For immediate release: 3 October 2006

McGuinty Government Celebrates Ontario's Produce Retailers
Foodland Ontario Awards Presented To
Outstanding Businesses

Toronto - The McGuinty government today saluted grocery retailers who have done an outstanding job of promoting the produce grown by Ontario farmers.

"The recipients of this year's awards have shown tremendous commitment and dedication to promoting Ontario grown fruits and vegetables," said Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Leona Dombrowsky. "When we buy Ontario's high-quality food, everyone wins - farmers, retailers and consumers."

This year's Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards were presented to 28 food retailers that have shown outstanding commitment and creativity in marketing Ontario fruit and vegetable products. The Foodland Ontario Award of Excellence went to Loeb Island Park Drive in Ottawa, Trousdale's IGA in Sydenham, Scrimgeour's Food Market in Blyth, Food Basics in Listowel, A&P 11729 Tecumseh Road in Windsor and Sobeys South Pelham Road in Welland.

Winners were chosen from over 3,600 photographs, representing 375 entries. Criteria used to decide on the winning entries include the impact of the display, the creative and effective use of Foodland point-of-sale material, cross-merchandising, the location in the store, and the balance and design of the display.

Other initiatives that demonstrate the McGuinty government's support for the agri-food sector are:

• Recognizing innovation in the province's agriculture sector by launching the $2.5-million Premier's Awards for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence
• Consulting industry leaders on a branding and marketing strategy for Ontario agriculture, to help Ontarians buy local food year-round
• Helping farmers by providing $910 million over the past three years for farm income stabilization and support programs
• Investing more than $26 million in rural communities through the Rural Economic Development program.
  

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Contact:
Christopher Flavelle
Minister's Office
(416) 326-3072

Dave McLeod
Communications Branch
519-826-3198

2006 Foodland Ontario Retailer Award Winners

Foodland Ontario Award of Excellence

Loeb Island Park Dr., Ottawa
Trousdale's IGA, Sydenham
Scrimgeour's Food Market, Blyth
Food Basics, Listowel
A&P, Windsor
Sobeys, Welland

Platinum All Seasons

Loeb Island Park Dr., Ottawa
Scrimgeour's Food Market, Blyth
Foodland, Omemee
Foodland, Dundalk
Trousdale's IGA, Sydenham
Foodland, Victoria Harbour
A&P, Windsor
Sobeys, Welland
Morello's Your Independent Grocer, Peterborough
Food Basics, Listowel
Zehrs, Barrie
Real Canadian Super Store, Leamington
Real Canadian Super Store, Windsor
Zehrs Beechwood, Waterloo

Gold - Seasonal

Dominion, Toronto
IGA, Verona
Loblaws, Kingston
No Frills, Barrie
Real Canadian Super Store, Kitchener

Gold - Creative

Price Chopper, Huntsville
A&P, London
IGA, Newcastle
Zehrs, Niagara Falls
Your Independent Grocer, Carleton Place

Gold - Cross-Merchandised

Foodland, Elora
A&P, Brampton
Price Chopper, Brantford
Zehrs, Uxbridge

Silver Award of Merit

Barrie/Huronia
A&P Super Fresh, Barrie
IGA, Thornbury
Maurice's Valu-Mart, Midland

Real Canadian Superstore, Midland
A&P Super Fresh, Bracebridge
IGA, Innisfil
Price Chopper, Newmarket

Grey/Bruce
Zehrs, Listowel

GTA North
Valu-mart, Mississauga
Dominion Save-a-centre, Etobicoke
Longo's Fruit Market, Brampton
Valu-mart, Erin
Zehrs, Orangeville

Hamilton/Niagara
The Barn Markets, Hamilton (Upper Paradise)
A&P, Niagara Falls
Sobeys, Grimsby
Sobeys, Fonthill
Zehrs, Simcoe

Kingston
Loeb, Brockville

Kitchener/Waterloo
Zehrs, Kitchener
A&P, Brantford
Ultra Mart, Guelph

London/Sarnia
Food Basics, London
A&P, London (Clarke Side Road)
A&P, London (Wellington Road South)
Zehrs, Goderich
Stewarts Town and Country Market, Mildmay
Foodland, Paisley
Foodland, Seaforth

North Bay
Hope's Foodland, Novar

Oshawa
Price Chopper, Courtice

Ottawa
Sobeys, Kanata
McDaniel's YIG, Nepean

Owen Sound
Soloway's IGA, Wiarton

Windsor
Zehrs, Essex
Zehrs, LaSalle

Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards

The Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards program recognizes grocery retailers for their innovative promotion of Ontario-grown fruits and vegetables. Each year, approximately 1,250 stores across the province are involved in the promotion of Ontario produce. Stores submit photographs of their promotions and displays to qualify for the awards.

There are four award categories. The Platinum All Seasons Award recognizes merchandising excellence with Ontario grown commodities through three seasons: spring, summer and winter. The Gold Category Award is given to chain and independent stores in three specific categories: seasonal, creative and cross-merchandised. The Silver Award of Merit honours excellence in promoting Ontario produce in a display. The Foodland Ontario Award of Excellence is presented to the top-scoring Ontario retailers, in each store size category, that have won the Platinum Award for consistent year-round merchandising achievement for two years in a row.

Foodland Ontario is a consumer marketing program aimed at increasing sales and profit margins for fresh Ontario fruits and vegetables using a multi-media strategy and in-store promotions.

Retailers partner with Foodland Ontario because it is a successful marketing program that offers them a competitive edge. Based on research findings, there is a high degree of consumer trust in Ontario-grown produce. The Foodland Ontario symbol has tremendous recognition with consumers looking and asking for Foodland Ontario by name. For more than 29 years, consumers have identified the stylized trillium with homegrown freshness and quality.

The awards are co-sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in partnership with Ontario Asparagus Growers' Marketing Board, Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Association, Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers, Ontario Tender Fruit Producers' Marketing Board, Ontario Apple Growers, Ontario Potato Board, Fresh Vegetable Growers of Ontario and Mushrooms Canada.

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Contact:
Jim James
Foodland Ontario
(519) 826-3946