DCI Digital Newsletter Volume 4 Issue 2
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We are all in this together. One day at a time.
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From the East coast to the West coast, our DCI Board of Directors:
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Top Photo:
DCI Board of Directors 2019-2020 (Absent: Rocco Commisso)
Individual Portraits From Left To Right:
Top Row:
Chairman
David La Mantia
(J&B La Mantia Ltd.), Vice-Chairman
Robert Galati
(Galati Market Fresh Inc.), Treasurer
Nigel Oliver
(Vince's Market)
Middle Row:
Past-Chair
Dave Powell
(Atlantic Grocery Distributors Ltd.), Director
Rocco Commisso
(Commisso's Fresh Foods), Director
Gordon Dean
(Mike Dean's Super Food Stores)
Bottom Row:
Director
Tony Cataldi
(Cataldi Fresh Market Inc.), Director
Rick Rabba
(The J. Rabba Company), Director
Craig Cavin
(Island Independent Buying Group Ltd.)
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Are you a
DCI Retail Member
? Interested in learning more about a Board of Director position? Email Barry at
barry@distributioncanada.ca
to discuss the opportunity!
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MESSAGE FROM BARRY LANTEIGNE, DCI PRESIDENT
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The Board of Directors and myself would like to thank our DCI Members, Supplier Partners, and Industry Partners for your ongoing and continued support. It has been an interesting and challenging start to 2020 with the Covid-19 Pandemic. It is absolutely amazing to see our members interacting with each other, sharing ideas and supporting one another through this unprecedented time! We at DCI have been working with our members and supplier partners as required in trying to find and provide necessary products and resources for your day to day operations. If there is anything you require, we can look into assisting you, so please reach out at anytime!
The Annual Business Summit has been postponed at this time and we are currently working on a plan to have our Annual Gala Dinner in late October, of this year. Details with the changes will come out in the coming weeks. Having said that, the Annual Charity Golf Classic will still be held once again at Crosswinds Golf and Country Club in Burlington, on Wednesday September 23, 2020.
Business Reviews with DCI members will resume and may have to be completed via telephone or video conference call, but it is important that we proceed. We have been busy meeting with new potential supplier partners, and looking for new opportunities for our members. We are working with our current supplier partners in reviewing, updating and renewing agreements, creating promotional opportunities, and updating our website, bringing it into a sleek and presentable format which should be ready in the coming weeks!
As always, I am here to support our members and supplier partners. Please reach out to me as required and I will be more than happy to help you in any way possible! I can be reached at 905-681-3933 or
barry@distributioncanada.ca
.
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NEW MEMBERSHIPS AND SUPPLIER PARTNERS
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DCI has been continuing to on-board and create fresh opportunities with new Supplier Partners to better serve our membership!
The new Supplier Partners are:
Printer Cartridges, Printers, Printed Material, In Store Signs, Label Sheets, Label Printers.
Custom Food Packaging
Various Organic, and Conventional Products for Private Labeling. Compostable Cups and Cutlery.
Twelve Veggie Tomato Sauce, Savoury Mushroom Basil Sauce, Butternut Squash Beet Sauce, Cauliflower Alfredo.
Grab and Go Snacks (Apricots, Figs, Mixed Fruit) Organic, Karak Chai (Cardamom, Ginger, Masala), Healthy and Energy Snack Grab and Go (Coffee & Hazelnut, Hazelnut & Coconut, Cocoa & Hazelnut), Fruit Bar Dates (Banana, Mango & Strawberry), Dates and Date Cookies.
Olives, Fresh Candies, Hot Sauces, Chocolates, Organic Indian Meals
Outdoor Site Furnishings, Benches, Picnic Tables, Bike Racks, Bollards, Waste and Recycle Bins, Planters etc.
Sports Nutrition Supplements, Protein Snacks, Vegan/Vegetarian Snacks, Protein Bars, Health and Wellness Supplements, Ayurvedic Herbs and Formulations, Pain Relief and recovery wear!
App based on demand for temporary staffing
Packaging, facility solutions, print and publishing products and services.
Stay tuned for more Supplier Partner agreements currently in negotiations! All information will be posted onto the DCI Intranet Portal.
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RETAILERS, STAY CONNECTED WITH DCI!
