Extra Foods now a No Frills - Loblaw

Mac Olsen
South Peace News

A No Frills grocery store is now being planned for the commercial lot next to the RCMP detachment, instead of Extra Foods. The Brampton, Ont.-based Loblaw Companies Ltd. runs both Extra Foods and No Frills, as well as the big-box chain, The Real Canadian Superstore. High Prairie town council approved a new development permit application for the No Frills store during their meeting March 12. Loblaw first filed an application in October 2005. They requested and received an extension in 2006. A diagram of the proposed store shows the building will be 32,317 square feet beside 227 parking spaces. In addition, a gas bar will be built at the southwest corner of the property. In comparison, the local Freson IGA is 40,000 square feet. Manager Matt Lovsin is not concerned about No Frills as a competitor. “It’s business as usual for Freson IGA,” says Lovsin. David Primorac, the director of public formats for Loblaw, says the change to No Frills from Extra Foods reflects the company’s evolving retail concepts, which constantly change. “The No Frills banner is termed hard discount, which means the shopping environment still offers services you find in most grocery stores,” says Primorac. “But it is more a ‘no frills’ environment, which in turn offers deeper discounts that can be passed on to consumers.” Loblaw has No Frills stores in Alberta at Olds, Vegreville and Wainwright. Besides the gas bar, No Frills offer President’s Choice products, pharmacy services and online ordering for flowers and digital photos. No date has been set for construction to begin on High Prairie store. It’s unknown how much local labour and construction materials will be used. When the store opens, it will employ between 65-80 people. The target market will be High Prairie and the immediate surrounding areas, Primorac adds. No Frills will retain and even regain customers for High Prairie, says Councillor Jeff Burgar. “The new store will get back some of the customers we’ve lost and it will help keep customers in our community,” he says. Burgar adds business as well as consumer confidence increases when a store like No Frills comes to High Prairie.

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