Metro Vancouver grocery store wins gold at Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Awards

We’ve been right in the middle of restaurant award season lately, with the recent Michelin Guide awards and Metro Vancouver cleaning up at the Chinese Restaurant Awards. But it’s not just Canadian restaurants that are getting all the attention — grocery stores are getting some love too.

The Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Awards were recently presented, and Metro Vancouver got some attention at the show.

Every year, the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers Awards Program recognizes the success of outstanding independent retailers, in addition to offering insights into innovations that are changing and enhancing the way retailers compete.

According to its website, each store is visited personally by a highly respected retail management expert, who evaluates competing stores based on retailing excellence and innovation, store team performance, customer service, space utilization, freshness, and cleanliness.

To be eligible, stores must be members of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers and Association des détaillants en alimentation du Québec and must be open for business for a minimum of one year.

Additionally, awards are split up into size categories they have entered: small (up to 14,999 sq. ft.), medium (15,000 to 24,999 sq. ft.), and large (25,000 sq. ft. or more).

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Metro Vancouver has a number of mentions at this year’s awards, with gold in the large category being given to the Park and Tilford team’s Save-On-Foods in North Vancouver, located at 333 Brooksbank Ave.

Other recognitions include Nesters Market North Vancouver, run by Brad Yan, which received the Platinum Achievement Award given to those who have won 10 consecutive Awards of Merit.

These aren’t the only two to receive awards, as many other Metro Vancouver spots received regional awards at the ceremony. See the full list of awards below:

National Awards: Gold, Silver, and Bronze in Specialty Category

Gold, silver, and bronze awards to the top-scoring entries in specialty food retailing.

Specialty Category

• Bronze Award: Joseph Kim & Derek Jun, Galleria Supermarket, Oakville, Ont.
• Silver Award: The Willemsen Family and Team, Sunripe Sarnia, Sarnia, Ont.
• David C. Parsons Award: Tomasz Badelek, L’OCA Quality Market, Sherwood Park, Alta.

Regional Awards: Small, Medium, and Large

Top-scoring stores from the four Canadian regions in the small, medium, and large size categories.

Regional Small Surface Category

• British Columbia/Yukon: Carson Holden, Nesters Market in Kelowna Airport, Kelowna, B.C.
• Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba/Northwest Territories/Nunavut: Cam Bowman and Team Members, Freson Bros., Sundre, Alta.
• Ontario: Joe Greco, Rina Virgilio, Chris Didomenico, Greco’s Fresh Markets, Thornhill, Ont.
• Québec/Atlantic Canada: Jean-Christophe Plouffe, Métro Plouffe, Bedford, Que.

Regional Medium Surface Category

• British Columbia/Yukon: Arden Fowler, Stong’s Market Northwoods, North Vancouver, Sooke, B.C.
• Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba/Northwest Territories/Nunavut: Jack Nazaruk & Team Members, Freson Bros. Fresh Market Glenora, Edmonton, Alta.
• Ontario: Joe Bruzzese & Longo’s Rutherford Team, Longo’s Rutherford, Woodbridge, Ont.
• Québec/Atlantic Canada: Jean-Christophe Plouffe, Metro Plouffe Farnham, Farnham, Que.

Regional Large Surface Category

• British Columbia/Yukon: Park & Tilford Team, Save-On-Foods Park & Tilford, North Vancouver, B.C.
• Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba/Northwest Territories/Nunavut: Aaron Coutts and Team Members, Freson Bros. Fresh Market Stony Plain, Stony Plain, Alta
• Ontario: Brad Boin and Longo’s Kitchener Team, Longo’s Kitchener, Kitchener, Ont.
• Québec/Atlantic Canada: Justin Norman and Yvette Snow, Colemans – Garden Market, Corner Brook, Nfld.

National Awards: Gold, Silver, and Bronze in Small/Medium/Large

Bronze, silver, and gold awards are presented to the top-scoring stores in the small, medium, and large size categories.

Small Surface Category

• Bronze Award: Carson Holden, Nester Market Kelowna Airport, Kelowna, B.C.
• Silver Award: Carmen and Giancarlo Trimarchi, Vince’s Market, Tottenham, Ont.
• Gold Award: Joe Greco, Rina Virgilio, Chris Didomenico, Greco’s Fresh Markets, Thornhill, Ont.

Medium Surface Category

• Bronze Award: Jean-Christophe Plouffe, Metro Plouffe Farnham, Farnham, Que.
• Silver Award: Joe Bruzzese and Longo’s Rutherford Team, Longo’s Rutherford, Woodbridge, Ont.
• Gold Award: Jack Nazaruk & Team Members, Freson Bros. Fresh Market Glenora, Edmonton, Alta.

Large Surface Category

• Bronze Award: Justin Norman and Yvette Snow, Colemans – Garden Market, Corner Brook, Nfld.
• Silver Award: Brad Boin and Longo’s Kitchener Team, Longo’s Kitchener, Kitchener, Ont.
• Gold Award: Park & Tilford Team, Save-On-Foods Park & Tilford, North Vancouver, B.C.

Platinum Achievement Award

Platinum-entry that has won 10 consecutive Awards of Merit (Plaque)

• Laith Nakash and Longo’s Applewood Team, Longo’s Applewood, Mississauga, Ont.
• Brad Yan, Nesters Market North Vancouver, North Vancouver, B.C.
• Bob Adams, Sue Adams, Carolyne Blundell, Kirsten McLeod, Pemberton Valley Supermarket Ltd., Pemberton, B.C.
• Jared Artindale, Quality Foods Westshore, Langford, B.C.
• Marcus, Brett, Dean, Phil, and Staff, Tru Value Foods – Mayne Island, B.C.

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