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We at DCI understand that keeping up with emails and announcements can be difficult at times due to busy stores and peak seasons. Below is a breakdown to understand where you can access DCI related content and news.
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Breaking news, industry announcements, new agreements and power buy/opportunity buys are always sent out through email. This allows us to target our communication by location, type of store, and relevancy as well as give us detailed reporting on who is opening the announcements, which links they have clicked on and where to allocate our efforts for outreach if members haven't opened up these communications.
We strongly encourage you to dedicate a member of your management team to be your communications liaison for your company, especially for those owners who tend to be super busy and don't check their emails daily. You could be missing incredible buying opportunities, programs, or helpful industry tips to better the success of your company.
Please email Matthew Brown
to see which members of your company currently receive our communications (we segment by multiple lists, so be sure touch base with Matthew if you aren't aware as to who is receiving which communications).
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Only have a couple of minutes? Check out the DCI Social media pages on
Facebook
,
Twitter
and
LinkedIn
. Major public announcements are always posted on our social media and you can often find other industry bits of information shared on our pages.
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By logging into the portal, you will get access to your company's rebate reports. As well, any important announcements regarding changes in agreements will also be posted internally on the portal.
What else does the portal provide?
- new supplier partner agreements
- new programs/promotions
- revised supplier partner agreements and rebate scales
- your shareholder reports
- the DCI by-laws
- archived newsletters
- summary of volume rebates
- AGM information
Once you've checked the portal for information and still don't see what you are looking for, please email or call the DCI office with your inquiry.
Please note: the DCI Intranet Portal is for
Retailers only
.
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The Business Summit:
20/20 Vision - The Future is Clear!
New Date: TBA
*New Location*
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April 2020 Update:
To the DCI Community,
In light of the recent developments surrounding COVID-19, the CIGBA/DCI board has decided to postpone this year’s Annual Business Summit on June 16th, 2020 to a later date. We are working on the most optimal logistics to ensure that the same amount of value is being provided to our members. We will be looking to host a virtual board and members meeting on June 16th, 2020. All plans are in progress and details will be provided once they have all been confirmed. We want to take this time to thank our members and partners for the outstanding work that you and your teams are providing our independent communities! Stay safe everyone!
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The Star Awards Nominations are still open!
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The awards night recognizes the key partners, retailers, innovative products and initiatives that are happening in our industry.
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Know of a deserving individual, company or innovative product?
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CHARITY GOLF CLASSIC 2020
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*New Time with an 11AM Tee Off*
September 23, 2020
Location
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Independents and Supplier Partners are encouraged to come out and network, engage in new business leads, enjoy on-course and take-home product samples, and compete in several hole contests sponsored by various Supplier Partners and grocery industry media companies.
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SUPPLIER PARTNERS: WANT BETTER VISIBILITY?
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Let DCI help you with any seasonal programs, new item or product launches, market updates in your category or general communication to members.
Power Buys:
Have a staple product that you know members would love to purchase in volumes or want to get your product in the doors of members? Consider running a Power Buy or a similar opportunity buy.
What are Power Buys?
Power Buys are Exclusive
dci
Deals negotiated with our Supplier Partners to provide Members with significantly reduced costs on key products. Power Buys include aggressive pricing and/or rebates on specific products to incentivize volume of purchases through our Members.
Power Buys allow for members to stock up before important peak season periods, as well as giving members a chance to feature promotions in their flyers and build better brand loyalty.
*New for 2020*: Power Buys have been migrated onto an online platform using
Order Ease
. Now review pricing, product details, images, and request shipping dates all at once! Look out in your emails for upcoming Power Buys using the new online platform!
Advertising:
What better way than to get directly into the independent's mailbox? When you submit an ad with DCI, you become
the featured Partner advertised for 3 months in our Newsletter that spreads across Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, & the DCI Member's portal.
Did you know that DCI has an 18-22% higher open rate than the industry average?
Use DCI Advertising to promote your latest product or specialty, upcoming event or new promotion.
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SUPPLIER PARTNER?
If you are interested in running a promo or contest with DCI and the independent retailers, please email
matthew@distributioncanada.ca
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Grocery Innovations Canada 2020 -
A World of Opportunities
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"The grocery sector is all about building relationships to grow your business, and this is the only show that brings together all facets of the grocery trade together under one roof. The exhibition floor features over 110,000-sq.-ft. of dedicated pavilions focused on key grocery & specialty categories from front end to back end including equipment, technology, food services, garden, financial and insurance."
