CIGBA/DCI Digital Newsletter Volume 7 Issue 4 |
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TIME TO PLAN FOR THE UPCOMING HOLIDAY SEASON! |
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CIGBA Board of Directors, representing our Membership coast to coast. |
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Top Row: Chairman Gordon Dean* (Mike DEAN Local GROCER), Vice-Chairman Craig Cavin* (Island Independent Buying Group Ltd./Country Grocer), Treasurer Mike Sharpe* (Sharpe's Food Market)
Middle Row: Past-Chair Nigel Oliver* (Vince's Markets), Director Rocco Commisso (Commisso's Fresh Foods), Director Rick Rabba (Rabba Fine Foods)
Bottom Row: Director Adam Powell (Atlantic Grocery Distributors/Powell's Supermarkets), Director Gabriele Torchetti (Lady York Foods), Director Tarik Zeid (Food Fare)
*Executive Board member/ DCI Board Director
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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 CIGBA/DCI Members, Supplier Partners, and Industry Partners for your ongoing and continued support. While we head into the last quarter of the year, we are thankful that we were able to get through 2023 to this point with no major disruptions.
The past few month's has seen efforts being put on prospecting new Member opportunities, new Supplier Partner Opportunities as well as implementing some major improvements to our website and back-end web portal. The DCI main website now has a pop-up screen that will hopefully capture additional followers who would like to engage with us, growing our contact database and prospective business opportunities. The back-end portal has seen some upgrades that provide our team the ability to track user logins, as well as new vendor login that will be introduced shortly where vendors can have access to their current posted Cooperative Trade Agreement (CTA), and any pricing or sell sheets that they have posted with us. Also, these new changes will notify DCI of any contact or detail changes and will have access to updated Member lists and purchase input forms for easy accessibility. We have also removed the COVID-19 resource center from the Member portal and created a Education and Resources section where members can access presentations, seminars, webpage links, podcasts and the like, from industry associations, government agencies, and our own Supplier Partner companies.
The team is looking forward to Grocery Innovations Canada (GIC) at the end of October. Did you know that the majority of our connections for future Members and Supplier Partners are made through industry events such as GIC? This event gives retailers and partners the ability to get together in person to discuss future business opportunities, new product innovation and industry guest speakers. DCI Members should be sure to register and attend this industry event, and DCI has been sending email reminders weekly to register. If you need more information, please feel free to contact our office and we can provide you more details. For those attending Grocery Innovation Canada October 24-25, 2023, please stop by booth 1543 and say hello to the DCI team.
Looking ahead for the remainder of the year, we will be connecting with Members to continue yearly business reviews, update current Supplier Partner agreements, and finalizing our 2024 events plans (more info will be provide in our January Newsletter).
As always, I am here to support our Members and Supplier Partners so 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 through my email at barry@distributioncanada.ca.
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NEW MEMBERSHIPS AND SUPPLIER PARTNERS |
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Members & Partners, if you know of a store that could benefit from being a part of our group, please don't hesitate to reach out to the CIGBA/DCI office! |
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We would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest Members:
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Members, we are constantly growing our database for more business opportunities! Want to see the new Supplier Partners to have joined in the last quarter? See below, and remember: all information is posted on the online DCI Member Portal. Please contact us if you require access to the portal, or need to re-send your password. |
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We would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest Partners:
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Greeting cards and accessories |
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Ethnic products from Caribbean and Africa (coffee, drinks, other dry foods) |
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Dream Life Stream Ltd. (Duma Energy Drinks) |
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HR Resources, Health and Safety, Employment Law, and Recruitment |
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Logistics and Freight Service |
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Ontario Beef Market Development |
Beef - Fresh from the Farm- Looking to Connect Retailers with Local Farms / Suppliers to support their local producers |
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Pet Owner Engagement and Safety for Pets |
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Conventional and Certified Organic Pickled Vegetables |
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RETAILERS, STAY CONNECTED WITH DCI! |
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Retailers, are you missing out on our messages? We send out aggressive pricing promotions, power buys, new partner announcements and informational resources dedicated to the success of your business.
