,000-square-foot store and over the years it evolved and today it’s 50,000 square feet. It’s truly a health food emporium,” he said.

“It just evolved over the last 30 years as the business grew and more and more people were interested in living a healthier lifestyle, and more and more organic products came on board, we evolved with the business.”

D’Addario said that Nature’s Emporium is bringing a really unique shopping experience to Toronto’s South Core and Harbourfront communities, one that no one currently offers. The products are unique and the in-house products are something the company believes the community is going to be really excited to get their hands on because it brings another level of healthy eating on the go to these consumers. With everyone today looking to take a preventative and proactive approach to their wellness, the company is fulfilling a need that people want right now.

The Shops at One York (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

“We’re coming out of COVID and the city’s starting to come back to life again. We’re just looking forward to being part of the rejuvenation of the downtown and the South Core of the city and welcoming all the people that have been working in the offices, welcoming them back to work and welcoming them with a healthy alternative for their lunches and their dinners as well,” he said.

“We are thrilled to welcome Nature’s Emporium to downtown Toronto at the Shops at One York,” said Peter Menkes, President, Commercial/Industrial, Menkes Developments, in a statement. “Nature’s Emporium has a highly-tailored, unique offering in the natural supermarket and supplements category that we are certain will complement the retail offering at the complex and be a very popular amenity among its residents and office workers.”

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web For June 27th, 2022

By
Retail Insider
-
Canadian Retail News From Around The Web

News at a Glance

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 few days.

Cadillac Fairview Partners to Launch Design Incubator at CF Toronto Eaton Centre [Interviews/Photos]

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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DESIGNwith at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Katya Koroscil/DESIGNwith)

Shopping centre owner Cadillac Fairview has partnered with DESIGNwith and OCAD University to launch a new design incubator at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre, bringing together a diverse range of designers, students and community members.

Jason Anderson

The incubator will serve as a dedicated learning lab to explore the circular economy for creating lasting, social good, said Cadillac Fairview. 

“We’re proud to open the DESIGNwith studio alongside our passionate partners, showcasing the powerful social impact we can achieve together,” said Jason Anderson, Senior Vice President, Brand & Marketing, Cadillac Fairview. “This is a first-of-its kind experience for Cadillac Fairview and as long-standing city builders, we’re excited that one of our largest retail properties in the world can purposely serve our community as the common ground for thoughtful design, research and knowledge sharing.”

DESIGNwith at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Katya Koroscil/DESIGNwith)
DESIGNwith at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

Caleigh Silmser, Senior Brand Manager for Cadillac Fairview, said when the idea came to CF of creating this design incubator space the company was so excited to partner with OCAD on the project. 

Caleigh Silmser

“This is such an important thing for CF in being able to deliver our purpose in transforming communities for a vibrant tomorrow,” she said. “And it further helps us deliver on our focus of sustainability and creating a circular economy which is the focus of the space. It really is a perfect match to be able to bring up an industry with academia and the community together in such a vibrant property like CF Toronto Eaton Centre.”

Ranee Lee

“As an OCAD University instructor, it’s always a delight to see my students get out into the community and do work for the social good,” said Ranee Lee, founder of DESIGNwith. “The DESIGNwith studio is also an opportunity to level the playing field for learning and design, which are often inaccessible for many within our own city. We’re grateful to Cadillac Fairview for opening up this significant community space to us, as it is truly only by approaching community differently that we can expect to achieve different results.

“The space at Cadillac Fairview really allows us to have an actual physical space to democratize learning and teaching and sort of taking that learning and teaching from my perspective, as associate professor at OCAD University. So taking that, I come out of the ivory tower of university and into a place with community through a mall. And so together we’ve built this space in order to have a hub for OCAD students, designers, residencies and also community members to learn and work together through different workshops and exhibitions.”