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FROM OUR SUPPLIER PARTNERS
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These times are without a doubt the greatest challenge many of us will face in our lives.
Covid-19 has put most of the hospitality industry on hold. In fact, that’s putting it
lightly as many restaurants and establishments may simply not bounce back from this. It doesn’t end there, either. With social distancing in full effect, everyone is at a standstill. Meaning even those lucky enough to be able to work from home aren’t supposed be leaving their homes unless absolutely necessary to access essential services.
Naysayers are realizing the seriousness of the situation while everyone else is adjusting to the new reality. There has been a lot of talk of routine and how to survive and adapt. This looks different for everyone. And though we’ve certainly been feeling the same feelings everyone has, we’re also trying our best to keep keeping on, as they say. Here are few ways we’ve been pushing through since this novel coronavirus has taken over.
Prioritizing.
Safety has always been our first focus, and with things elevated, we are relying on guidance and advice from science-based authorities such as:
To ensure we do our part in trying to contain the virus, we are implementing the highest standards of health and food safety for all our contractors. Staffies are required to self-assess before they’re able to apply for any shifts. This means if they or anyone they’ve been in contact with has a fever and/or onset of cough or difficulty breathing OR has travelled to the list of countries, regularly updated according to WHO within 14 days, they should be self-isolating and contacting their local public health authority. If they have any shifts scheduled at any time, they may cancel them with no cancellation fee to ensure they’re not penalized for preventing potential spread. This self-assessment has been built into our app to ensure everyone has to conduct it before they’re able to apply for shifts.
Pivoting.
As you may have seen in a recent
Betakit
post
or via our digital channels, we have pivoted. Our platform has tens of thousands of skilled and experienced contractors that are in need of work. And since the pandemic, several industries outside of hospitality are needing workforce support like never before. As such, we have opened up the app to offer other organizations in need of temporary staffing. These include, but are not limited to industries such as: grocery and food distribution, healthcare, manufacturing and distribution of essential goods, general labour, seniors living, and delivery. We have ensured our contractors are aware of potential opportunities with companies like
Instacart
as well. Though we feel we’ve been doing our due diligence with regard to outreach in these sectors, if you or anyone you know has connections or ideas on how we might be able to do more to help, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us through our website contact.
Supporting.
Anxiety is unsurprisingly at an all-time high for everyone right now. Thankfully, we have a couple of great resources for mental health and navigating changes amidst it all with
Not 9 to 5
and
Restaurants Canada
. Aside from that, we’ve been sharing content via our social media channels on
Facebook
,
Twitter
,
Instagram
, and
LinkedIn
– so be sure to follow us for updates.
We’ve also seen great initiatives coming from local community members such as
Suresh Doss
, one of Toronto’s unofficial food ambassadors, amassing
a list of restaurants that are currently doing takeout and / or delivery
. Ordering takeout/delivery and buying gift cards is the best way to support local restaurants and establishments during this time. And in Ontario, regulations have just allowed customers to order alcohol with their meals in an effort to better mitigate their revenue losses.
Things will continue to evolve over the next few weeks. And these will certainly be tricky times to navigate. But we’ll get through it together. Again, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us via our website if you need anything or have any questions.
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SUPPLIER PARTNER SPOTLIGHT - COVID19 FOCUS
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See below for some opportunities for you to consider for your businesses during the COVID19 pandemic.
Retailers, you can review their CTAs & volume incentives by clicking on their logos and signing into the Shareholder Portal!
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Dorfin
Products:
Food Preparation, Household, Health & Beauty, In-Store Merchandise, Pet supplies, Tableware categories, Eco-Friendly Products etc.
Supplier of nitrile and vinyl gloves; other safety related products for safe food handling and services.
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Bargreen Ellingson
Products:
Everything for Food Service (Bar and Beverage, Cutlery, Kitchen Accessories, Glassware, Table Top Supplies, Equipment, Merchandise and Décor, Disposables,
Janitorial items
) and Design Services.
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Monterey Sales & Associates
Products:
Garbage Bags, Canola Spray, Lemon and Lime Juice, White, Red, Apple Cider and Cleaning Vinegars, Mustard. Private Label Opportunities on All.
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Tersano Inc.
