Retailer Profiles :  Loblaw Companies Limited

   Profile Pages such as this one on the site will be dedicated to providing specific information on individual companies that are leaders in the food retailing industry. For the very first on this site I have chosen to profile Loblaw Companies Limited since they are my employer. ( As a reminder, this is a personal website with no direct affiliation to any company )

Loblaws :

◊ Loblaw Companies Limited is the largest food distributor in Canada with operations from coast to coast and is a subsidiary of George Weston Limited . Sales in 2004 exceeded $ 27 Billion Canadian.

◊ With several operating divisions including Westfair Foods Limited, Loblaw Companies East, Atlantic Wholesalers Limited and Amalco the company services its businesses with a distribution network of over 30 warehouses across the country.

◊ The company operates over 1000 corporate and franchise stores and over 650 associated stores under more than 20 different banners along with over 7000 independent accounts whom they supply. Some of the banners are :

Loblaws Corporate Site     Loblaws Stores     Atlantic Superstore     Fortinos

Zehrs Markets    Real Canadian Superstore    Provigo   No Frills   Your Independent Grocer  

◊ Loblaw Companies Limited is the largest employer in Canada with over 122,000 employees nationwide.

◊ The Loblaw claim to fame is the well known Private Label programs. The many lines include No Name, To Good To Be True, PC Organics, Club Pack, G.R.E.E.N., Exact, Higher State and most importantly the award winning President's Choice line of goods an services. ( From a 2000 research report, Loblaws Private Label accounts for 35% of total sales )

President's Choice     President's Choice Financial     P.C. Mastercard 

P.C. Points Rewards Program     PC Insurance - NEW ! ( Currently Ontario Only ) 

Photolab - Online Photo Service

WWW.EGROCER.CA- Online Groceries ( Currently Ontario Only )

 

 Did You Know ?

 The well known developer for Loblaws private label Dave Nichol developed the ideas from other companies ?

◊ No Name product ideas originated from France's Carrefour " Produit Libres " line.

◊ The President's Choice line was modeled after " St. Michaels "  private label offered by Marks & Spencer from the U.K.

◊ In North America besides all of the Loblaw Companies stores, President's Choice products are available at D&W Food Centers and Jewel-Osco stores ( a subsidiary of Albertsons ). Internationally the only source of PC products that I am certain of is Hi Lo Food Stores in Trinidad.

◊ Even better yet, did you know that among their lines of Corporate Label products Loblaw Companies Limited has an assortment of President's Choice beer made by Labatts and by Brick Brewers of Ontario, Canada. The following are what is presently available. ( Unfortunately not available everywhere...I was able to try the " Pilsner " when a friend returned with some for me from a trip to Ontario...very good product ) In Ontario it is available through The Beer Store and not at Loblaws own stores.

◊ The name and model for the Insider's Report flyer came from a U.S. grocery retail chain Trader Joe's from whom Loblaws bought the North American Rights.

◊ Loblaw Companies Limited at one time worked with Wal-mart in developing their line of Sam's Choice products in the U.S. up until their move into Canada and that in this country LCL owns the Sam's Choice trademark which is why you see " Great Value " etc. as the Wal-mart private labels here.

◊  Up to 1995 Loblaws owned and operated " National Supermarkets " in the U.S. states of Missouri and Illinois through a subsidiary ( National Tea Company ) which were sold to Schnucks , a regional family owned U.S. retailer. For even more details on the history of National and what happened to them, visit this page created by Adam Huffman ; National Supermarkets that provides a history, evolution and photos from the past. ( If there is any doubt, note the old Loblaws logo in the National name in the photos. ) - Thanks Adam !

◊  Through searching the Industry Canada  Intellectual Property Office ( CIPO ) you can find trademark information for any Canadian company including Loblaws that includes product lines, store formats etc. that were never used or developed.

◊   The Weston family with majority ownership in Loblaws  also own or are a part of the following companies in North America :

Neilson Dairy     George Weston Bakeries     Stroehmann Dutch Bakers     Weston Fruitcake

Maplehurst Bakeries     Arnie's Bagels     Interbake Foods     Heritage Salmon

 ...around the world :

Associated British Foods - is a large conglomeration of companies from around the globe that's worth checking out. There are too many links to their companies to include here but the most notable is George Weston Foods Limted in Australia.

Among the newest LCL building projects is the construction of their new national Head Office in Ontario :