Please take the time to review:
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that our emails are going to the correct person at your company
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that our emails aren't getting sorted into your Junk/Spam folder. If that is the case, be sure to whitelist our domain (@distributioncanada.ca) to ensure you are receiving all of our information
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that someone from your company is registered to order products on OrderEase (the DCI Power Buy ordering software)
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that someone from your company is registered and has access and login to the Member's Portal
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that you send in your reports when asked to allocate proper rebates with certain vendors
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that you check your mailboxes every month on the 1st for the Partner of the Month deals and promotions. Make this routine and know that you only have until the 15th to order products with aggressive deals.
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How DCI Communicates: Email Campaigns |
Breaking news, industry announcements, new agreements, Partners of the Month, and other 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.
By ignoring emails or allowing them to go to your spam/junk folders, 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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How DCI Communicates: Social Media |
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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How DCI Communicates: DCI Member Portal |
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 and promotions
- revised supplier partner agreements and rebate scales
- your member reports
- the DCI by-laws
- the CIGBA by-laws
- summary of volume rebates
- AGM information
- education and resources
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.
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SUPPLIER PARTNERS/VENDORS:
*NEW* ONLINE PORTAL ANNOUNCEMENT!
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Now you can take control of what is posted to our DCI Members! |
Between now and the end of the year, the DCI office will be onboarding our Supplier Partners to their private trade agreement, contact info, and resource page within the Vendor Portal. By logging into the portal, you will also get access to the most current Membership List, and Purchase Input of Sales Form. Once logged in you will now be in control in seeing the current agreement, sell sheets, pricing lists and company brochures that is currently Member-facing on your company page! Keep an eye out in your emails for more information and if you have any questions, please contact Matthew (matthew@distributioncanada.ca).
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PARTNERS OF THE MONTH PROGRAM WITH DCI |
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WHAT MEMBERS NEED TO KNOW:
Check your inbox every 1st of the month to see the new Partners highlighted for the month. They can be Partners with Power Buys and deals or Service Partners who want to highlight all that they have to offer. If you can't find the email, you can always login to the Member Portal and access the deals under "What's New". Click here to access the Member Portal.
WHAT PARTNERS NEED TO KNOW:
Looking to get in the mailbox of the Independents? Let DCI help you with any seasonal programs, new item or product launches, and quick sells. Our "Partners of the Month" program highlights up to 5-10 different Supplier Partners each month, and provides DCI members with monthly deals and incentives (if applicable), or a highlight of your services, if you're a service provider. This program is great for an increase in exposure (as a Partner) and to capitalize on great product deals or new service opportunities (as a Member). For more details and eligibility, please contact the DCI office.
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This year's show floor is sold out (largest GIC ever)! Over 300 exhibitors showcasing their company's products, services, and retail solutions!
Contact DCI now to help you get registered and utilize DCI's PROMO CODE exclusively sent from CFIG! Don't wait and register as soon as you can!
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SUMMERHILL MARKET'S CHRISTY MCMULLEN RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF CFIG'S 2023 LIFE MEMBER AWARD WINNERS |
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The CIGBA/DCI Office would like to congratulate Christy McMullen on this milestone!
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FROM OUR SUPPLIER PARTNERS |
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Promolux Announces New Innovative LED Lighting for Conservation and Merchandising of Fresh Meat Displays in Supermarkets |
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Our goal is to ensure that retail grocers, supermarkets, and butcher shops can provide the best shopping experience while extending the lifespan of their meat products without compromising visibility.
Promolux, the leader in specialized lighting solutions, is proud to announce its latest breakthrough in LED lighting technology, meticulously designed to enhance the visual appeal, freshness, and conservation of fresh meat displays in supermarkets.
Promolux has long been at the forefront of innovative lighting solutions, and their newest LED lighting represents a significant leap forward in addressing a critical challenge faced by grocery retailers – the preservation and presentation of fresh meat products under the demanding conditions of supermarket environments.
