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Loblaw acquires ethnic independent

Loblaw said Wednesday that it had acquired Arz Fine Foods, Toronto-based retailer specializing in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern foods.

Jon Springer, Executive Editor

May 7, 2014

2 Min Read
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Loblaw Cos. said Wednesday that it had acquired Arz Fine Foods, Toroto-based retailer specializing in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern foods.

Arz, whose operations include a 10,000-square-foot retail store, a commercial bakery, a food commissary, and a distribution center, will operate as a separate division of Loblaw.

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"This key partnership holds great promise as Canada's Middle Eastern population and the Canadian taste for Middle Eastern food continues to grow," Vicente Trius, Loblaw’s president, said in a statement. "Arz Fine Foods is a trusted Middle Eastern supermarket with strong product expertise. The combination of Arz Fine Foods and Loblaw will follow the same approach used with our T&T business, which introduced ethnic expertise and products into our broader business in a very authentic way.”

Loblaw acquired the Asian retailer T&T Supermarkets in 2009 and has since integrated certain items and practices from those stores into its conventional and discount grocery stores.

"This is a tremendous partnership for our family and our business", Armand Boyadjian, co-founder of Arz said. "This acquisition recognizes the commitment of our employees to become a leader in our field. With Loblaw, we will continue to maintain our authenticity and enhance our customer experience and reach. This is a great opportunity to share our passion and products with even more Canadians." Canada's Middle Eastern population represents about 2% and is one of the fastest growing market segments, Loblaw said.

About the Author

Jon Springer

Executive Editor

Jon Springer is executive editor of Winsight Grocery Business with responsibility for leading its digital news team. Jon has more than 20 years of experience covering consumer business and retail in New York, including more than 14 years at the Retail/Financial desk at Supermarket News. His previous experience includes covering consumer markets for KPMG’s Insiders; the U.S. beverage industry for Beverage Spectrum; and he was a Senior Editor covering commercial real estate and retail for the International Council of Shopping Centers. Jon began his career as a sports reporter and features editor for the Cecil Whig, a daily newspaper in Elkton, Md. Jon is also the author of two books on baseball. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English-Journalism from the University of Delaware. He lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. with his family.

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