Canada has a plethora of grocery stores to choose from, but that doesn’t mean shoppers aren’t interested in seeing more!
From beautiful, high-end grocers to ones that offer unique experiences, Canadians are always looking to expand their horizons and try out new international chains.
And just recently, a Chinese grocery chain announced that it would be moving into the Canadian market.
Sungiven is a Chinese grocery chain with over 100 locations in China.
The grocery chain is known for its private brand products, which can also be found in a variety of different stores. The products are “natural, less processed, and less artificially added,” according to its website.
Canada will be the chain’s first overseas destination, and along with its entrance will come its distribution within other Canadian grocery chains.
Sungiven Canada will open in November and will be located in Vancouver’s City Square shopping centre.
The location will stand be around 14,000-square-feet. And with Sungiven’s owners based in Vancouver, having immigrated to the city in 2004, the city will see a total of three locations.
Pending the success of the stores, Sungiven plans to expand into other Canadian cities.
However, Sungiven Canada hasn’t stated which cities are next. Stay tuned for more updates on the chain’s Canadian expansion.
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If you’re in need of some groceries, make your next food run less of a chore! These grocery stores are all looking to elevate your shopping experience, and bring more value to the inevitable task we all have to do at least once a week. Whether it’s fast check-out technology, zero waste, or having your vegetables pre-cut for you, these retailers are stepping up their game in more ways than one. Grab your cart, and get shopping because purchasing food has never been so cool or fun!
Take a look at 7 grocery stores with the best shopping experience below, and change the way you shop for food.
Walmart at Stockyards
With its state of the art technology, the Stockyards Walmart location in Toronto is really putting the super in Supercentre. Recently launched as a prototype for more innovative stores, this Walmart location is integrating e-commerce into the checkout process to bring you new fast lane technology. What this means is that customers simply download the app, scan items as they go, and then pay directly with their phone. No waiting in checkout lines! Literally just grab and go.
Nations Fresh Foods
We hear the words diversity and multicultural a lot these days, but they aren’t necessarily reflected in many grocery store offerings, that is until Nations grocery store opened. The grocery retailer focuses on offering multicultural produce and a wide assortment of prepared foods from all across the world. Whether it’s Eastern or Western, Nations’ focus is to bring you food that is diverse, fresh, and affordable.
Unboxed Market
As the name implies, Unboxed Market is Toronto’s first zero waste grocery store. You literally won’t find any single use plastic or plastic bags here, only recyclable paper packaging. Customers are encouraged to bring their own mugs and containers to put produce or other items in. Despite being waste free, there is no shortage of departments as this smaller-than-most grocery store is a one-stop-shop. Along with the usual produce, deli, and dry good offerings, you can even find lotion and shampoo in dispensers that are ready to be put into your own reusable containers.
Pusateri’s
Pusateri’s is calling all vegetarians and vegetable lovers! Not only is it one of the most beautiful grocery stores in Toronto, but the high-end food retailer also has its own vegetable butcher. Similar to a regular butcher, this person will chop and prep all of your vegetables right before your eyes or while you shop. Unlike packaged and chopped veggies, you know these will be incredibly fresh, not to mention how much of a time saver it is.
Lady York
If you’re looking for a specialty grocery store in the European-Italian sense, then Lady York has got you covered. Having opened in 1959, Lady York has a lot of experience in purveying specialty foods, gourmet items, and high quality produce & deli products. The family-owned business has been operating for 55 years so they must be doing something right because let’s be real: have you ever met a traditional Italian who made mundane food? Point taken.
Farm Boy
Farm Boy is the perfect grocery store for people who love markets! The folks behind this mega successful store have taken the fresh market approach and turned it into a retail chain. Everyday, buyers go out and source produce and meat from local markets, which they bring back to the stores. The end result are shelves filled with the freshest ingredients, all in one place!
Organic Garage
We’re pretty sure all of us would like to buy organic, the only problem being the cost. That’s where Organic Garage comes in, with its organic, low-cost model. Along with a fun and playful approach to grocery shopping, the stores are filled with murals and hopscotch and it even employs smart buying practices that allow for organic food to be priced for less. You won’t ever have to pay an arm and a leg to shop healthy again.
If you live in Ontario, chances are you’ve heard about Farm Boy. Known for its farm fresh selection, the grocer has been around for over 36 years and has opened up shop in cities like Toronto, Hamilton, and Kitchener, with even more to come.
Over the years, Farm Boy has grown a massive following of loyal shoppers. And while it might just seem like a normal grocer, what makes Farm Boy stand out above the rest is its private label. From pasta sauces to frozen entrees, Farm Boy makes it all…and they do it good.
We recently had the opportunity to visit Farm Boy to see what all the hype was about.
