Shopping Discussion

Wegmans tops Trader Joe's as America's favourite market for second year. Would YOU like Wegmans here?

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  • May 19th, 2017 10:36 am

Poll: Do we need an integrated market as part of the new NAFTA?

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Other (Please Explain)
 
1
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Deal Expert
Jun 14, 2001
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Wegmans tops Trader Joe's as America's favourite market for second year. Would YOU like Wegmans here?

This is the second year in a row that Wegmans topped the Market Force survey. The chain unseated Trader
Joe’s in the top spot last year. Market Force said in this year's report that Wegmans is known for its "fresh
produce, reasonable prices and massive stores."
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/sto ... 101466578/

If we had an integrated market stores like Wegmans, Trader Joe's and Kohls could open a new store in Hamilton almost as easily as they could in Buffalo.
Should we have open retail markets to bring more UK and US retailers to Canada?wegmans-tops-trader-joes-americas-favou ... #p27788812
24 replies
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Oct 1, 2011
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Well, sure, the more options, the better. I'd go for either/both Wegman's and Trader Joe's here.

However, I'm not sure what kind of integrated market we mean...and what the full implications of such are.
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Feb 22, 2016
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NG wrote: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/sto ... 101466578/

If we had an integrated market stores like Wegmans, Trader Joe's and Kohls could open a new store in Hamilton almost as easily as they could in Buffalo.
We need both Albrecht brothers here. Trader Joe's to kill of President's Choice and Aldi to kill off No Frills. Westons have ripped us off long enough.
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peanutz wrote: Well, sure, the more options, the better. I'd go for either/both Wegman's and Trader Joe's here.

However, I'm not sure what kind of integrated market we mean...and what the full implications of such are.
I'm sorry I assumed people would connect it to how the EU works between borders for business and commerce
The European Union operates a single economic market across the territory of all its members, and uses a single currency between the Eurozone members. Further, the EU has a number of economic relationships with nations that are not formally part of the Union through the European Economic Area and custom union agreements
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_integration

The implications would be pretty massive for our country and our economy. However, a lighter option could be possible like when the U.K. kept the pound for their currency instead of going with the euro.

Edited to add: I'm *certainly* not suggesting open borders like the EU had which caused Brexit. Neither Canada or the U.S. would go for that.

However, keeping an integrated market is one of the goals of the British government as part of Brexit negotiations. That's what I'm proposing here.
Should we have open retail markets to bring more UK and US retailers to Canada?wegmans-tops-trader-joes-americas-favou ... #p27788812
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Sep 16, 2004
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Went to Wegmans in buffalo.
Really nice inside. Prices were higher end like Fortinos in Canada.
Sale prices were decent.
I do love walking through the area with beer and the Frozen desserts and Ice cream section.
We sell beer in supermarkets in Ontario so no biggie there.
Won't ever see a dessert section with that variety of Ice cream here in Canada.
Never been to Aldi but if it's pricing is in line with No frills I'd prefer to see that come to Canada instead.
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Jul 29, 2013
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There is a bit of a monopoly in grocers Ontario compared to US, would love to see more variety. Trade Joes is much better than Whole Foods. I also think prepared meals like in the states should be non taxable if they are not consumed at the establishment.
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Feb 24, 2007
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While I love Wegmans and the wife goes over every few weeks to stock up on certain items, unless some serious trade deals were changed it would be just another overpriced grocery store up here.

The reason many Canadians shop across the border is due to the fact even the exchange rate prices on many items are significantly better.
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Oct 22, 2007
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Well, if Trader Joes was to set up anywhere, it would be Vancouver, where a store called Pirate Joes already sells their products because the demand is high enough for someone to create a business buying stuff in the US at retail prices and bringing it back to Canada for resale. Trader Joes has shown zero interest in servicing or participating in the Canadian market, so draw your own conclusions about how the Canadian retail grocery landscape appears to American grocers.
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May 12, 2004
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I'm not sure why everyone wants trader joes here other than a couple of cool niche products.

If people want to shop in a miniature grocery store they should encourage small grocers that are in every city....we don't need another US chain for that. I lnow i know its not as trendy as shopping in a store the size of a walk-in closet like them namericans
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gh05t wrote: Never been to Aldi but if it's pricing is in line with No frills I'd prefer to see that come to Canada instead.
You can check out Aldi pricing on their website!
This week's sale flyer https://www.aldi.us/en/weekly-specials/ ... or-may-10/
Next week's https://www.aldi.us/en/weekly-specials/ ... or-may-17/

This YouTube blogger is one of many who posts their Aldi hauls regularly...


