NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA - It’s been over two years since we reported on Empire Company’s plans to convert its Sobeys and Safeway stores in Western Canada into the new FreshCo banner. Since then, FreshCo has managed to make some significant waves in the Canadian market. This week, Empire released more news on its banner expansion, teasing the first FreshCo locations in Alberta and four new stores in Manitoba.
“Breaking ground in Alberta is a significant milestone in our Western Canadian expansion. We have now opened or planned locations in every province in Western Canada,” said Mike Venton, General Manager of FreshCo. “Our FreshCo expansion into Western Canada is more relevant than ever before, as economic realities continue to shift. We are seeing a strong appetite for discount grocery options as the brand continues to resonate with the Western Canadian shopper.”
Since the first FreshCo opened in April 2019, the company has opened 14 FreshCo stores in British Columbia (BC) and two in Manitoba. By the end of the second quarter of fiscal 2021, the company plans to open two additional FreshCo stores in BC and four in Saskatchewan, according to a press release.
The company will work with the union that represents impacted employees in Manitoba to ensure that all terms of the collective agreements are met. Options will be provided, including the opportunity to work at Safeway stores within the network or the new FreshCo locations.
The two Alberta FreshCo store locations announced today are both located in Edmonton, in Heritage, and Tamarack. The Tamarack location is a new construction site and the store is planned to open in Spring 2021.
The Sobeys store in Heritage will close for renovation in fall of 2020 with plans to open as FreshCo in spring of 2021. The four future Manitoba FreshCo store locations announced today are: Sargent, Niakwa Village, Pembina and McGillivray, and Henderson and Bronx. The Safeway locations will all close in fall of 2020 with plans to open as FreshCo in spring of 2021.
Keep your eye out for more of these monumental expansions as we continue to report at AndNowUKnow.
