From its humble beginnings 30 years ago as a small produce-only store in Cornwall, to its growth into the ever-expanding regional grocery chain it is today, Farm Boy executives have stuck to a simple lesson: stay clear of the competition.
"We've wedged out our own niche in that market, the fresh component of that market," says CEO Jeff York. "We want to be a complementary retailer, as opposed to a one-stop destination."
Named one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies by Deloitte and CIBC in 2010, Farm Boy currently boasts 11 stores in Ottawa and Cornwall and employs 1,500 people. The grocer plans to open another store this summer in Orleans and hire an additional 125 employees.
Farm Boy deliberately chooses not to clutter its outlets with the same brands sold by national grocers such as Loblaws and Sobeys, focusing instead on filling a market niche.
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