A new grocer has opened up in the Richmond market — CityMarket, to be precise.
Owned and operated by Loblaws, best known for Canadian Superstore, CityMarket opened its doors Friday morning at The Gardens development at the Steveston Highway and No. 5 Road intersection.
According to the company, the store has been modeled under Loblaw’s ‘inspire’ program, “created to serve customers who are looking for a great retail experience and premium food choices.”
It does, indeed, have an upscale design feel and culinary offerings, such as its 10-foot high wall of more than 300 cheeses.
The first CityMarket opened last year in Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver.
“Since we opened our North Vancouver CityMarket, it has become a food haven,” said Derrick Pittman, vice president of Loblaws, in a press release.
“We’ve seen a real excitement growing around fresh foods from our Lower Mainland customers and we’re responding to that enthusiasm by bringing specialty offerings, superior premium foods and a team of colleagues with a strong knowledge of food.”
Among the most notable features of the ‘inspire’ concept is the home meal replacement (HMR), an offering that brings restaurant-quality, chef-created recipes, to grocery stores.
Eat-in and take-out traffic at Canadian grocery stores is up 16 per cent in the last five years, according to Loblaws, which it says is meeting that growth by bringing a “superior prepared food offering to customers.”
