Sobeys
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{{Infobox Company
| company_name = Sobeys Inc.
| company_logo = Image:Sobeys-corp-logo.gif
| company_type = Public Template:TSX |
| foundation = Stellarton, Nova Scotia (1907)
| location = Stellarton, Nova Scotia
| key_people = William G. (Bill) McEwan, President & CEO
| industry = Retail (Grocery) [1]
| products = Grocery
| revenue = Image:Green up.png $12.189 billion CAD (2005)
| net_income = Image:Green up.png $186.7 million CAD (2005)
| num_employees = 75,000 (2005)
| homepage = www.sobeys.com
www.sobeys.ca (Retail site)
}}
Sobeys Template:TSX is a Canadian supermarket chain based in Stellarton, Nova Scotia.
Contents |
History
- The company was founded by J.W. Sobey in 1907 as a meat delivery business in Stellarton.
- In 1924 his son Frank convinced him to expand into a full grocery business, serving the industrial Pictou County region. From that point until his death, Frank was the driving force behind the business.
- Sobeys opened its first self-serve supermarket in 1949.
- The chain expanded throughout Atlantic Canada, during most of the second half of the 20th century it was the region's dominant grocer
- Sobeys had significant stakes in New England grocer Hannaford and Quebec grocer Provigo until the 1990s.
- During the 1980s, Sobeys expanded into southern Ontario, challenging Loblaws on its "home turf", thereby igniting what came to be a nationwide supermarket battle for market supremacy.
- In 1998, Sobeys became the second-largest grocer in the country after purchasing the Oshawa Group, owners of the IGA franchise across Canada, along with several regional chains in Ontario, in addition to various food service and wholesale companies.
- The company currently operates more than 1,300 stores in ten provinces and distributes goods to thousands of wholesale customers.
Ready to serve
In 2002, Sobeys stores undertook major changes in its appeal, attitude, and feel. This was the introduction of "Ready to Serve". It was highly stressed upon introduction that was not simply a new slogan or catch-phrase, but a new operating strategy; focusing on superior customer service. Loblaws, its major competitor, has much larger stores and puts an emphasis on low prices. Sobeys decided to de-emphasize the price/size war in favour of a customer service upgrade. Even with a larger focus on service, Sobeys' prices still remain competitive.
- Uniforms, previously very formal, were changed to more casual attire (green Sobeys jacket or t-shirt over black t-shirt and black jeans with black sneakers or shoes).
- All signs and advertising were drastically changed to encompass the new superior customer service.
- The Front-End Manager, who did the majority of customer service, was retitled "Customer Experience Manager".
- Wireless headsets and phones were introduced and every employee is trained to be very customer-oriented. Cashiers are required to greet, converse with, and help out customers to the extent of their ability. Other departments are also required to provide the customer with excellent and friendly service.
- The logo for Sobeys itself was also changed. The four green circles were dropped and the logo simply consists of the word "Sobeys". "Ready to Serve" now stands as part of the logo itself. (It should be noted that the four green circles were retained in the corporate logo of Sobeys Inc.)
* Some details may vary in different parts of Canada. Information is based on store designs and policies of Newfoundland and Labrador stores.
Company
Image:Sobeys-entrance.jpg Sobeys' private label products are now branded "Compliments".
- Compliments was formerly known as Our Compliments, a brand acquired from Oshawa group. In Sobeys stores, it succeeded the Our Best brand, which itself succeeded the Sobeys brand.
- Starting in March 2005, the Smart Choice label, which was obtained by Sobeys in the Oshawa Group acquisition, was assimilated into the Compliments brand lineup; products have been rebranded as "Compliments Value".
- Starting in November 2005, Sobeys introduced Compliments Sensations, a premium tier store brand.
- Private-label soft drinks in Atlantic Canada are branded "Big 8". Elsewhere, they are part of the Compliments family.
In addition to the Sobeys banner, Sobeys Inc. also operates supermarkets under the following banners:
- IGA is Sobeys' main brand in Quebec. There are also 92 IGA stores in Western Canada and 106 IGA stores in Ontario.
- (At the time of the Sobeys takeover of the Oshawa Group, all IGA locations in Atlantic Canada were purchased separately by Loblaws for competition reasons. Loblaws has converted these Atlantic Canadian IGA locations to one of their own banners. The Sobeys location in the mainly French-speaking Edmunston, New Brunswick was subsequently branded IGA and reports to Sobeys Quebec division.)
- IGA Extra, in Quebec
- Marketplace IGA, in British Columbia
- Tradition Markets, small food market in Quebec
- Price Chopper, a smaller, discount grocery store.
- Foodland, small markets, located in Atlantic Canada and Ontario
- Commisso's Food Markets, in Ontario
- Food Town, in Western Canada
Retired banners
- Garden Market IGA in Western Canada, stores were rebranded as Sobeys
- Knechtel, convenience store chain under Oshawa Group
- Green Gables, convenience store chain, stores became part of the Needs Convenience banner
Sobeys Incorporated also owns the Needs Convenience, Kwik-Way, and BoniChoix convenience store chains as well as the Lawtons drug store chain in Atlantic Canada. Also, in areas where tobacco sales are more restricted, such as New Brunswick , Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island cigarettes and other tobacco products are sold in a separate store, owned and operated by Sobeys Inc., called Griffins. These stores are a part of the Sobeys store but are only accessible from the outside due to laws in these provinces which prevent any store that has a pharmacy to also sell tobacco products.
The Sobeys conglomerate is owned by Empire Company Limited, which is controlled by the Sobey family. In addition to Sobeys, the Empire Company also owns Empire Theatres, already Canada's second-largest movie theatre chain, as well as many commercial retail properties through subsidiary Crombie REIT.
Recently, Sobeys has been developing a new type of convenience store called Sobeys Express. The stores carry all of the traditional convenience store items but also include a mini deli, mini bakery, as well as fresh produce. Trial locations in Truro, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick were opened in early 2004 but several other locations have opened across Canada since then. The Truro and Moncton stores are conversions of former Needs Convenience stores.