Take a tour in the video below and keep reading to discover the most popular Farm Boy products.
Chocolate Covered Double Roasted Almonds
After two years of development and researching the perfect almond, roast time, and chocolate-to-almond ratio, Farm Boy has created the best chocolate covered almonds. With two different varieties — dark chocolate and milk chocolate — the snack has become a favourite among customers, so don’t pass on these the next time you visit!
Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn
If you’re looking for a healthy snack for your next movie night, reach for a bag of Farm Boy’s Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn. Bags of the three-ingredient treat are flying off shelves and the team is working on developing more flavours as you read this — it’s that popular!
Spicy Eda-Yummy Dip
There’s no denying that dip makes everything taste better. But instead of reaching for an old classic, try one of Farm Boy’s favourites: the Spicy Eda-Yummy Dip. Made with edamame sourced from London, Ontario, wholesome kale, and jalapeños, it’s perfect to pair with veggies, crackers, or chips!
Frozen Dinner Entrees
Not everyone has time to cook all the time and the team at Farm Boy knows that. That’s why they’ve turned their most popular hot bar entrees — Butter Chicken, Shepherd’s Pie, and Macaroni & Cheese — into convenient freezables, perfect for any time and place.
Wild Raw Argentinian Shrimp
Seafood lovers, rejoice! Say goodbye to puny shrimp you can barely see in your pastas and hello to Farm Boy’s Wild Raw Argentinian Shrimp. Each bag features peeled, deveined shrimp caught off the coast of Patagonia that are perfect for your next meal.
Lemon Garlic Dressing
This classic dressing has a massive following and it’s the flavour that Farm Boy customers keep coming back for. It’s been so popular that Farm Boy chefs recreated the flavour in a Lemon Garlic Hummus.
Smoked Sausages
Although BBQ season might be coming to an end, you can enjoy Farm Boy’s smoked sausages all year round! With five different flavours — Bacon Cheese, Hot Italian, Jalapeño Cheese, Mild Italian, and Spicy Spanish Chorizo — there’s something to satisfy everyone!
Chickenless Nuggets and Beefless Tenders
If you’ve been waiting for more vegetarian options, Farm Boy has got ’em! Two popular meatless meats from the grocer’s private label include the versatile Chickenless Nuggets and the Beefless Tenders, both made from vegan soy proteins.
No more hunting down aisles and picking up packages to make sure your food is vegetarian — Vancouver is now home to a full-service plant-based grocer!
Larry’s Market is the first all-vegetarian grocery store in Canada, and you can find it at North Vancouver’s historic Shipyards.
Spanning over 2,500-square-feet, the store’s offerings include fresh fruits and veggies, bulk grains, plant-based products and supplies, prepared foods, a matcha bar, vegan and vegetarian pizzas, vegetarian burgers, and kombucha slushies.
According to the grocer’s website, all of the goods at Larry’s Market are sourced from “nearby farmers and producers who are just as committed to their craft as we are.”
Not to mention, Larry’s Market also stocks a curated selection of personal care items so that shoppers can support their vegetarian lifestyles beyond their meals.
Instagram/@jessyka.the.great
The grocer is also low waste.
So you can truly feel good about shopping at Larry’s Market! The grocer is committed to providing products in compostable or low-impact packaging, and there are a variety of items in-store that use no packaging at all.
To make things even more convenient for vegetarians, Larry’s Market has partnered with Skip The Dishes.
The special partnership means that you no longer need to leave your house to get your groceries — you can get plant-based food deliveries straight to your door!
Instagram/@larrysmarkets
Take a closer look at Canada’s first all-vegetarian grocery store below.
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In our constant quest to save money, we’ve found 35 online resources to help you live a cost-effective life because it’s not about how much money you make, it’s about how much you can save! If you look hard enough, savings can be found anywhere from the gas station to the grocery store. Here are the money-saving (and making) websites you need to know:
1. GasBuddy.com
This website helps you save on gas costs by providing user generated updates on the gas stations with the lowest prices in your city and across North America. It also hosts a Trip Cost Calculator that finds the cheapest gas stations on your road-trip route, how many gas stops you’ll need to make and approximately how much you’ll spend.
2. CardSwap.ca
This website can save you money in two ways: by providing you a network to sell unwanted, unused gift cards and a network for you to buy gift cards. The gift cards are sold at face value but for every card purchased, you’ll receive Swap Points to redeem on other gift cards. For example, a $100 Loblaws gift card will cost you $100, but you will earn 100 Swap Points. For every 1000 Swap Points you earn, you’ll receive a $10 gift card from the retailer of your choice. As a seller, you’ll receive up to 93% of the value of the gift card.