Here's a tour of a typical store; they are all laid out pretty much the same. If you know where to find, say, the tortilla chips, it'll be in about the same place at any other store chainwide.


And watch how fast their cashiers scan your groceries. This guy's speed is typical believe it or not!

The items go straight from the scanner into the receiving shopping cart. No bagging! No Frills, too slow...

Aldi is what No Frills should have been trying to copy. Notice all the house labels, Not just sell the same shit as Loblaws for the same price but just make the store look ratty so you think it's "no frills" (Weston pockets the savings, he doesn't pass that on to the shoppers)
Last edited by EastGTARedFlagger on May 12th, 2017 2:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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woobie wrote: While I love Wegmans and the wife goes over every few weeks to stock up on certain items, unless some serious trade deals were changed it would be just another overpriced grocery store up here.
That's exactly what I'm suggesting. Free flow of milk, meat, produce. Harmonized import duties on goods and product labeling (even no French if the chain doesn't open locations in Quebec), even ditching the metric system or pegging the loonie to the U.S. greenback.

It was some of these reasons that contributed to Target's collapse when they weren't able to use their in house software and opted for SAP software: http://www.canadianbusiness.com/the-las ... et-canada/

Like you said it'd take some serious changes.
Ottomaddox wrote: Trader Joes has shown zero interest in servicing or participating in the Canadian market, so draw your own conclusions about how the Canadian retail grocery landscape appears to American grocers.
If we made those serious changes as part of a new NAFTA the Canadian retail landscape would be just like the U.S. Heck when a European chain, like Aldi opens stores in North America, they'd likely include Canada along with the U.S. for their rollout.
Should we have open retail markets to bring more UK and US retailers to Canada?wegmans-tops-trader-joes-americas-favou ... #p27788812
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Feb 10, 2013
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Cas77 wrote: I'm not sure why everyone wants trader joes here other than a couple of cool niche products.

If people want to shop in a miniature grocery store they should encourage small grocers that are in every city....we don't need another US chain for that. I lnow i know its not as trendy as shopping in a store the size of a walk-in closet like them namericans
+1
there are quite a few tiny mom and pop grocery stores in every city. We should be supporting them instead of welcoming yet another us chain.
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Feb 22, 2016
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bluebellrose wrote: +1
there are quite a few tiny mom and pop grocery stores in every city. We should be supporting them instead of welcoming yet another us chain.
When some mom-and-pop can clone Aldi or Trader Joe's matching both quality and price I'd be there.
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Piggly Wiggly FTW!
Remember to be an RFD-er and NOT a degenerate.
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bluebellrose wrote: +1
there are quite a few tiny mom and pop grocery stores in every city. We should be supporting them instead of welcoming yet another us chain.
Canadian retail blows. Local stores, with only one exception in my area, are even worse.

Canada's better than the U.S. in almost every way. However, for retail and media (cable, cellphone etc) it's always sucked in Canada compared to America. Now with so many retail chains collapsing it's getting even worse.

We have a country bigger than the U.S. but with a population comparable to California YET we have all these artificial barriers making it hard for foreign chains to set up in Canada.

I would welcome eliminating all the barriers needed so we can get some real competition in Canada and better product selection.

And it's not just American chains. Ikea, H&M and JYSK have brought a lot to the Canadian retail landscape. I'd love to get Aldi, Tesco or even bring back Marks and Spenser to Canada.
Should we have open retail markets to bring more UK and US retailers to Canada?wegmans-tops-trader-joes-americas-favou ... #p27788812
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EastGTARedFlagger wrote: Westons have ripped us off long enough.
Agreed. To me this is a binary choice:

A) Lower prices and more selection for Canadians from increased competition along with more retail jobs for average Canadians as a result of that increased competition

or

B) More profits going into the pockets of already rich Canadians like Galen Weston

What do we want as Canadians?
Should we have open retail markets to bring more UK and US retailers to Canada?wegmans-tops-trader-joes-americas-favou ... #p27788812
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Feb 22, 2016
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NG wrote: Agreed. To me this is a binary choice:
A) Lower prices and more selection for Canadians from increased competition along with more retail jobs for average Canadians as a result of that increased competition
or
B) More profits going into the pockets of already rich Canadians like Galen Weston
What do we want as Canadians?
Unfortunately we have certain people here who, for "patriotism" or stupidity or otherwise, willingly choose B and defend that choice to the death. You know who they are. They go by the names LECALE and DOUBLESHOT. Yes I'm calling you two out. Nowhere to hide...
Same idiots who blindly defend the dairy cartel. Lecale and Doubleshot are either dairy farmers, or are related to the Westons. There's no other logical explanation for their behavior.

