GROCERY

Daily Synopsis: November 3, 2026

Retail Insider -
Foodtastic Proposes to Acquire MTY Food Group for $43 Per Share in near, Sunterra shutting down another location in Alberta, Toys“R”Us Canada to Make Comeback Through Nearly 300 Staples Stores, NatureWell launches in Canada at Shoppers Drug Mart, Expanding to 1,000, and other retail news.

Daily Synopsis: October 30, 2026

Retail Insider -
Galen Weston fears food inflation coming back, Metro expands with store investments in Quebec, family run Indonesian grocery store opening in Vancouver, and other news.

Food World Plus to open 176,000-square-foot multicultural grocery store in Mississauga

Mario Toneguzzi -
Food World Plus opens Oct. 30 at a former Highland Farms site in Mississauga, offering international groceries, fresh food departments and prepared meals.

Canadian grocers urged to expand plant-based food offerings in new retail playbook

Mario Toneguzzi -
World Animal Protection Canada has launched a retail strategy guide outlining opportunities for grocery chains to increase plant-based food sales and strengthen domestic food supply chains.

Daily Synopsis: October 29, 2026

Retail Insider -
DoorDash looks to acquire Instacart, rise of witchcraft stores, JYSK coming to former Moose Jaw Peavey Mart, Daniel's Art Supplies shutting in Toronto, Princess Auto opening Guelph location in December, and other news.

Retail Demand Drives Vancouver Suburban Vacancy Below 1%: REMAX Report

Mario Toneguzzi -
REMAX Canada’s Fall 2026 report finds strong demand for neighbourhood plazas and grocery-anchored retail centres, with vacancy below 1% in some Greater Vancouver suburbs.

Weak Canadian Dollar Could Drive Grocery Prices Higher in 2027: Sylvain Charlebois

Sylvain Charlebois -
Sylvain Charlebois warns that a weaker Canadian dollar and rising commodity costs could push grocery prices higher this winter and into 2027.

Why Grocery Pricing Rules Could Help Some Retailers and Hurt Others

Lee Rivett -
Minimum advertised pricing can make it harder for discount grocers to promote lower prices. Independent retailers argue those same rules can help them compete against national chains with greater purchasing power.

Q3 2026 Grocery: Capacity Expands as Competition for the Basket Intensifies

Craig Patterson -
Canadian grocery retailers expanded and repositioned capacity during Q3 2026 despite limited underlying supermarket volume growth. The report examines discount conversions, specialty formats, former department-store projects and changing online fulfilment models, distinguishing announced investment from additions to operating grocery capacity.

Canadian Retail Construction Hits Decade Low as Scarcity Reshapes Expansion

Craig Patterson -
Canadian retail construction has fallen to its lowest level in a decade, but the national slowdown masks major differences across the country: JLL data.

Walmart Enters Squamish Grocery Market After 20 Years of Retail Restrictions

Lee Rivett -
Walmart Canada has converted its Squamish, B.C. store into an 86,000-square-foot Supercentre after local restrictions that limited fresh grocery sales were removed.

Canadian Grocery Supply Chains Face Rising Costs and Disruption Risks: Capgemini

Mario Toneguzzi -
Canadian grocers face tariff pressures, raw-material shortages and limited logistics alternatives as retailers diversify suppliers and strengthen supply-chain resilience.

Daily Synopsis: October 1, 2026

Retail Insider -
Tsawwassen Mills plans a large H Mart grocery and entertainment expansion while CF Chinook Centre adds Old Navy, SportChek, and Winners to boost retail offerings. In Quebec, La Cordee is shutting, and other news.

Grocery Inflation Tests Brand Loyalty as Parents Trade Down to Store Brands: DOSS

Mario Toneguzzi -
DOSS research finds parents are cutting or replacing children’s favourite grocery products as higher prices push families toward cheaper alternatives.

Daily Synopsis: September 28, 2026

Retail Insider -
Malls make a comeback in Canada, Little Debbie snacks return to Canada, Duer launches print magazine, Winnipeg perfume retailer in home ordered to close, Fort McMurray prepares for Walmart opening, and other news.

Competition Bureau concerned that grocery deals are being kept from Canadians

Mario Toneguzzi -
The Bureau said minimum advertised pricing policies can prevent retailers from advertising lower prices, even when they are prepared to offer those prices in-store.

Sunterra closes another of its Market locations

Mario Toneguzzi -
In May, Sunterra closed down its downtown Edmonton location on Jasper Avenue after three decades in business.

Grocery Prices Face New Pressure as Diesel Costs Rise Across Canada

Sylvain Charlebois -
Rising diesel costs are adding pressure across Canada’s food supply chain, potentially pushing grocery prices higher in the months ahead.

From The Desk: Strategic growth, pricing resilience and retail real estate shifts

Craig Patterson -
Canadian retail sees real estate consolidation, disciplined pricing, and growth in discount sectors amid cost pressures and shifting consumer demand.

RBC says grocery prices likely to keep rising faster than overall inflation in near term

Mario Toneguzzi -
The report said the largest recent spike occurred between 2021 and 2023, when grocery inflation reached its highest level since the early 1980s and food prices rose 11 per cent year-over-year in late 2022.

Daily Synopsis: September 14, 2026

Retail Insider -
Italian brands launch in Canada, Maple Leaf Foods brings back Yves Veggie Cuisine, Article opens Toronto store, food inflation runs higher in Canada vs. US, Empire opening stores, and other news.

Empire Raises Store-Opening Target as Canadian Grocery Expansion Intensifies

Lee Rivett -
Empire is raising its fiscal 2027 store-opening target to more than 25 locations as Sobeys, FreshCo, IGA and other banners expand across Canada.

Massive T&T Supermarket to open in former Bay space at CF Markville

Mario Toneguzzi -
CF Markville will be T&T’s 18th location in Ontario, and it also marks the fourth partnership with Cadillac Fairview, following CF Fairview Mall, CF Sherway Gardens in Etobicoke, and CF Polo Park in Winnipeg.

Grocery Prices Face New Pressure as Ottawa Imposes Counter-Tariffs

Sylvain Charlebois -
Sylvain Charlebois examines how Canada’s new counter-tariffs could affect grocery prices, food inflation and affordability as Ottawa extends fuel-tax relief.

Retail Insider’s Canadian Retail Monitor — August 2026 Edition: Demand Strengthens as Volumes Rise

Craig Patterson -
Retail Insider’s first edition of the Canadian Retail Monitor finds demand strengthened, with sales volumes rising faster than headline sales. Health, apparel and general merchandise led growth, while grocery weakened and e-commerce rebounded sharply.
- Advertisement -