Ontario-based grocery chain Longo’s has opened its 42nd store at 6530 Major MacKenzie Drive W in Kleinburg —marking its 7th store in its home base of Vaughan.
Anthony Longo, the brand’s CEO, said the company is well known in the Vaughan area, so people recognize the brand.
“The location itself is on the northwest side of Vaughan, and it’s an area that’s growing rapidly. We think it’s going to be a great site long term. They’re continuing to build houses, and it fits our demographics—all the things we look for. I think it’s going to be a great site with some really good tenants in the plaza as well,” he said.
A few weeks ago, the company also opened another location in Vaughan, at Weston Road and Highway 7, part of the Colossus Centre.
Longo said the company also plans to open a store this year in Etobicoke on Queensway near Kipling.
“We’re really excited about that because it’s our first store in Etobicoke. We’ve been looking for a site in that area for years, and this is going to be a great opportunity for us to serve that community,” he said.
“In 2026, we plan to open another store, probably in the spring, Welland, in the Niagara region. It will be our first store in that area, so we’re really excited about it. It’s a growing market with really good demographics, and we’ve never had a store there before, so it’s a new area for us.”
All 42 stores are located primarily in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond.
Longo said the company has not contemplated going beyond that geographic area – at least at this stage.
“I think there’s still lots of opportunity within the Southern Ontario region. For example, in Barrie, we have a site that’s been approved, but it’s a few years away because they need to get municipal servicing there. There are really fast-growing areas that we’re not yet represented in, so I believe we still have an opportunity to add quite a few more stores in this marketplace over the next few years.”
The company’s most recent stores are between 38,000 and 40,000 square feet. However, the Colossus store, which just opened, is 28,000 square feet.
“There are three things we excel at and that we consider key differentiators. One is our customer service. We focus on creating an exceptional connection with our customers, and we call that our culture—treating customers like family. It’s about making people feel like they belong and giving them a great shopping experience,” explained Longo.
“The second thing is being fanatically fresh. We believe we have the best fresh departments in this market, from produce to prepared foods, meat, seafood, bakery, and deli. We do that exceptionally well.
“The third thing is our Longo’s owned and unique brands. We focus on a whole assortment of products, including some exclusive items, that you can’t find anywhere else. I believe we do all three of these really well—although I might be a little biased.”
The brand has stayed close to its Italian roots in a number of ways but primarily through its assortment and through its private label line called “Curato,” which means “curated” in Italian.
“It’s a line of 100% Italian imported products, everything from candies and oils to vinegars, cheeses, and other items. They’re really popular with our customers,” added Longo.
“We do talk to companies about selling them outside our stores, but we’re still working through that process . . . We launched the Curato brand about seven or eight years ago. Although we’ve always imported products, we really focused on developing the brand around that time.”
As for the new store, Longo said the same formula has been kept across the board, but there are some changes.
“We’ve sharpened the grocery assortment, and we’ve revamped our meat department. We took a concept from our Kitchener store, where we eliminated the wall between the service case and where our butchers work. Now, customers can interact with the butchers in an open setting, creating more of a market feel. Additionally, we combined our cheese and meat departments. Instead of having separate islands, we put them together for better customer service,” he said.
“We’ve also done some rebranding with our prepared foods section. It’s now called “Pronto Eats,” and it’s focused on helping families get great meals on the table in a simple way. We’re continuing to expand in that area and see a lot of opportunity for growth in the food service sector.”
“Each new location we open is a testament to the family values and standards that have defined us for almost 70 years,” said Deb Craven, President, Longo’s. “At Longo’s Kleinburg, we are excited to deepen our connection with the community, bringing the freshest, highest-quality products—many of which are carefully sourced from right here at home—while continuing to deliver the exceptional service and value our Guests have come to know and trust.”
The Kleinburg community has long anticipated the new location, which opens just five weeks after Longo’s Colossus.
Longo’s Kleinburg, situated at 6530 Major Mackenzie Drive W., offers fresh produce, artisanal cheeses, locally sourced meats and seafood, and a Market-style bakery. Customers can also enjoy a fresh Deli & Meat Counter, oven-baked pizza, gourmet sandwiches, a hot buffet, a salad bar, ready-to-go meals, and made-to-order sushi. The store also features an in-store Starbucks, local beer and wine selections,
and The Loft Cooking School, offering various classes and community events for adults and children.
“Kleinburg is a special community, and we are beyond excited to become an active part of it,” said Matthew Maiss, Store Manager, Longo’s Kleinburg. “We look forward to providing high-quality products, exceptional service, and a welcoming space for our Guests.”
Longo’s is a family-operated Canadian organization that started in 1956 when three brothers, Tommy (Anthony Longo’s father), Joe and Gus opened their first fruit market. What began as a small family-run store has since grown into a company that operates 42 stores in communities across Toronto and the GTA. Today, Longo’s said it maintains the same family-based values as it did almost 70 years ago, putting Family Standards at the heart of everything they do.
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No mention that Longos is majority owned by Sobeys…?
Oh, I can hardly wait for Longo in Welland, a bit of a drive from Virgil