People with sense (which means everybody else especially death_hawk!) wisely will choose A every time.


(edited to add)

The three big supermarket operators in this country all have a low-cost banner. Loblaws has "No Frills", Metro has "Food Basics", and Sobeys has "FreshCo" (formerly "Price Chopper"). What do they all have in common?
Place looks ratty to give the impression of lower costs (dirty, cluttered, pallets on the floor, have to pay a quarter to get a cart, have to bag your own groceries, etc).
Stores are franchised to avoid the unions and pay the staff minimum wage.
Shorter opening hours compared to the regular/corporate stores.
BUT! Charge same prices as the regular/corporate stores.
So where are the savings from all the above? Yep, right into the pockets of the Westons. This is no different from Air Canada putting "Rouge" planes on popular routes. Airfare stays high but service drops. Who's pocketing the savings there? AC shareholders and executives, that's who.

Now let's look at ALDI in the U.S. (and Europe, and Australia).
What they have in common with the above are shorter business hours and the 25c deposit for a cart. That's fine. However:
Stores are actually very clean, organized, and are pleasant places to be (newer ALDI's have skylights)
Strong focus on house labels to keep prices low (remember - Costco does the same thing with Kirkland...)
Pay staff significantly more than minimum wage to reduce turnover and retain the best staff (watch video on how fast their cashiers scan items... you wouldn't get that speed if you had to keep training newbies. Again, Costco does this too!)
Prices consistently lower than the big grocery chains (you'll pay less at ALDI vs Wegmans for the same food).
So, yes the Albrecht family is making money hand over fist but you're also saving money. You don't feel bad giving them your business. You actually KNOW you saved money.

Now you see why we need ALDI in Canada? Because our "no frills" chains have been anything but.
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If I want to avoid the Weston/Sobeys/Metro conglomerates, there is Fortinos, Longos, Pusateri's, Fiesta Farms all relatively local. A bit further away is the St. Lawrence Market. Then there are specialty spots like Cheese Boutique, Asian stores like Nations, Oceans, Galleria, H-Mart, PAT.. I don't have a problem with selection, at least in Toronto or close to it. I don't buy produce at the chains since I can buy it from an independent I can walk to for the same price or cheaper.
With minimum wage rumoured to hit $15 in Ontario, I wouldn't expect an American chain to come here and undercut the local competition by much. Too costly to start up a large grocery business for 5% margins.
As for a more open economy between US and Canada, not likely, not when one country's economy is 10 times the size of the other.
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frogger wrote: If I want to avoid the Weston/Sobeys/Metro conglomerates, there is Fortinos, Longos, Pusateri's, Fiesta Farms all relatively local. A bit further away is the St. Lawrence Market. Then there are specialty spots like Cheese Boutique, Asian stores like Nations, Oceans, Galleria, H-Mart, PAT..
Not disagreeing with you, but gotta nitpick... Fortinos is owned by Weston (Loblaws).
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frogger wrote: If I want to avoid the Weston/Sobeys/Metro conglomerates, there is Fortinos, Longos, Pusateri's, Fiesta Farms all relatively local. A bit further away is the St. Lawrence Market. Then there are specialty spots like Cheese Boutique, Asian stores like Nations, Oceans, Galleria, H-Mart, PAT.. I don't have a problem with selection, at least in Toronto or close to it. I don't buy produce at the chains since I can buy it from an independent I can walk to for the same price or cheaper.
With minimum wage rumoured to hit $15 in Ontario, I wouldn't expect an American chain to come here and undercut the local competition by much. Too costly to start up a large grocery business for 5% margins.
As for a more open economy between US and Canada, not likely, not when one country's economy is 10 times the size of the other.
St. Lawrence Market is almost as bad as Whole Foods Market for being a complete ripoff meant to separate the gullible from their money. Sure they may be a bunch of "mom and pops" but they aren't competing they are colluding. Tourist trap + "organic" + "locavore" = $$$$$
The best way to screw the big 3 and the cartels is to cross-border shop as much as possible.

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