3. PriceGrabber.com
Like the headline says, shop and save on millions of products by using PriceGrabber.com‘s search technology. Simply type in the item you’re looking for, whether it be an iPhone 6 or a pair of Nike running shoes, and PriceGrabber will round-up the lowest prices of the item from across the web.
4. GivingAssistant.org
If you want to feel even better about using cash-back websites, you need to check out GivingAssistant.org. Not only does the website curate coupons and give cash back when you shop online, but they also give you the ability to donate the money you earn to its roster of 1.2 million non-profit associations.
5. Swapsity.ca
Have a skill or something you want to get rid of? Use it to barter for something you want on Swapsity.ca! All you have to do is join the website, list all of your swappables (items, things, skills, and services you want to offer) and list all of your needs (everything you want to receive). Swapsity.ca will then generate local matches and leave it up to you to discuss trades with other swappers.
6. TrendTrunk.com
We’ve spoken about the benefits of TrendTrunk.com on the blog in the past, but we’ll break it down again! Trend Trunk is a website that allows users to upload photos of their clothing & sell to members. It’s 100% free to post and once the item gets sold, you communicate with the buyer on how to ship or meet up with them to exchange the product.
7. FreeCycle.org
The Free Cycle Network is made up of a number of different groups from around the world and almost every major city has one. FreeCycle.org is where you’ll find locals giving away things they no longer need for free! You can also post things you are looking for.
8. BudgetBytes.com
We’ve praised BudgetBytes.com on the blog before, but if you’ve never checked out the website, it is a blog that focuses on simple and delicious meals you can make on a budget. Most of the meals listed cost $10 or under to make. Being frugal doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice good eats!
9. LeaseBusters.com
Thinking about getting a new car, but don’t like commitments or spending too much cash? This Canadian website is for you. LeaseBusters.com helps you find leases and almost new cars to take over (sometimes you’ll even get a few months for free) and helps lease owners find someone to take over their lease.
10. CamelCamelCamel.com
If you’re a frequent Amazon shopper, you’ve got to check out this website. CamelCamelCamel.com will send you alerts when the price of something you’re after drops, tracks the price history of any item, and rounds up the best deals of the day.
11. YYZDeals.com
This blog rounds up the cheapest flights from Toronto and neighboring airports and is updated every few days. If you don’t live in Toronto, don’t worry! The blog’s creator also has a number of Facebook pages for cities across Canada where he frequently posts flight deals.
12. DealStreet.ca
This website hosts flyers from retailers across Canada and also rounds up weekly deals. This website is great for saving money on groceries.
13. Valpak.ca
If you’ve stopped receiving those random packages of coupons in the mail, you can now grab them online at Valpak.ca! All you have to do is type in your city, pick and print!
14. StyleDemocracy.com
We don’t often toot our own horn, but if you’re looking for deals on clothing, footwear, accessories & furniture, we’re your go-to! Not only do we host our own warehouse sales (Nike, Nordstrom, Puma & more!), we share all the latest sales and deals from retailers across Canada. Check out our event calendar to learn more about special events and join our mailing list for weekly sale updates!
15. RedFlagDeals.com
Red Flag Deals is another website that promotes coupons and flyers, however, our favorite section of this website is the forum where members talk about everything from daily deals, retail reviews, upcoming sales and more.
16. Saveland.ca
Similar to RedFlagDeals.com, this website provides coupons and flyers to their members. They also have a forum section where they discuss shopping, deals, and contests, however, Saveland.ca gives you points for every discussion and comment you make on their forum. The points can be redeemed for entries into exclusive member-only contests.
17. Supercook.com
A cooking website that narrows down recipes based on what you have in your fridge!
18. Mint.com
This website pulls all your financial information into one place so that you can track your spending and build a budget. It categorizes your purchase in real time, sends you alerts for unusual activity in your accounts and even gives you custom tips on managing your money.
19. Polyvore.com
Get savvy with your online shopping by using this website. Aside from helping you discover new trends and building neat collages, this website can search the web for your exact clothing, home and beauty needs. You can use their filters to sort items by price and by whether or not the item is on sale.
20. Reddit.com
This website literally has everything, from daily news to funny pictures, but most importantly, tips on how to save money and live frugally. The website is broken down into different subreddits, but the ones we suggest checking out are /r/Frugal, /r/Thrifty, /r/Coupons. You can get even more specific with subreddits for living frugally like /r/FrugalTO (frugal tips for people in Toronto), /r/FrugalMaleFashion and /r/FrugalMontreal.
21. SwagBucks.com
Looking to earn a little extra cash on the side? Check out this website. Earn Swag Bucks by completing surveys, testing websites, watching videos and more. Your Swag Bucks can then be redeemed in their Rewards Store for gift cards to retailers like Starbucks, Amazon, Bass Pro Shops and more.