Products:
Tersano SAO Dispenser, Tersano SAO Cartridges
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DCI has also compiled a list of sanitiation companies who would be able to service your stores should there be a need to disinfect after potential exposure to COVID-19.
Please view the communication here
, but please note: these companies are not currently Supplier Partners of DCI.
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Drayton Fresh Mart Mobilizes Volunteers to Help Community Amidst Pandemic
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Drayton Fresh Mart has always been a staple for the Drayton community. To prepare for the pandemic, they have implemented new measures including: one way aisle traffic, ID identification, sanitation stations, e-transfer payments, the installation of plexiglas shields and the prioritization of senior's grocery orders. Now the community want to help back...so much that community members, long time shoppers and family friends have come together to offer volunteer assistance to help the influx of online grocery deliveries Drayton Food Mart is now receiving every day. From the beginning of the pandemic, Deb Ramage, owner, started with one order but that quickly changed, and now fulfills approximately 60 orders a day, with the numbers continuously to grow!
“The volunteers have been outstanding. I couldn’t do this without them. The community is listening to my pleas of ‘stay home, stay safe, flatten the curve,” says Deb. Sales have been up 60% since the outbreak began, but the foot traffic has been declining, meaning they are taking Deb's plea to keep the Drayton community safe.
Way to go, Deb, the Drayton Food Mart team and the Drayton community!
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Rabba Fine Foods Donates 2000 Bottles of Hand Sanitizer to Children's Aid!
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Rabba Fine Foods has been ramping up on disinfecting and hygienic practices, providing their staff proper sanitation equipment, gloves and education to combat the pandemic.
On top of that, in the midst of the supply shortage for hand sanitizers, Rabba donated 2000 bottles to the Peel Children's Aid in Ontario.
Congratulations for being outstanding community leaders, Rabba family and Rabba Fine Foods store teams!
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Highland Farms Implement Wage Increase for Employees
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Many independents are looking for ways to keep not only their customers safe, but their employees safe as well. Increased sanitation and education, but some independents like Highland Farms have publicly declared an increase in the hourly wage of employees. From March 30 - May 3rd, 2020 Highland Farms will be increasing their employees salary by $2.00 an hour. This comes in an
announcement
where other measures has been put in place such as an increase in pre-packaged items, limiting the number of shoppers in store, senior-allocated times, plexiglass dividers, reduced checkout lanes, and face shields for employees.
Way to go Highland Farms!
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Fiesta Farms Keeping Up With Panic-Buying
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Co-owner Dean Virgona and his team has been keeping long hours to keep the shelves full for the uptick in panic buying - even the store's accountant is on the floor restocking! Being one of Toronto's largest independent stores, and despite having full shelves, Fiesta Farms had seen some challenges in battling the public's perception on food security, which is causing the panic buying we see at the stores. However, they have been learning to adapt, including implementing new measures, such as giving employees more time to rest and re-stock products, limiting store hours to avoid spreading the disease, rethinking replenishment strategies, and understanding which popular products customers will always want restocked.
DCI is with you and all the independent grocers in solidarity as we battle this pandemic!
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Congratulations to Cousin's Market on their soon to open Nobleton, ON and Mississauga ON locations!
DCI would like to congratulate you on your company expansion!
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From Corporate To Front Line
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“Grocery chains are redeploying hundreds of corporate-office volunteers to pitch in, despite the increased risks of getting the virus and being hassled by customers.”
Article Snippet: The Financial Post
Photo Credit: Angie Kim
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Shoppers Drug Mart To Offer Free Mental Health Services during Covid-19
“With health and financial concerns, isolation, and anxiety rising, this program is designed to treat stress with modern approaches,” said Jeff Leger, president, Shoppers Drug Mart. “Hopefully, it brings people peace of mind, and possibly gives them and the healthcare system some relief at a time when both are burdened.”
Article Snippet: Canadian Grocer
Image Credit: mindyourmind.ca
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If you would like to submit news from your company (Retailers & Supplier Partners) or would like to feature an ad (Supplier Partners) please email
matthew@distributioncanada.ca
Click below to stay connected with DCI!
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On behalf of the DCI Management Team, Happy Spring to you and your company! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email us!
Barry Lanteigne - President:
Michele Vermeltfoort - Administration & Accounting:
Matthew Brown - Events, Communications & Technologies:
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