Answered prayers...

Seems like my prayers have been answered! Walmart is coming up with a grocery store with a greater variety! woohoo!

Wal-Mart opening first Canadian fresh-grocery super centres; 14 more in 2007Posted 11/7/2006
By Rita Trichur
TORONTO (CP) - Discount giant Wal-Mart Canada (WMT) - preparing to carve out a bigger slice of the grocery trade with the opening of its first Canadian super centres - has announced an "aggressive" growth plan that could include up to 14 more stores in 2007.

Each new Canadian super centre represents an investment of $15 million to $20 million and up to 500 new jobs, president and chief executive officer Mario Pilozzi said Tuesday.

He declined to specify the locations of future super centres, combining full-line grocery supermarkets with Wal-Mart's signature general-merchandise and packaged-food barns, because the retailer is still awaiting municipal approvals.

The Canadian division of the world's largest retailer has previously indicated it was targeting the Ontario communities of Sarnia, Brampton and Vaughan and the Toronto suburb of Scarborough.

The first three locations open Wednesday in Ancaster, London and Stouffville.

Ranging from 160,000 to 200,000 square feet, Wal-Mart super centres will stock about 120,000 products, compared with 80,000 in a traditional store, Pilozzi said, adding that their fresh produce, meat and baked goods will include a variety of organic and ethnic foods.

"We've been listening to the customers. They've been asking for this larger assortment," he said.

"We've been selling groceries since 1997 and what we have today is simply an evolution."
With about one million Canadians shopping at Wal-Mart on any given day, analysts say the super centres have the potential to revolutionize one-stop shopping in Canada.
U.S. supermarkets have been devastated by their impact, and Canadian grocers like Loblaw (L.TO) and Sobeys (SBY.TO) are busy retooling their supply chains and beefing up their offerings of general merchandise to prepare for the onslaught.

"Groceries are a golden opportunity for Wal-Mart to put money back in our customers' pockets," said Pilozzi.

In addition to expanding into fresh food, the super centres are billed as offering "a greater selection of modern and trendy items - primarily in fashion, electronics and home - normally associated with specialty big-box retailers."

Wendy Evans, president of Evans and Company Consultants Inc., said the super centres will offer lower food prices initially but predicted those would rise in the long term. "It depends on the level of competition in the market," she said.

The atmosphere of the Canadian super centres will likely be a "cut above" those in the U.S.
"The grocery sector here is somewhat more advanced, generally, than in the United States," Evans said. "So customers expect somewhat better presentation and quality merchandise."
Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. moved into Canada in 1994, and Wal-Mart Canada, headquartered in Mississauga, Ont., now operates 272 discount stores and six Sam's Clubs, along with the three super centres.

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