DESIGNwith at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Katya Koroscil/DESIGNwith)

Ana Serrano, OCAD University’s President and Vice-Chancellor, said the university is thrilled to extend its collaboration with Cadillac Fairview following the success of last year’s CF Art Corridor Project on Yonge Street, located above CF Toronto Eaton Centre, which made public art more accessible to the community.

“With this new initiative, we’re excited to create a place where the public can learn more about the impact design has on everyday items through hands-on learning and workshops.”

Ana Serrano

The incubator is located on Level 2 between the Dundas Street station entrance and Canadian Tire and the studio will function daily as an incubator space for OCAD University students, a student resident, designers and community members who will use the space to research, learn, and share their exploration of the circular economy through classes, research and hands-on design. 

“The reason we chose that particular location really comes down to classic leasing. It was available and it hadn’t been leased out by anyone yet and it actually was a vacant space that was formerly used for storage,” said Silmser. “So we thought, why not create this beautiful, dynamic community space in a place that was previously unoccupied. That’s why we chose that location. And it actually works out really well because it’s a high traffic zone . . .  and there will be students and faculty coming through the Toronto Metropolitan University. So lots of people will be able to pass by and see and be inspired by the space.”

When asked if the concept could be replicated in other CF properties, Silmser said: “Right now this is a unique partnership between DESIGNwith and the Toronto Eaton Centre . . . It is the perfect middle point between DESIGNwith and OCAD University. There’s no immediate plans to expand this project to other properties but we’re always exploring new ways to innovate and if this is a success we will absolutely look at ways to integrate the learnings from this into our other CF locations. We’re pretty excited. There’s nothing else like this in the market right now. It feels like an opportunity for CF to be a thought leader and really innovate in this space.”

Throughout the year, DESIGNwith will open to the public for ticketed events, starting with a sneaker-making workshop, a circular design student exhibition and natural-dyeing classes.

“The vision for creating a space that minimizes ecological impact also helped influence its design. The 635-square-foot studio was built with 40 per cent repurposed materials thanks to the thoughtful design from partners Design Workshop Architects. These elements were salvaged from other CF locations and previously used store fixtures, including the front doors and windows as well as the track lighting inside,” said Cadillac Fairview.

DESIGNwith at CF Toronto Eaton Centre featuring mural by Daria Joyce (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
DESIGNwith at CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

“Among the makers and designers who are part of the DESIGNwith studio are Katya Koroscil, DESIGNwith intern, and Ernesto Ramirez, a furniture design intern from Durango, Mexico; both students are in their third year of industrial design at OCAD University. Both students co-designed a furniture collection for use in the incubator space with Industrial Design Professor Ranee Lee and Lee Fletcher, the founding partner at Fig40 and principal at Fletcher Scott Studio. The studio furniture pieces are designed with sustainability, flexibility and affordance in mind, and are made with easy-to-use dimensional lumber and readily available fasteners. This achieves the goal of sharing designs that are producible for anyone, by anyone.

“Also joining the space is DESIGNwith’s student resident, Deanna Badi – an industrial designer with a focus on environmental sustainability. Badi is working on grant-funded research to produce a biodegradable, water-repellent solution for natural fibre outerwear jackets she designs and sews herself.”

The company said one of the first workshops to be hosted at the DESIGNwith studio will be led by footwear designer Nelson Silva, who has more than 20 years of professional experience in the field and focuses on sustainability and innovation in footwear. His five-week sneaker workshop will use upcycled fabrics for shoe-making, as part of DESIGNwith’s goal of democratizing design and knowledge through teaching and making. These workshops are open to the public, but half of the seats will be offered to marginalized community members and students ensuring equity and inclusion, said Cadillac Fairview.

Federal Government ‘Is the Consumer’s Worst Enemy’ as Food Prices Rise in Canada [Op-Ed]

By
Sylvain Charlebois
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Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto (Image: Dustin Fuhs)

It wasn’t a good week if you’re a consumer on a tight budget and that group includes most of us. Consumers are under attack right now, literally.

