Celebrating Ontario's Fresh Food
October 15, 2008
NEWS
The outstanding and innovative efforts of 37 grocery retailers to promote
Ontario's fresh food products are being recognized at this year's Foodland
Ontario Retailer Awards.
Judges reviewed thousands of photographs of display categories submitted
by 900 entries - a record number for the program.
The Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards has also introduced a new category
that reflects the wider range of products promoted by the program. For
the first time this year, the Pick Ontario Freshness award will go to:
- Sobeys, for the "Compliments" private label promoting fresh
Ontario beef, pork, chicken, and poultry
- Highland Farms, for cross-department promotions of fresh Ontario food
products
- Loblaw Companies Limited, for the promotion of Ontario Corn Fed Beef
- Longo's, for the promotion of fresh Ontario pork, lamb, and veal
QUOTES
"This year's award winners have done an outstanding job promoting
fresh, local Ontario products," said Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. "When consumers buy Ontario
foods, they're helping our farmers, our economy and our environment."
QUICK FACTS
- The Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards have recognized grocery retailers
for 21 years.
- The Foodland program was expanded last year to include fresh Ontario
foods (i.e. deli, dairy, meat and bakery products).
- Foodland Ontario brand consumer awareness is at an all time high -
94 per cent of principal grocery shoppers recognize the Foodland Ontario
symbol.
- Eighty-seven per cent of shoppers say they would prefer to buy Ontario-grown
produce.
LEARN MORE
We all know good things grow in Ontario. Find out what's available and
incorporate them in any of the delicious recipes on the Foodland
Ontario website.
Be in the know and get involved! Check out the Pick
Ontario Freshness website to find out what you can do to support Ontario
farmers.
Backgrounder
FOODLAND ONTARIO RETAILER AWARDS
October 15, 2008
The Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards recognize grocery retailers for
their in-store promotion of fresh Ontario food. Their support of the Pick
Ontario Freshness strategy, which provides awareness and education to
consumers about the vast variety of fresh Ontario foods, helps Ontario
farmers and our local communities. Stores submit photographs of their
promotional displays in order to qualify for the awards.
There are five award categories.
- 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 two years in a row.
- The Platinum All Seasons Award: recognizes merchandising excellence
with Ontario grown commodities through three seasons: spring, summer
and winter.
- The Gold Category Award (Gold-Seasonal, Gold-Cross Merchandised,
Gold-Creative): 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.
- Pick Ontario Freshness award: is given to retailers that have
expanded their in-store programs to promote a broader range of fresh
Ontario foods
The awards are co-sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food
and Rural Affairs in partnership with the following:
- Fresh Vegetable Growers of Ontario and Mushrooms Canada
- Ontario Apple Growers
- Ontario Asparagus Growers' Marketing Board
- Ontario Berry Grower's Association
- Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Association
- Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers
- Ontario Potato Board
- Ontario Tender Fruit Producers' Marketing Board
2008 FOODLAND ONTARIO RETAILER AWARD WINNERS
Foodland Ontario Award of Excellence
A&P, Windsor (Tecumseh Road East)
Food Basics, Listowel
Scrimgeours Food Market, Blyth
Stewart's Town & Country Market, Mildmay
Your Independent Grocer, Port Perry
Platinum - All Seasons
A&P, Brampton
A&P, Windsor (Tecumseh Road East)
A&P, Windsor (Wyandotte Street East)
Food Basics, Listowel
Foodland, Midland
Foodland, Victoria Harbour
Freshmart, Port Sydney
Scrimgeours Food Market, Blyth
Sobeys, Barrie (Mapleview Drive)
Stewart's Town & Country Market, Mildmay
Your Independent Grocer, Peterborough
Your Independent Grocer, Port Perry
Gold - Seasonal
A&P, Orillia
Dominion, Mississauga (Lakeshore Road East)
Glenburnie Food Mart, Glenburnie
Loblaw Greatfood, Etobicoke
Michael Angelo's Food Market, Markham
Sobeys, Dunnville
Your Independent Grocer, Ingersoll
Gold - Cross-Merchandised
Foodland, Dorchester
Foodland, Dundalk
Sobeys Express, Toronto
Sobeys, Brighton
Sobeys, Windsor
Real Canadian Superstore, Kitchener
Your Independent Grocer, Espanola
Gold - Creative
Food Basics, Kitchener (Fairway Road South)
Foodland, Osgoode
Loeb Island Park Market, Ottawa
Sobeys, Welland
Your Independent Grocer, Nepean
Zehrs Food Plus Markets, Niagara Falls
Silver Award of Merit
A&P, Brantford
A&P, London (Wonderland Road South)
A&P, London (Adelaide Street North)
A&P, London (Clarke Road)
A&P, London (Wellington Road South)
A&P, London (Commissioners Road West)
A&P, London (Oxford Street West)
A&P, Sturgeon Falls
Country Produce, Orillia
Dominion, Toronto (Front Street)
Dominion, Toronto, (Yonge Street)
Food Basics, Hanover
Food Basics, Simcoe
Food Basics, Windsor (Dougall Avenue)
Food Basics, Kanata
Foodland, Innisfil
Foodland, Stirling
Foodland, Frankford
Fortinos, Hamilton (Main Street West)
Fortinos, Burlington (Guelph Line)
Fortinos, Etobicoke
IGA, Verona
Loblaws, Mississauga (Glen Erin Market)
Loeb Bayridge Market, Kingston
Loeb Plus Lasalle Market, Sudbury
Longo's, Markham
Longo's, Burlington
No Frills, Picton
Real Canadian Superstore, Windsor
Sobeys, Kitchener
Sobeys, St. Clair Beach
Ultra Food & Drug, Burlington
Your Independent Grocer, Lively
Pick Ontario Freshness Award
Sobeys
Highland Farms
Loblaw Companies Limited
Longo's
For more information, contact:
Sherry Persaud, Minister's Office, 416-326-6439
Brent Ross, Communications Branch, 416-326-9342
