New Asian grocery store for former Vancouver Safeway locations

Demolition work complete on the old Safeway store at 4545 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, on August 25, 2019. (Kenneth Chan / Daily Hive)

There is new activity with several former Safeway store locations in Vancouver, a year after grocery chain owner Sobeys decided to permanently shutter a number of stores across the region.

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Sungiven Foods, a Chinese grocery store chain, is currently in the process of renovating the old 25,000-sq-ft retail unit at City Square Mall formerly occupied by Safeway.

Renovation of the old Safeway store space at City Square Mall in Vancouver into Sungiven Foods. Taken August 4, 2019. (Kenneth Chan / Daily Hive)

According to the website of the Xiamen, China-based company, Sungiven Foods has plans to expand across Canada and the United States, and it opened its North American division headquarters, and research and development centre, in South Burnaby earlier this year.

The company, a likely competitor to T&T Supermarket, also has plans to open locations at 3301 West Broadway in Kitsilano, and 409 Hastings Street in North Burnaby.

As of last fall, the chain had approximately 60 locations worldwide, mainly within Mainland China, specifically its home city of Xiamen.

Interior of a typical Sungiven Foods grocery store. (Sungiven Foods)

Further down the Broadway Corridor in West Point Grey Village, the closed Safeway store at the large three-acre property at 4545 West 10th Avenue was recently demolished, making way for a future redevelopment. Sources tell Daily Hive a mixed-use redevelopment is envisioned, and plans for the proposal should enter the application phase within the year.

Demolition work complete on the old Safeway store at 4545 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, on August 25, 2019. (Kenneth Chan / Daily Hive)

The latest assessed value for the Point Grey Safeway site is $161 million. A redevelopment of the site is key to the revitalization of the retail village in the area.

Across the Lower Mainland, Sobeys has been converting a number of closed and strategic Safeway stores into its FreshCo brand.