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Walmart to upgrade more Canadian stores

Investment focuses on enhanced grocery experience

Russell Redman

May 3, 2019

3 Min Read
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Walmart Canada plans to refresh and/or remodel 31 stores nationwide over the next year as part of a more than $200 million investment in its retail network.

Along with an updated look and feel inside the stores, the effort includes an expanded fresh food offering — with more locations being converted to the Supercenter format — and a more seamless omnichannel experience for customers ordering through Walmart.ca for store pickup, Walmart Canada said yesterday.

"Our store network is a key advantage in our ability to best serve the changing needs of our customers," Walmart Canada President and CEO Lee Tappenden said in a statement, adding that "1.2 million customers in Canada choose to shop in our stores every day, and we are focused on making their experience easy, enjoyable and convenient while seamlessly integrating our e-commerce business. Investing in our stores is critical for the future of our business and to deliver on the changing needs of our customers."

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Improvements include a larger assortment of food — especially fresh items, such as the addition of bakery departments and hot food — plus new in-store licensees to provide more customer convenience. Interior updates will bring a new color palette and signage, a rearranged store layout and new features to “make stores fun and engaging for customers,” Walmart Canada said.

Related:Walmart Canada adds Freshii meals and snacks

And to enhance click-and-collect service, the stores will add dedicated parking spaces for online grocery pickup along with new in-store areas focused on processing online orders.

The stores being refurbished include 17 locations in Ontario, five in Alberta, three in Quebec, two in British Columbia, two in Manitoba, one in Newfoundland and one in Saskatchewan.

Walmart noted that, over the last five years, it has invested more than $1 billion in its Canadian store network, including a $175 million plan to upgrade 23 stores in its last fiscal year. That effort also focused on fresh and omnichannel enhancements.

Walmart Canada, now with about 410 locations, has opened more than 20 stores during the past four years. As part of its latest investment, the Mississauga, Ontario-based company said it plans to close two stores, in Pincourt, Quebec, and Sault St. Marie, Ontario. Customers of both locations are being directed to nearby Supercenters, which the retailer said offer a bigger assortment, including fresh food. The company added that it doesn’t plan to shut more stores this year.

In other initiatives, Walmart Canada has partnered with fast-casual restaurant chain Freshii to offer a curated selection of salads, wraps, lunch kits, snacks and cold-pressed juices at 100 stores. The items were slated to become available in-store by the end of April as well as be sold via Walmart.ca.

Related:Walmart expands online grocery pickup in Canada

Recent online grocery efforts include the launch of pickup at 22 more stores, including the first locations in Atlantic Canada, as well as Mobile Check-in service at those locations. This year, Walmart also introduced Pickup Towers in Canada through pilots at two Ontario stores. Walmart Canada, which also partners with Instacart for same-day grocery delivery, was slated to have 165 stores with pickup service by the end of 2018.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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