The Top 15 Canadian Grocery Stores Including Chains

Looking for nearby Canadian grocery stores but don’t know where to look? Wondering where you can get the food items you need?

Your kitchen requires these items for you to cook, to eat and to relax at home. You can miss a party with your friend but you cannot miss your grocery list that you need to shop for your home. Whether you stay alone or with family, your groceries are a must.

You need to shop groceries based on your family heads and budget. Many people are still unaware of the grocery shops or chains in their locality.

When you first come to Canada you will find everything very new around you. You need a home, job to settle down. The groceries will be pricey because there are both expensive and affordable grocery stores for customers.

The Top 15 Canadian Grocery Stores

Wondering what are the top choices for you when it comes to a Canadian grocery store? We take a look at it below.

1. Loblaw Companies

Loblaw Companies Ltd.has No Frills, Real Canadian Superstores, and Loblaws under them. The company was founded in the year 1919, in Brampton, Ontario by Theodore Loblaw. They have an overall franchise of 1000 stores with 4700 of independent stores and 400associate stores. They sell mainly groceries and you will get clothing housewares and electronics for about 1/3 of the stores. It’s among the more popular Canadian grocery stores.

2. Metro

It is the largest chain with about stores that count up to 400 all through Quebec and Ontario. It has registered 140 stores that operate under the banner Marche Richelieu. In Quebec, Super C is the supermarket division of Metro that runs on a discount. In Ontario, the grocery stores that offer discount runs under the brand Food Basics.

3. Sobeys

Throughout the country, it has 1300 stores under different banners. It is in operation since 1990. With the aim of proper services from early 2000, the company has taken many initiatives. It includes a change in-store design, policies of customer service and the strategies of advertising.

4. Safeway

In North America, the grocery chain is in 3rd largest. It has almost 200 stores especially in Alberta and British Columbia. The current Safeway brands are Lucerne- daily line, Primo Taglio where you will get deli products and O Organics for organic foods.

It is a Western Canadian supermarket with 183 stores chain. In the year 1929, it was established and in the year 2013, it was sold to Sobey. But, it continues to operate with the same logo and name. It has altogether in-store 173 pharmacies, 162 grocery stores, 10 stores of liquor and fuel stations of total 62, as of March 2020.  Today, it continues to rank among the top Canadian grocery stores. 

5. Walmart

In 1994, Walmart acquired 122 stores of Woolco in Canada to set up their presence here. While one could argue the company isn’t really Canadian, the multinational retail corporation acquired all the employees of Woolco stores. Today, the brand headquartered in Mississauga, has over 408 stores.

Love it for its low prices or its range of options, there is a lot going on to make Walmart among the best Canadian grocery stores.

6. Real Canadian Superstore-

It is a supermarket chain available at 6 different locations out of 10 Province in Canada. You will find almost 114 stores only in Ontario. The first store opened in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in the year1979. Previously, it was named as SuperValu.

7. No Frills-

The year 1978 was tough because of high inflation and this store adopt a discount price European model in promoting the business. They used to promote fresh production at the lowest price. The strategy worked for many customers and slowly the grocery store becomes ‘family name’.

The customers can pack their groceries and even bring their shopping bags. Though there was less service for customers and selection method, still the grocery store became a hot cake. On an opening day, they had innumerable customers that their store can fit.

8. Canadian Tire-

After selling Hamilton Tire and Garage Ltd, Alfred Jackson and John William Billes opened the first grocery store in the year 1934 in Hamilton, Ontario. The grocery store witnesses incredible growth and it has almost 487 stores. You can find this company on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

9. Food Basics-

A&P Canada in the year 1995 founded this chain of the grocery store. In the year 2005, Metro Inc purchased Food Basics. Now, it has 125 stores all around Ontario. Some stores also provide pharmacy in the store and you can call it Food and Drug Basics.

10. FreshCo-

Sobey’s discount shop was this grocery store. In the year 2010, it came in the picture. The main aim of this grocery store is to provide fresh ingredients at a very low price. In all over Ontario, you will find 88 stores. They believe that fresh items do not have to be expensive. They have very new things in the store that you cannot even imagine that exist.

11. Zehrs-

It operates for both small towns and large cities all through Southern Ontario. It is named a “one-stop” shop where you will get a fresh bakery, wine shops, clothing, pharmacy, electronics, and non-traditional items. Both Fortino and Zehrmart merged in the year 2005 under Loblaw banner.

 

12. Foodland-

It is a chain of Canadian grocery stores which was established in the year 1985. You will find the stores in rural Ontario and Atlantic Canada areas. The size of the store is 4000 to 27, 000 sq. feet in size, which owned by Sobeys. They focus on the convenience of the customer and they offer dry goods, deli, dairy products meats, and frozen food.

13. Save on Foods-

In British Columbia, it operates in 110 stores, 1 in the territory of Yukon, Alberta has 39 stores, Manitoba had three and Saskatchewan has 6 stores. You will all types of grocery items that help your home to run.

While among the popular Canadian grocery stores, you may want to take in membership in this one though when you shop, as items cost a fair bit more without one. Membership is free, so don’t worry.

14. Fortino’s-

Loblaw Companies Limited is the parent company of this brand. Since 2012, it has 23 stores all together. John Fortino, a steelworker from Italy opened the store in the year 1961, in Hamilton. Since then, the grocery store witnesses the immense success and growth in the hearts of Canadians. 

In 1996, the company launched the concept of “Fortinos Adventure”. It recreates the streetscape of Europe where the front has a small shop and then you will get the style of open market on a large scale for deli area and even for fresh produce. You will also have “The Butcher Block” that allows customers to place an order of deli cuts.

15. London Drugs

You get more than you think here. From aisles dedicated to vacuum cleaners, laptops and more, to regular grocery like biscuits, milk and more – London Drugs has it all.

You can become a member of their London Drugs Extra, a loyalty program where you can get benefits like $5 for every ten purchases you make.

Did we mention the other grocery store options?

There are several other grocery stores that are dedicated to particular communities in Canada. Fruiticana in Vancouver is an example. It houses everything Indian, from Maggi to Thums Up to that vegetable you had difficulty in finding.

You can also go for Costco, should you have a family. It makes ideal sense, and currently, membership prices are as low as $60 for a year.

Finding a grocery is no more pain for newcomers in Canada. Most of the grocery stores have a separate pharmacy section, so you don’t really need to go elsewhere.

Avail Coupons Of Your Favourite Grocery Stores

In all these above grocery stores, you will find fresh items. Look out for weekly flyers. You will know what’s on sale then.

People from all over the world come to Canada. We are sure you will find something you need, no matter what you are looking for.