The Grocery People (TGP) is a unit of Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) that delivers groceries and creates programs for independent and corporate retail stores, restaurants, and other food establishments across Western Canada.

While we may wear a few different hats, we have a few main areas of focus.

Retail

Along with delivering fresh groceries to a large number of family owned and operated grocery stores, we offer flexible support services that make running a retail business that much easier. Our customers choose the level of support they need and we work with them to create a customized service package—so whether you need marketing assistance, operational support, accounting services, IT support or all of the above, we’re happy to help.

Foodservice

We are proud to supply the freshest ingredients possible to restaurants and other food establishments, and we’re expanding every day. Our foodservice team has created lasting relationships with vendors and suppliers, which means we can offer a great selection of quality products at a competitive price.

Why TGP

"We believe in independent grocery retailers, foodservice operators and CO-OPS and we understand that they are important to the fabric of the communities they serve.

We believe that with a strong supply network and the power of shared resources and collaboration, they can be individually, financially viable while retaining their independence and remaining in control of their own destiny."

TGP is more than just a wholesale that delivers groceries. We are a team of Foodservice, Marketing and Retail experts that are here, ready to help.

For years we’ve been behind the scenes supplying groceries and giving advice to family owned and operated stores and food establishments. Our customers and their communities are important to us and we are committed to offering food we’d be proud to serve our family.

We offer programs and services that are personalized and that give our customers flexibility when it comes to running their business. Whether you’re a chef, grocer or somewhere in-between, you can count on us to offer big-time freshness, quality and service with small town family values.

TGP's Vision, Mission, and Values will help 'Bring Home' who we are.

Vision

Building sustainable communities together.

Mission

To provide responsible, innovative leadership and support to the independent retailers and the foodservice industry for the benefit of members, customers, employees and Canadian communities.

Values

Integrity - Be honest and trustworthy.

Excellence - Strive to be the best.

Responsibility - Accountability matters.

Our History

In the late 1950s, two of Alberta’s independent grocers, Wilson Lee and Bob Cherot, recognized the need to develop an independent wholesale that put independent grocers in control of where they were going. Lee and Cherot brought 39 of them together in January of 1960, and formed Alberta Grocer Wholesale Ltd.

In 1967, Alberta Grocers acquired Sun Fruit Company, a fruit wholesale, and began operating it as a subsidiary. Then, in 1983, Alberta Grocers amalgamated with the foodservice company, The Grocery People, and adopted the name, realizing it was a better fit for a company that no longer operated solely in Alberta.

In 1992, TGP became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Federated Co-operatives Limited, and the produce supplier to all Co-op stores across Western Canada. TGP began expanding its retail and foodservice base into Southern Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Northern Ontario using FCL’s distribution centres in Calgary, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.

Today, TGP operates a head office and state of the art, 437, 000 sq. ft. distribution facility in Edmonton, AB, a produce wholesale operation based in Calgary, AB, and regional branch offices and warehouse facilities in Kamloops, BC, Saskatoon, SK, and Winnipeg, MB; all of which support community based, family owned and operated retail stores and foodservice establishments.

Frequently Asked Questions About TGP

Please find below the answers to some of our most Frequently Asked Questions:

Are all SUPER A FOODS, BIGWAY FOODS corporate or franchise stores?

No. Even though a lot of our independently owned and operated stores share the SUPER A FOODS and BIGWAY FOODS store name, they are not all corporately owned or a part of a franchise. These stores are under what we call a “Banner” name, which gives them brand recognition across Western Canada, but doesn’t limit the flexibility they have as independent owners.

Can I attend the TGP Food Shows?

Anyone with a TGP account number can attend the TGP Food Show. Please see the Foodservice section for more information.

What advantages are there to being a TGP customer?

There are many benefits to being a TGP customer which include:

We’re close by. Based centrally in Western Canada, TGP trucks can deliver to just about anywhere in Western and Northern Canada.

We’re a part of a large company. In 2013, the Financial Post Magazine ranked Federated Co-operatives Limited, our parent company, 48th for overall sales and 44th for overall earnings in 2012. Because of our size, we can provide our customers with a growing variety of retail and foodservice products at a competitive price.

We’re friendly. It may seem like a small detail, but we work hard to create a great experience for our customers each and every time. We are always asking ourselves how we can serve our customers better and we have an entire team ready to serve you.

How do I become a Customer?

We are always looking for new customers. We would love to learn more about you and how we can help serve you!

Click here to get started. 

What does it mean to be an independent store or food establishment?

An independently owned store or food establishment means the owner(s) has total control over his/her business. They have the freedom to decide what’s best for the communities they serve and they are often locally invested within their communities. Most independent stores or food establishments are better able to respond to the needs of their community because they are active members of the communities they serve.