(Photo courtesy Cornershop)

Walmart’s LatAm delivery app Cornershop eyes Canada

Mexico City | Reuters — Cornershop, a Latin American grocery delivery app being acquired by Walmart, plans to expand into Canada early next year as a test market for the U.S., an executive for the three-year-old mobile app said. Walmart is buying Cornershop, which offers deliveries in Mexico and Chile, for US$225 million. The deal, […] Read more

(FarmBoy.ca)

Sobeys parent to buy fresh-food grocer Farm Boy

The owner of the Sobeys and Canada Safeway chains has a deal in place to buy southern Ontario grocery retailer Farm Boy, a well known patron of the region’s producers. In a deal still subject to review by the federal Competition Bureau, Empire Co. announced Monday it will pay $800 million for the grocery chain, […] Read more

A Metro grocery store at the Orangeville Mall in Orangeville, Ont. (Onereit.ca)

Metro to buy Jean Coutu to stave off looming risks

Toronto | Reuters — Metro Inc., Canada’s third-biggest food retailer, on Monday agreed to buy pharmacy chain Jean Coutu Group for $4.5 billion in cash and stock, paying what analysts said was a “steep” premium to protect against risks facing the retail sector. The deal comes at time when global retail giants like Amazon.com, Wal-Mart […] Read more

(JeanCoutu.com)

Metro in ‘advanced’ talks to buy Jean Coutu chain

One of Eastern Canada’s major players in the grocery sector is in “advanced discussions” to take up one of the region’s major drugstore chains. Montreal-based Metro Inc. announced Tuesday it’s in “exclusive” talks with the Jean Coutu Group on the possibilities of a cash-and-stock takeover valued in some reports at around $4.5 billion. A non-binding […] Read more




(Dave Bedard photo)

Sobeys, Safeway parent seeks cost-cutting ‘leverage’

Empire Co., the parent firm for about 1,500 grocery stores across Canada, plans to restructure from a regional to a “largely national” operation cutting $500 million in annual costs by the end of 2020. Nova Scotia-based Empire — whose stores operate under brands including Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, and Lawton’s — on […] Read more

Jim Pattison, shown here second from right with the Quality Foods partners, has taken majority control of the Quality Chain. (QualityFoods.com)

Pattison takes up B.C. grocery chain Quality Foods

The owner of Save-On Foods and other Canadian grocery chains will expand its overall market share on Vancouver Island with majority control of the Quality Foods chain. The Vancouver-based Jim Pattison Group was announced last week as the new controlling shareholder in Quality Foods, buying up the interests of founding partners Ken Schley and John […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Loblaw reports better-than-expected profit

Reuters — Canadian grocery and pharmacy retailer Loblaw Cos. Ltd. reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit on Wednesday, as expenses fell and discounting attracted more shoppers. Profit at Loblaw’s main retail unit was helped by lower selling, general and administrative costs, and an increase in same-store sales in the quarter ending Oct. 8, the company said. […] Read more

Canadians had eagerly anticipated Target’s arrival in Canada, built up through events such as this one-day pop-up store in Toronto, benefiting the United Way, in February 2012. (CNW Group/Target photo)

In surprise move, Target to pull out of Canada

Toronto | Reuters — Target Corp. will abandon its ill-fated expansion into Canada less than two years after launch, the U.S. discount retailer said on Thursday, in a surprise retreat that will put more than 17,000 employees out of work and cost it billions. Shares of Target, which was granted creditor protection for its money-losing […] Read more