As consumers are increasingly drawn to fresh meat displays in supermarkets, it becomes essential to understand the science behind the deterioration of these products due to factors like photo lipid oxidation. Photo-oxidation, as a faster mechanism than autoxidation, is initiated by light exposure. Sensitizers like myoglobin or hemoglobin, coupled with light, lead to the formation of hydroperoxides, an alternative pathway for hydroperoxide formation compared to the free radical mechanism in autoxidation This process can compromise both the appearance and nutritional quality of meat products.
Promolux's Innovative Approach
"Our goal is to ensure that retail grocers, supermarkets, and butcher shops can provide the best possible shopping experience while extending the lifespan of their meat products without compromising visibility," stated a Promolux spokesperson.
Elevating Fresh Meat Visual Merchandising with Promolux LED Lighting
Effective visual merchandising plays a pivotal role in the meat industry, where consumers make purchasing decisions based on the color and appearance of fresh meat products. The Color Preference Index (CPI) is a critical metric in the world of lighting and visual merchandising. It assesses a light source's ability to enhance color richness and accuracy, crucial in fresh meat displays.
Promolux's LED lighting technology excels in color rendering, illuminating meat cuts with authenticity and vibrancy. Unlike conventional lighting sources, Promolux LEDs maintain the natural hues of meat varieties, enhancing customer engagement and ultimately driving increased sales.
Prolonging Shelf Life and Visual Merchandising of Fresh Meat Displays with Precision Lighting
One of the key challenges faced by retailers is extending the shelf life of fresh meat products. Conventional LED lighting sources often emit visible wavelengths of radiation that affect photo and lipid oxidation, accelerating the deterioration of meat quality and increasing the risk of bacterial growth and spoilage. Promolux LED lighting, on the other hand, emits minimal oxidative radiation, significantly extending the shelf life of meat products.
Imagine a supermarket refrigerated display case showcasing an array of fresh meat varieties, from succulent beef cuts to flavorful pork chops. With Promolux LED lighting, the shelf life of these products is significantly extended, reducing waste for retailers and ensuring customers receive meat that is fresher, safer, and more flavorful.
Visual merchandising is the cornerstone of successful food retail, particularly in the realm of meat displays. Promolux LED lighting empowers retailers to create visually stunning displays that emphasize the freshness and quality of various meat products. Whether it's a prime steak or an assortment of succulent poultry, Promolux LED lighting ensures that every detail is illuminated to perfection.
By harnessing Promolux's refined fresh food LED illumination, retailers can guide customers' attention, establish focal points, and enrich their overall shopping experience. The result is a display that not only arouses curiosity but also encourages customers to explore the diverse meat offerings with enthusiasm.
Understanding the Color Preference Index (CPI)
The Color Preference Index (CPI) stands as a metric of paramount importance in the world of lighting and visual merchandising. This metric evaluates the effectiveness of a light source in enhancing the richness and accuracy of colors. It quantifies a lighting system's ability to bring out the vibrant and natural colors that our eyes perceive.
In the context of fresh meat displays, a higher CPI score signifies that the lighting is adeptly rendering colors, making them more attractive and authentic. This becomes particularly significant in sectors where colors significantly impact customer decisions, such as the presentation of fresh foods.
Promolux has emerged as an industry leader in the field of lighting solutions tailored for refrigerated display cases.
Their innovative balanced spectrum lighting technology transcends conventional illumination. It not only impeccably showcases fresh food products with their true colors but also provides a shield against potentially harmful radiation.
What sets Promolux apart is their commitment to maintaining the authenticity of colors while ensuring the illumination is optimal. This is where the synergy between the Color Preference Index (CPI) and Promolux's LED lighting becomes apparent.
In the realm of food retail, the visual presentation of fresh meat holds the power to captivate customers and drive sales. From succulent cuts of beef and tender lamb chops to savory pork, chicken breasts, and delightful turkey, the way you showcase these diverse meat varieties can significantly impact purchasing decisions. In this article, we'll delve into the transformative effects of Promolux LED lighting on meat refrigerated display cases, exploring its role in extending shelf life and bringing out the vivid, natural colors of various meat cuts.