22. Analysia.com
Get paid to test out websites on this website. All you need to get started is internet connection and a microphone! You’ll get paid $10 per test through a PayPal account.
23. StartUpLift.com
Get paid to answer questions about start-up websites. You’ll get paid $5 through PayPal for every feedback accepted.
24. Userfeel.com
If you’re super opinionated, this website is for you. Get paid $10/website through PayPal just by providing your honest feedback of a website. Once you register and are approved as a user, you’ll start getting assignments by email.
25. UserTesting.com
Get paid $10 per website tested via PayPal. Just sign-up, take an entry test and then wait for assignments to come through to your email. Each test takes about 15-20 minutes.
26. Temptalia.com
This website reviews make-up and also features a ‘Dupe List’ where you can find the best cheap alternatives to some of your favorite designer make-up! 
27. BargainMoose.com
This Canadian website hosts daily deals from across the web, as well as coupons and freebies!
28. VarageSale.com
A virtual garage sale that hosts communities from across Canada. Just search for the community nearest you and start shopping – you never know what deals you could find or money you could make by selling random things from your home!
29. SimplyFrugal.ca
A money-saving blog that lists daily deals & coupons from retailers, regular coupon matching (so you don’t have to!), money-saving tips, simple DIY projects, recipes & more.
30. Checkout51.com
Every Thursday morning, Checkout 51 updates with a new list of offers. All you have to do is pick the ones you like, purchase them at any store, and upload a photo of your receipt through their mobile app or website. When your account reaches $20, they will send you a cheque.
31. Save.ca
A website that rounds up fliers, coupons, and deals from major retailers and brands. Their community section hosts contests, recipes and frugal living tips. They also have a cash-back rebate app (available on iPhone & Android) – just purchase a product on their list, upload a photo of your receipt and Save.ca will cash you out for every $5 you earn.
32. MrsJanuary.com
Another blog that rounds up coupons, deals, sales, frugal tips, recipes, and freebies across Canada and the web.
33. CanadianFreeStuff.com
An all-in-one source of coupons, coupon codes, daily deals and best of all, free samples!
34. GroceryAlerts.ca
A website designed to help Canadians save money on groceries. They host 55 different grocery store fliers into one location for easy price matching. The website also hosts a coupon trader which allows you to search for coupons you need and trade the ones you don’t! 
35. ShopToIt.ca
Launched in 2005, ShopToIt.ca is one of the oldest & best price comparison websites in Canada. They host a broad range of inventory with relevent guides and shopping advice. Their iPhone app is perfect for comparison shopping on the go.
Did we miss any money-saving websites? List them in the comments section!
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The already crowded grocery market is about to heat up as popular Ottawa-based chain Farm Boy is opening a location in Etobicoke this fall. According to the Toronto Star, the new Farm Boy location will be 20,000 square feet and will open at the Shoppes of Alderwood Plaza at 841 Brown’s Line.
If you’ve never heard of Farm Boy, it has been described as a cross between Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. The chain focuses on healthy eating, local and organic produce options, and a huge selection of prepared meals that are available in-house.
The store will offer a wide selection of high-quality meats, produce, sustainable seafood, snacks and bulk food. While Farm Boy is a grocery store, they don’t want you to think of it for household items. Farm Boy is not a supermarket it’s a “fresh food experience”.
While Etobicoke is the first location, the Toronto Star highlights the fact that it is very likely that a Farm Boy appears in downtown Toronto in the near future.
Source: Toronto Star
A recent study by Dalhousie University is predicting that grocery prices will go up this year, with Canadians expecting to pay 3% to 5% more on items like fruits, nuts, vegetables, and meats. While that might not seem like a lot, small fluctuations can really add up, this one amounting to as much as $420 on average per Canadian family.
The Food and Price Report was led by Sylvain Charlebois, dean of the faculty of management at Dalhousie. Charlebois stated “It affects our quality of life. It’s top of mind for everyone every single day when we go out to buy food, whether at a restaurant or at a grocery store. And many Canadians struggle to cope with fluctuating food prices.”
This could be a hard blow for families and individuals with less means, especially since Charlesbois claims the price increases are inevitable. The falling Canadian dollar, La Nina weather patterns and incoming Trump administration from the US will all initiate the “commodity super-cycle.”
While it’s unfortunate news, not every food item will be subject to the increase. Dairy/eggs and bakery/cereal are expected to remain stable so on the bright side, you’ll still be able to purchase a nice block of aged cheddar for the same price. Guess we’ll be eating a lot of cheese and cereal over the next year.
How do you feel about the rising prices of groceries in Canada?
Feature image via Pexels
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