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CPMA CONVENTION SUPPLEMENT
The Garden Basket Food Market
Independent strIves on Its reputatIon for fresh and customer servIce.
TBy Jodean Robbins
he Garden Basket Food Market represents the thriving service-ori- ented independent store Toronto is known for. The store holds deep roots, born of a business established
in 1929 by the current owners’ family. “Sam Comella and Sam Badali opened the Sunkist Food Market on Danforth Avenue in Toronto’s east end,” says Paul Comella, produce buyer. “Their commitment to quality and personal service steadily grew the business, and these standards have been the basis ever since.”
Over the years, various progressions occurred until, in 1988, the site in Markham was developed. “This larger-size store permitted expansion into new product areas, such as meat, deli, bakery, groceries, a salad bar and a flower shop,” says Comella. “We still remember the humble beginnings of our first store and embrace the values learned there.”
The 25,000-square-foot store is renowned for its fresh products and boasts an award- winning selection of conventional and organic produce, as well as organic and traditionally raised beef, pork and chicken. “Our store offers one of the biggest and best choices in organic food available in the Markham and York Region,” says Comella. “We also stock a selection of organic and specialty grocery.”
Comella describes the store philosophy as simple. “It’s old-fashioned quality, service and value,” he says. “We don’t position ourselves as super high-end, but we’re not low-end either. We want to be a store every family can shop and find healthy, quality food at a good value.”
A LEGACY OF PRODUCE
The store’s commitment to produce is evidenced by the 8,000-square-foot depart- ment’s occupation of almost one third of the store. “Produce contributes 30 percent
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GARDEN BASKET
of total store sales,” says Comella. “All our fresh areas, including meat and seafood, have high percent contributions. The fresh areas of the store are what draws customers to us.”
Comella considers produce the most important department in the store. “Our original store in downtown Toronto was mom-and-pop style with produce on the sidewalk,” he says. “From 1929 to 1975, our business was only produce — it’s what we became known for, and that legacy has remained with us.”
The department is organized with vege- tables on one side and fruits on the other, merchandised in an old-school style using benches and tables. Comella says the store tries to keep the same setup throughout a season. “We want customers to be familiar with the department and easily find the items they’re shopping for,” he says. “As seasons change, we reset and change merchandising accordingly. In summer, for example, the store handles a high volume of local fruit using baskets for display.”
Comella reports the store handles around 500 SKUs on average, with about 90 percent sourced from the Ontario Food Terminal. “We strive to uphold the store’s reputation for fresh with our produce,” he says. “I visit the wholesale market every day and hand- pick every item we bring to the store.”
The store also sources from local growers depending on seasonality and relies on a few wholesalers for specific catego-
ries. “We use Mike and Mike’s (in Toronto) for organics,” says Comella. “We also use National Produce (in Etobicoke, ON) for some tropical imports such as mangos.”
Comella emphasizes he isn’t just buying to fill an SKU. “Our No. 2 criteria for sourcing is quality,” he says. “I don’t want the customer to buy it if I don’t like it. If it’s not good enough for me to use, then I don’t buy it, even if it means the store won’t carry it that week. It’s better to not have it than for the customer to have a bad experience.”
CUSTOMER-ORIENTED
The store serves a diverse demographic in terms of age, ethnicity and family size. “We see every ethnicity from European to Asian to Indian, lots of young families but seniors as well,” Comella says.
Comella reports an extreme hands-on focus with staff in serving customers. “We always have lots of staff in the department and try to fulfill any and all requests from customers,” he says. “For example, if a customer needs one lemon out of a bulk package, we’re happy to break up the package.”
Sampling is very important. “Sometimes customers don’t realize how good an item is so by sampling, we introduce them to it,” says Comella. “A few weeks ago we had Del Monte’s Mag Melons. These are maybe not as attractive visually on the outside to customers but are the sweetest tasting melons you’ll ever have. Customers were shying away from them because of the outward appearance so we set up a passive sample. The customers loved them and came back for more.” pb
TORONTO RETAIL PROFILE
THE GARDEN BASKET FOOD MARKETS 9271 Markham Rd. Markham, Ontario Phone: (905) 471-0777 thegardenbasket.ca Hours: Mon-Fri: 8 am to 9 pm Sat: 7 am to 8 pm Sun: 8 am to 7 pm
CPMA CONVENTION SUPPLEMENTPRODUCE BUSINESS / APRIL 2018 / 11