Save-On-Foods: Sharing and caring in the community

Community focus is another Save-On-Foods BB #:153831 mandate, whether through customizing its product lineup to support area growers or giving back to those in need.

The grocer’s motto is “Going the Extra Mile,” which Jones says informs decision-making across the chain’s operations. “Supporting local communities is the foundation of our brand.”

Our experts agree.

David Karwacki, CEO at The Star Group BB #:134817 in Saskatoon, SK, affirms the retailer has invested a great deal of money and time working in Western Canada.

Carole Spieckerman, president of Spieckerman Retail in Bentonville, AR, says, “Save-On-Foods’ localization and community outreach standards inform store design, supplier selection, and charitable initiatives.”

Along with other banners and its corporate parent, Save-On-Foods donates generously to regional and local causes, including funding for children’s hospitals and youth sports programs.

“It’s really a family-oriented company,” says Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University School of Public Administration in Halifax, NS, noting both tradition and loyalty are valued highly. “It’s probably the most family-oriented store in Canada of those with 100 or more stores.”

One example involves the previously mentioned Western Family brand. Through the Share It Forward initiative, created five years ago, each June Save-On-Foods and its other banners host weekly events and donate 50 percent of the private label’s net proceeds to community food banks.  

Further, the retailer is also known for taking good care of its more than 23,000 team members—making it one of Western Canada’s largest employers at a time when others struggle to find enough workers.

“Save-On-Foods’ focus on employee health, safety, and advancement serves as a powerful hedge against labor shortages and overall recruitment and retention,” Spieckerman says.

This is an excerpt from the March/April 2023 issue of Produce Blueprints Magazine’s Canada Supplement. Click here to read the whole supplement.

Image sources are either licensed or customer-provided.