LED Lighting for Meat Refrigerated Display Cases: A Game-Changing Solution
Promolux, a pioneer in advanced LED lighting technology tailored to the specific needs of food retail environments, offers a game-changing solution for elevating the appeal of meat displays. At the heart of this innovation lies the energy-efficient and long-lasting LED technology, which not only offers captivating illumination but also contributes to preserving the quality of fresh meat.
Applying Food Safe Promolux LED Lighting in Various Retail Environments
Promolux's versatile LED lighting technology transcends different meat retail settings, including butcher shops, supermarkets, and grocery stores. Dedicated meat retailers can transform their showcases of beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, and more. The extended shelf life and enhanced visual appeal become powerful assets.
Mark Granfar
Market Group Ventures Inc.
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SUPPLIER PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: |
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See below for some opportunities for you to consider for your businesses.
Retailers, you can view their CTAs & volume incentives/special pricing by clicking on their logos and signing into the Members Portal!
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Brittles N' More Ltd.
Products: Fudge, Brittles, Beer nuts, Hard Candies, Sponge Toffee, Chocolate Sponge
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Effeclean Canada Inc.
Products: Canadian Made Eco Responsible Cleaners
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Shafer-Haggart Ltd.
Products: RETAIL BRANDS – Admiral Salmon, Tuna, Success Mushrooms, Canned Fruit
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The Wild Republic
Products: Wild Smiles Face Masks, Toys and Stuffed Animals that foster curiosity about wildlife, Wonder of Nature PDQ’s, boxes in/out programs, countertop and free-standing displays
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The Market Sudbury Owner On Revitalizing The Shop |
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A butcher and a baker, Patrick Shay is your modern-day food purveyor. |
"As the new owner of the Marketplace Sudbury, the grocery store in the heart of downtown, Shay has been learning and refining skills essential to the business. That means being a jack of all trades, like processing meat that comes into the store and baking bread and other goods, as he is also the owner of the Country Style inside the space."
CIGBA/DCI would like to welcome Patrick and his team to our DCI Independent group!
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Rabba Fine Foods Hosts 25th Annual Golf Tournament! |
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"Our 25th annual golf tournament was a wonderful success,” says Rick Rabba, president of Rabba Fine Foods. “We commemorated this milestone alongside our valuable partners and vendors who stand shoulder to shoulder with us in our daily commitment to serve the communities we call home.”
The Rabba Roots Community Giving Program helps and supports customers and neighborhoods, and partners with local charities and programs, including The Grocery Foundation, Good Shepherd Ministries, Food Banks Mississauga and Trillium Health Partners."
The CIGBA/DCI Office would like to congratulate Rabba Fine Foods on their successful 25th Annual Golf Tournament!
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Geddes Street Market's Debra Kropf Takes on Local Council Against Proposed New Grocery Chain Store |
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Along with the CFIG President and CEO, Tom Shurrie, Debra Kropf is challenging her local township on bringing in another big box chain grocery store.
The snippet and the full article below highlights the importance of Independents sticking together.
"The association says that a chain retail food store is not in the best long-term interests of Elora residents as it threatens the viability of existing independent grocery stores in the community and wants council to amend the current proposal and prevent a retail chain from bringing "Bay Street consolidation to Main Street Elora.''
"`Independents have a symbiotic relationship with the community that they serve,'' said the letter. "They support local groups and initiatives, hire local, buy local and reflect the ambience and flavour of their community that they themselves live in.''
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Summerhill Market Opens 5th Location! |
Opened September 2023 - expanding all the way to Aurora, ON! Congratulations on the opening of your new store! |
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An Audio Exclusive: 'Parliament is back and so are efforts to curb inflation at the grocery store' |
An All Points West With Jason D'Souza Podcast
Craig Cavin is Operations Director for Country Grocer, which has eleven stores located across Vancouver Island and on Salt Spring Island. He spoke with Jason D'Souza about meetings in Ottawa aimed at reducing grocery prices.
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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 CIGBA/DCI!
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On behalf of the CIGBA/DCI Management Team, Happy Autumn 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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