TORONTO, ONTARIO — The 49th Annual Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year Awards Ceremony was presented on Tuesday, October 25 in Toronto, in front of a gala audience of over 500 leading grocers, suppliers, and distributors at Grocery Innovations Canada 2011, Canada's premier grocery conference and tradeshow.
Each year, the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers' (CFIG) Awards Program recognizes the success of outstanding independent retailers and offers insights into innovations that are changing and enhancing the way retailers compete.
The Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year is the most prestigious award CFIG can bestow. Each year Independent grocery stores from coast to coast in Canada compete for the coveted title in each of the specialty, large, medium and small surface categories. Each of the competing stores 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. Awards are then presented to the best Small, Medium, and Large Surface category winners at the Gold, Silver and Bronze levels.
Top Independent Grocer of the Year Award Winners – Small Surface Category
Bronze Award – Dan Stezenko and David Stezenko (Quality Market, Campus Hill – Thunder Bay, ON)
Silver Award – Colby Woodhead and Annette Woodhead (Blind Bay Village Grocer – Blind Bay, BC)
Gold Award – Jacques Dufresne and Michel Vincent (L. Dufresne And Fils Ltèe – Val David, QC)
Regional Winners:
•Colby Woodhead and Annette Woodhead, Blind Bay Village Grocer, Blind Bay, British Columbia
•Brody Powell and Team Nester's Market, Banff, Alberta
•Dan Stezenko and David Stezenko, Quality Market, Campus Hill, Thunder Bay, Ontario
•Carmen Trimarchi, Brian Johns and Debbie Rich, Vince's Market, Uxbridge, Ontario
•Jacques Dufresne et Michel Vincent, L. Dufresne And Fils Ltee, Val David, Quebec
•David J. Powell, Betty Lundrigan, Craig Oates and Adam Powell, Powell's Supermarket, Harbour Grace, Newfoundland & Labrador
Top Independent Grocer of the Year Award Winners – Medium Surface Category
Bronze Award – Brooke Kynoch and Linda Kynoch (Safety Mart Foods – Chase, BC)
Silver Award – Daniel Plouffe and Patrick Plouffe (Métro Plouffe de Sherbrooke – Sherbrooke, QC)
Gold Award – Gary Kadonoff, Christopher Kadonoff and Staff (Port Carling Foodland – Port Carling, ON)
Regional Winners:
•Brooke Kynoch and Linda Kynoch, Safety Mart Foods, Chase, British Columbia
•The Team at Market Street Vulcan, Market Street Vulcan, Vulcan, Alberta
•Gary and Christopher Kadonoff and Staff, Port Carling Foodland, Port Carling, Ontario
•Rocco Agostino and Staff, Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc. York Mills, Toronto, Ontario
•Daniel Plouffe et Patrick Plouffe Métro Plouffe de Sherbrooke (boul.Bourque) Sherbrooke, Quebec
•Mondella Stacey and Team Members, Colemans Food Centre, Stephenville, Newfoundland & Labrador
Top Independent Grocer of the Year Award Winners – Large Surface Category
Bronze Award – Ken Schley, John Briuolo, Dan Gigliotti and Staff (Quality Foods Courtenay – Courtenay, BC)
Silver Award – Alain Gagné (IGA Des Sources – Quebec City, QC)
Gold Award – Steve Vetrecin and Staff (Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc. Maple Leaf Square – Toronto, ON)
Regional Winners:
•Ken Schley, John Briuolo, Dan Gigliotti and The Entire Store Team, Quality Foods Courtenay, Courtenay, British Columbia
•Mike McGeein and Team Members, Freson Bros. Hinton Hill IGA, Hinton, Alberta
•Steve and Chris Rome and Staff Rome's Independent Grocer, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
•Steve Vetrecin and Staff Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc. Maple Leaf Square, Toronto, Ontario
•Alain Gagné, IGA Des Sources, Quebec City, Quebec
•Bill Skeard and Staff, Colemans At The Gardens, Corner Brook, Newfoundland & Labrador
Specialty Category
Bronze Award – Jeffrey Min, Peter Shin, Galleria Supermarket, Toronto, Ontario
Silver Award – John Visconti and Staff, The Market By Longo's, King Street West, Toronto, Ontario
Gold Award – Will and Ingrid Willemsen, Mike Stewart, Cathy Macumber, Rose Flamia, Nabila Salem, Mary Beth Wigle and Clarke Cadwallader, Sunripe, Sarnia, Ontario
Canadian Master Merchandiser Awards
Gold Large Surface Category – Marcel Moncoin, Linda Moncion, Terry Hess and Staff (Moncion's Your Independent Grocer – Ottawa ON)
Gold Medium Surface Category – Ken Schley, John Briuolo, Kevin Foote, Gord Groves and Staff (Quality Foods Bowen Road – Nanaimo, BC)
Gold Small Surface Category – Kerry Waldo and Staff (Freson Bros. Manning IGA – Manning, AB)
Platinum Award – Kerry Waldo and Staff (Freson Bros. Manning IGA – Manning, AB)
Heritage Award Recipient
The Arnold Rands Heritage Award – Jeff Rowe, Pat Rowe, Shannon Forner, Murray Munroe and Staff (Valu-Plus Foods – Keremos, BC)
2011 CFIG Hall of Fame Inductees:
Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc. Highway 7 – Dave Carbone and Staff (Markham, ON)
Sharpe's Food Market – Steve, Tim and Justin Sharpe (Campbellford, ON)
Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc. York Mills – Rocco Agostino and Staff (Toronto, ON)
The Arnold Rands Heritage Award
Valu-Plus Foods – Jeff and Pat Rowe, Shannon Forner, Murray Munroe and Team (Keremeos, British Columbia)
Platinum Achievement Award Winners
Management and Staff – 49th Parallel Grocery, Ladysmith, British Columbia
Robert Galati and Staff – Galati Market Fresh, North York, Ontario
Kevin and Cheryl St. Martin – Gimli Super A Foods, Gimli, Manitoba
Jason Poloniato and Staff – Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc. Fairview, Burlington, Ontario
Joe Bruzzese and Staff – Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc. Maple, Ontario
Dave Carbone and Staff – Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc. Highway #7, Markham, Ontario
Rocco Agostino and Staff – Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc. York Mills, Toronto, Ontario
Peter Koutsoulianos and Staff – Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc. Rutherford Woodbridge, Ontario
Mike, Nancy, Gordon, Julie and Pamela Dean – Mike Dean's Super Food Stores, Chesterville, Ontario
Mike, Nancy, Gordon, Julie and Pamela Dean – Mike Dean's Super Food Stores, Winchester, Ontario
Ken Schley, John Briuolo, Gord Groves and The Entire Store Team, Quality Foods Bowen Road, Nanaimo, British Columbia
Ken Schley, John Briuolo, David Burns and The Entire Store Team, Quality Foods Nanoose Bay, Nanoose Bay, British Columbia
Steve, Tom and John Sharpe, Sharpe's Food Market, Campbellford, Ontario
The Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1962, which continues to be a collaborative community, equipping and enabling independent, franchised and specialty grocers for sustainable success. Representing over 4000 grocery retailers from every part of Canada, CFIG is a strong and united voice for independent grocers, providing programs for operational excellence, facilitating educational and training programs and fostering enabling-relationships among retailers and suppliers. CFIG is a respected organization that speaks confidently for its retail members to industry, government, and the consumer.
Source: The Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers