Canadian Retail Thread

[thewave46]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Competition Bureau to probe grocery pricing
Pete Evans | October 24, 2022

Canada's Competition Bureau says it is launching a study on competition in the grocery industry.

The agency said in a press release Monday that it plans to investigate various issues in the grocery industry, "with the goal of recommending measures that governments can take to help improve competition in the sector."

The bureau functions as perhaps Canada's most prominent consumer watchdog group by investigating anti-competitive practices that serve to push up prices for consumers, including things like deceptive marketing, price-fixing, and even outright fraud.

The bureau says the move isn't in reaction to any specific allegation of wrongdoing, but it comes as consumers grapple with food prices rising at their fastest pace in more than 40 years.

Last week, new data showed that while Canada's inflation rate eased to 6.9 per cent, the prices of food purchased at stores still rose by more than 11 per cent. The price of food has been going up at a faster pace than the overall inflation rate for 10 months in a row now.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/com...cery-1.6627144

There's always been a cynical little voice in my head that thought a high headline inflation number would be used as a convenient cover for fattening the bottom line regardless of if actual costs had gone up.

[Wigs]

Originally Posted by thewave46

There's always been a cynical little voice in my head that thought a high headline inflation number would be used as a convenient cover for fattening the bottom line regardless of if actual costs had gone up.

We all lived through Loblaws bread price fixing scandal so no one should be shocked that grocery retailers are jacking up costs. Particularly a huge company like Loblaws that has god knows what crazy percentage of market share between grocery and pharmacy (Shoppers).

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by urbandreamer

I went in the Kenora Red Apple: reminded me of Len's Mills minus the textiles.

Is the Dryden Safeway the only one in Ontario? (I missed the two in TB & in Kenora.)

London Drugs did give off Biway vibes.

There's a Bargain Shop in downtown Elmira.

I've been to the Safeway in Dryden as it has a Starbucks inside. There are Safeway locations in Thunder Bay, Dryden, Kenora and Fort Frances in Northwestern Ontario. All locations have Starbucks in them. Thunder Bay had 3 locations until last year when one was converted into a FreshCo. (also owned by Sobey's)

Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s Sault Ste Marie ON had a Safeway store but I don't think it last for more than 5 years. It was in this building here: https://goo.gl/maps/AzCZhN6CCo3AXEQYA
I'm guessing it was an experiment to see how well the company could do pushing quite a ways East.

Grocery stores in Northwestern Ontario are normally supplied from Western Canada. But I'm not sure about the Metro stores in Thunder Bay. I'm guessing that they may be supplied from the East for many things because Metro doesn't have stores in the Western provinces.

[urbandreamer]

I went in Sault Ste Marie's Pino's - somehow related to Kitchener's Central Fresh Market iirc but much better. Downtown SSM was disappointing: not as depressing as TB but still extremely rundown.

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by urbandreamer

I went in Sault Ste Marie's Pino's - somehow related to Kitchener's Central Fresh Market iirc but much better. Downtown SSM was disappointing: not as depressing as TB but still extremely rundown.

Pino's bought Central Meat Market about 25 years ago and converted it into Central Fresh. I think it's only about half the size of the Pino's in SSM, but I think it has a longer history.

[urbandreamer]

Pino's is about the size of the Bridgeport Sobeys with the vibe of London's Angelo's. Probably the nicest grocery store between Toronto and Calgary.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by urbandreamer

Pino's is about the size of the Bridgeport Sobeys with the vibe of London's Angelo's. Probably the nicest grocery store between Toronto and Calgary.

I really like Pino's. I've gone there for groceries when staying in the Sault. It has a Starbucks which is great but I also like their pizza, sausages and other ready-made meals.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by urbandreamer

I went in Sault Ste Marie's Pino's - somehow related to Kitchener's Central Fresh Market iirc but much better. Downtown SSM was disappointing: not as depressing as TB but still extremely rundown.

I don't find that the Sault's downtown is all that bad. Thunder Bay's isn't as nice but both places have much better downtowns than Timmins!

[Coldrsx]

Henry Singer leaving Manulife Tower for Stantec Tower.

https://www.newswire.ca/news-release...871142742.html

[Airboy]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Henry Singer leaving Manulife Tower for Stantec Tower.

https://www.newswire.ca/news-release...871142742.html

wow that's their market to.

[Djeffery]

Kind of surprised this didn't get a post on here the last couple days. Lowe's is selling all of its Canadian operation to Sycamore Partners (owners of Staples and other brands). New entity will simply be called Lowe's Canada, but will not be related to the American company. No store closures announced as of yet (not sure if there will be, but given the nature of these types of deals, I imagine they will look for some type of "efficiencies")

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...301668304.html

MOORESVILLE, N.C., Nov. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Canadian retail business to Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm specializing in retail, consumer and distribution-related investments, for $400 million in cash, and performance-based deferred consideration.

Based in Boucherville, Quebec, Lowe's Canadian retail business operates or services approximately 450 corporate and independent affiliate dealer stores in a number of complementary formats under different banners, which include RONA, Lowe's Canada, Réno-Dépôt and Dick's Lumber.

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Kind of surprised this didn't get a post on here the last couple days. Lowe's is selling all of its Canadian operation to Sycamore Partners (owners of Staples and other brands). New entity will simply be called Lowe's Canada, but will not be related to the American company. No store closures announced as of yet (not sure if there will be, but given the nature of these types of deals, I imagine they will look for some type of "efficiencies")

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...301668304.html

I wonder why Lowe's sold it off. My thinking is that they see rough times ahead.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Loco101

I wonder why Lowe's sold it off. My thinking is that they see rough times ahead.

My guess is they probably want to have money in the war chest assuming there is downturn in the US.

[jamincan]

I'm trying to think of examples of split brands.

A&W
Lowe's
Aldi (not in Canada, though)
...

[J.OT13]

Toys "R" Us? Didn't know A&W was a split brand.

[jamincan]

I didn't know Toys 'r' Us was split. A&W has been for quite a long time now - I have heard the American chain is garbage by comparison, but I've never been.

[MonctonRad]

Both A&W and TRU in the States are nearly moribund.

I did see an A&W once somewhere around Lake George in upstate NY. The total number of A&W outlets down there is measured in the dozens.

As for TRU, the US version was bankrupt and disappeared for a while. They have since started to reappear, but as small boutique stores rather than big boxes like up here.

[Djeffery]

One of the senior execs from TRU spoke at my company's annual meeting a few years ago, and he said about us during the time of the Canadian division splitting off from the US "You really find out who your friends are in a time like that". He said other than the power of the brand, there wasn't one thing that they didn't have to start fresh with, as if they were starting a brand new company. A lot of the companies they dealt with backed away as they didn't give TRU a chance and didn't want to get burned themselves.

[Djeffery]

Further reading indicates eventual plans to rebrand Lowe's stores to Rona. Wouldn't be surprised if that also happens with other brands in the chain. Not sure about the corporate name though, can't see it making sense to continue to be called Lowe's Canada at that point.

This is almost Target like for Lowe's. Spent $2.4 billion to buy Rona, not to mention how much they spent in the 10 years prior, to sell it all for $400 million. At least Canada isn't being left with all those empty stores, although I'm sure there will be some.

[casper]

Originally Posted by jamincan

I'm trying to think of examples of split brands.

A&W
Lowe's
Aldi (not in Canada, though)
...

IGA, Safeway and SuperVale would be three others.