We’ve just learned that Canada’s food inflation rate was at a record 9.7%, in May. Everyone is noticing higher food prices, and no section of the grocery store is immune to what is going on right now. What is hitting Canada is a global phenomenon and food prices are not going to come down anytime soon. The world will see a shortfall in commodity production this fall which could push prices even higher worldwide. Supply chain issues, coupled with a new inflationary cycle triggered by the Ukrainian conflict are impacting the food industry’s ability to fill shelves. The shift is so incredibly sharp, many vendors can’t agree with grocers on pricing, pushing them to put their business on hold, as we saw with Frito Lay and Loblaws earlier this year. There are many stop-sells out there.

The macroeconomic picture is one thing. But some policies in Canada are just making things worse. The Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC), a crown corporation, believed a second milk price increase was necessary for dairy farmers. Earlier this week, we learned that milk prices on the farm will rise again by 2.5%, after a record increase of 8.4% in February. The increase this winter was so severe that most dairy alternatives are now either priced the same as milk or lower. This time, Dairy Farmers of Canada, one of the most powerful lobby groups in the country, requested another mid-year increase due to “exceptional circumstances,” without telling us where the data is coming from.

To add insult to injury, the Commission’s decision to raise milk prices was made by a federal public body operating for several months without its full complement on the board. The board only has two members – two – and both are in dairy farming. Conflicts of interest in the dairy sector are rampant at the Commission, in politics or even in academia. Many scholars in Canadian universities are not just researchers but essentially advocates for their funding agencies representing the dairy industry. The power and influence of dairy boards are beyond belief. If only Canadians realized. The fact that both Dairy Farmers of Canada and the Canadian Dairy Commission are one is deeply disturbing. Canadian consumers need to be heard.

More Canadians would empathize with dairy farmers who face higher costs of production, if only the Commission would share more data. The lack of disclosure is very much about asking Canadians to support an inefficient dairy sector, more than properly compensating farmers. But now, by fall, this newly announced increase will price the dairy section at the grocery store out of the market and we stand to lose many more dairy farms. 

Ottawa is also coming forward with new labelling rules for saturated fats, sodium, and sugar. Health Canada’s front-of-package-labelling was long overdue as it will make our food healthier. But the new policy is also aiming at a key single-ingredient product many Canadians enjoy: ground meat. Ground beef and pork are some of the most affordable sources of animal protein we have right now. Based on what is being presented, only extra lean ground meats are exempt from the new labelling. If this goes ahead as planned, grocers will cease to carry more affordable ground meat, making the meat counter even more expensive. It’s just ridiculous.

Ottawa is the consumer’s worse enemy right now. It needs to think through some of these ill-timed policies which will make food even more expensive. Minister Freeland’s so-called anti-inflation plan presented last week won’t do much for Canadians at the grocery store. Many were hoping for tax breaks, anything to ease our fiscal burden, as many countries have done so in recent months. But Freeland opted to make a ‘microwave’ announcement, basically ‘reheating’ programs that are already in place, just like clapping with one hand, if you will.

Recently, the NATO Secretary General claimed the war in Ukraine could last years. However regrettable this assessment may be, this is what Ottawa needs to focus on for the foreseeable future. Farmers need help with inputs to prepare for fall, winter, and next spring. Ottawa should also become one of the world’s most influential trade advocates and prevent other countries from hoarding food. More nationalistic protectionism can only make things worse.  

Warehouse Workers at The Bay Go on Strike: Interviews

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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E-commerce warehouse workers picket at The Bay Fulfillment centre. (CNW Group/Unifor)

More than 330 e-commerce warehouse workers at HBC Logistics (The Bay) are on strike with the union saying negotiations broke down suddenly after the company refused to offer an increase in compensation for the past year, when workers continued to provide services without a contract during the pandemic.

“These workers stepped up to help The Bay cope with a surge in online shopping during COVID-19, even postponing bargaining when their collective agreement expired in May, 2021,” said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Naureen Rizvi, in a statement. “Now it appears Canada’s flagship retailer is cynically exploiting the goodwill of its employees to cheat workers out of the pay increase they should and would have received.”

