Sobeys Debuts South Asian Discount Concept

Sobeys Inc. has unveiled Chalo! FreshCo, its first South Asian-focused discount grocery store, in Brampton, Ontario.

"Chalo! FreshCo is a significant and unique addition to our company’s food retailing lineup," noted Rob Adams, general manager, discount format at Stellarton, Nova Scotia-based Sobeys. “This store caters to the South Asian market while also driving our mission to inspire Canadians to discover new foods, products and recipes, and to help them Eat Better, Feel Better and Do Better."

Meaning "let’s go" in South Asian languages, Chalo! features a broad assortment of rice, spices, lentils and snacks; fresh produce; full-service seafood, halal and non-halal meat counters; and Amaya, an in-store Indian restaurant; as well as the traditional FreshCo product offering of a variety of North American brands at value prices.

"Our research indicates that many South Asians visit multiple grocery stores each week to fulfill their food shopping needs, from traditional grocers to small specialty stores for specific products," said Adams. "Now they can find the popular and unique products that they regularly look for and enjoy in one convenient location."

The 50,000-square-foot store is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.

A wholly owned subsidiary of Empire Co. Ltd., Sobeys owns or franchises about 1,500 stores in all 10 Canadian provinces under the retail banners Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods and Lawton’s Drug Stores, as well as 350-plus retail fuel locations. Sobeys and its franchise affiliates employ more than 125,000 associates.