“This is a company that received assistance from taxpayers by accessing the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) during COVID but is now choosing to take advantage of the people who actually worked through the pandemic,” said Dwayne Gunness, Vice-President of Unifor Local 40.  

The warehouse workers process online orders from across the country at the HBC Logistics location in Scarborough, Ontario.

HBC Logistics in Scarborough (Image: Google Streetview)

The union said HBC Logistics has only offered pay increases on a go-forward basis only, refusing to acknowledge the retroactive period worked since May 2021.  

Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector and represents 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. 

“The Bay is committed to the collective bargaining process and hopes to continue its discussions in good faith,” shared a spokesperson for The Bay. “We have made fair, reasonable and competitive offers which included meaningful wage increases for associates. While we are disappointed the Union has taken this action, we are hopeful that a resolution can be reached quickly. In the meantime, there is absolutely no disruption expected to customer orders.

“The Bay appreciates the hard work of its associates, particularly those who worked through the height of the pandemic when a wage premium was provided. Accordingly, the company has now offered meaningful wage increases far in excess of what associates at the Scarborough Logistics Centre have received in the past. The union’s characterization of the bargaining process and the time leading up to it is simply inaccurate.”

“Having sat on the side of business in union negotiations we don’t know the full financial story of the Bay, not anymore as they are no longer a publicly traded company,” said George Minakakis, CEO, Inception Retail Group, and author of The New Bricks & Mortar: Future Proofing Retail. “I have always questioned their ability as a brand to remain relevant in the midst of a great deal of competitors globally.  However, employee relations with a brand should go beyond unions and be focused on customers. 

George Minakakis

“Both the union and The Bay need to sit down and have an earnest discussion about the future of retail and what increases in wages mean to the longevity of the brand and the impact on consumers. In addition I have learned over the years that union activity for pay or even unionizing retail like it’s happening at Starbucks and recently at an Apple store in Baltimore, these are signs of employee relations not being effective. No pay will resolve this issue. Besides, The Bay is not Amazon and the business economics are different.  

“Employees deserve to be paid a fair wage but if it is to the detriment of a business everyone loses. Finally, we are entering a period of economic uncertainty. Everyone on all sides needs to be mindful of the future.”

Image: HBC Logistics Scarborough

Following the split of HBC between stores and e-commerce, this action would appear to impact online services provided by The Bay, said Gary Newbury, a retail supply chain and last mile expert and Rethink Retail’s Top 100 Retail Influencer in 2021 & 2022 | CITT’s Innovator Award 2020.

Gary Newbury

“Fortunately for the disaggregated group, my understanding is many online sales are still fielded by local stores so there is a (costly) workaround for the retailer to mitigate such action to cover sales from the Scarborough fulfillment centre,” he said.

“As we know HBC’s only revenue during the provincial lockdowns was via online operations, and it appears HBC relied on the goodwill of staff to extend working practices beyond the expired collective agreement. I am not aware of any “hero pay” that was paid to these specific workers, which may have rubbed salt into the wound if there had been.

Image: HBC
Youtube video

“Nonetheless, increasing discontent with treatment of essential workers (warehouse, transportation and stores staff) post pandemic, as we “return to normal” will likely see increasing localized action. As we continue to see record levels of employment and open jobs, HBC needs to think clearly about how to handle this situation, as there remain plenty of open vacancies for good paying warehouse roles across the GTA.”

David Ian Gray

David Ian Gray, of Vancouver-based Canadian retail advisory DIG360 Consulting Ltd., said: “It no doubt would like to sell its products to this same group and other workers. It’s a bad look for The Bay, particularly with the optic of taxpayer funded wage subsidies. 

“It also is in a competitive hunt for workers across both Divisions.

“Broadly speaking, one wonders if COVID days of higher pay for warehouse workers is about to recede in favour of store associate wages.”

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