Category: Our Communities

Since the launch of Project Sunrise in May of 2017, we’ve redesigned the structure of our organization and moved to more streamlined, national processes. In doing so, we’re able to work together more consistently, improve our promotional strategies, and evaluate our product assortment in our stores.

As the second phase of the Project’s three-phase rollout, we launched Category Resets in stores across the country. Category Resets reviews almost every SKU across the business and assess its individual performance. This helps us identify opportunities to better serve our customers, ensure our stores are stocked with their favourite national and local products and brands.

We sat down with Beri Kebede, Category Reset Champion at Safeway Northgate in Calgary, to learn a little bit more about how Category Resets are coming to life in our Alberta Safeway stores:

What is your role as a Category Resets Champion?

Overall, my role as a Category Reset Champion is to ensure the rollout of resets is smooth for both employees and customers alike. In doing so, I manage the placement of store signage to ensure that employees know change is coming, and to highlight which products are newly introduced. I also prepare toolkits and schematics to ensure we have all the materials necessary to execute the roll-out, and on the day of the schematic change, I work with my reset crew execute the resets successfully.

How have Category Resets improved the customers’ experience in store?

The new placement and location of products makes much more sense. Products are now aligned in a format that groups brands together, making all products much easier for our customers to find.

 How have customers reacted to Category Resets?

In the beginning, some customers were a little confused as to why they were unable to buy select products that used to be available; however, we are actively working to educate our customers on these changes. Our customers are now excited for our new products that set us apart from competitors.

What are a couple key wins in the Category Resets rollout thus far?

The organization of the new schematic in vitamins is far better than our previous system. By lowering the top shelf heights, we have really improved the aisle image. Product is now block faced, which not only makes everything easier for us to stock, but easier for our customers to find.

What new products are you excited to see on our shelves?

We introduced a new toilet paper schematic that supports larger bulk size packaging which has proven to be a great seller. I’m also looking forward to the introduction of a variety of 4 pack chocolate bars, which I believe will also be positively received.

The full Category Reset rollout is expected to be completed in all stores by the end of 2020. Be sure to connect with your Category Resets Champion to learn more about how Resets will be executed in your store, and for a sneak peek at the new and exciting products hitting our shelves!

At Safeway, we know that families come in all shapes and sizes. For us, family encompasses our store, our colleagues, our community, and without a doubt, our customers. The employees at Kensington Safeway know first-hand the meaningful connections formed with our customers who become family.

Meredith Helgeson has shopped at Kensington Safeway since her university days in 1975. Meredith stops by the store every Friday morning, and when she isn’t spotted, the Safeway team wonders where she may be. In her 44 years of patronage, Meredith has connected with many Kensington employees who have come and gone, but the store’s long-standing commitment to exceptional customer service keeps her coming back.

In 2015, the Kensington team was saddened to hear of Meredith’s stage 4 cancer diagnoses. The cancer was idiopathic in nature, meaning no known cause. However, after 47 chemo treatments and a major surgery to remove six organs, Meredith’s grace, strength and courage continued to shine.

Since 2016, Meredith has been receiving treatment at the Tom Baker Cancer Center in Calgary. After receiving a holiday gift bag in 2018, Meredith was so truly touched that she set out on a mission to pay it forward to other cancer patients. Meredith launched a “Chemo Day Go Bag” project, providing a kit of must-have items to cancer patients receiving treatment.

When contemplating where to source quality products for her bags, Meredith knew just who to reach out to – the team of friendly faces at her Kensington Safeway store. Meredith approached Store Manager, Leslie Robb, to request Safeway’s support in offering a product discount on hand cream, knowing that cancer patients often suffer from dry skin. When given the opportunity to support, Leslie didn’t hesitate to jump on board!

“Community is very important to our team,” said Leslie. “We know many customers by name, and many customers know us by name. We call Kensington Safeway ‘our family’. It’s reflected in how we treat each other and how we treat our customers.”

We’re so proud to celebrate the Kensington Safeway team for their outstanding commitment to serving our customers and fostering your local community. To this day, Meredith makes sure to take time to chat with the many Safeway team members that she has come to know at Kensington, and with your support, her Chemo Day Go Bag project will run throughout the entirety of 2019.

While one good deed may seem small, the meaningful every day acts of the entire Safeway network never go unnoticed, and together, leave a lasting impact on communities near and far.

We returned to the bargaining table this week to resume discussions with UFCW 401. As one Safeway team, we’re dedicated to keeping you up-to-date with accurate information as bargaining continues.

From the very beginning, we’ve been clear about our areas of focus: securing a strong future for Safeway, and introducing FreshCo to the Alberta Market to better meet customer preferences. Strengthening our Safeway stores and introducing FreshCo to Alberta are necessary to make our company stronger and more competitive. We continue to be clear on the Company’s goals and will keep doing what’s right to make sure our employees, our stores and our company are successful.

This week’s labour discussions largely focused on the recent closure announcement of Southland Crossing Safeway. We openly discussed the process for relocating employees and reiterated our ongoing commitment to providing support for those impacted.

Later in June, the Union has agreed to join us for an overview presentation of the FreshCo discount experience to further understand why introducing it to the right markets in Alberta is so important to our business.

As negotiations continue, we’re committed to achieving fair agreements and are hopeful that the union will stay focused and dedicated in upcoming discussions. You can count on the Safeway bargaining committee to be at the table, ready to negotiate an agreement that will secure a strong future for us all.

We’ve seen progress in our Alberta Safeway stores, but there’s still more to do to win back our customers. We know that we can get it done, but not without your shared passion for Safeway and continued teamwork. Thank you for all that you do in our stores.

We will continue to share updates as negotiations progress.

Diana Graham is known to lend a helping hand wherever needed in the Brooks Safeway store. Whether its front end support or file maintenance, Diana is committed to helping her store win. And when she saw a customer in need of a little support, Diana didn’t hesitate to offer a small act of kindness.

A customer had finished her shopping and was headed to check out when she entered Diana’s lane. Diana scanned her items, but unfortunately, was unable to process the transaction on the customer’s card. Together, they tried another till – but no such luck, and the card was once again declined. “As her card kept declining, I could tell she was getting more embarrassed and frustrated, to the point of almost tears,” shared Diana. “Nobody should ever have to feel embarrassed, so I just paid for it and asked her to pay it forward to someone else.”

While the total was no more than $10, Diana’s kind act resonated with the customer. The customer took to social media to share her exceptional experience in the store and her gratitude for Diana’s selflessness. “It’s important to treat everyone with respect,” said Diana. “It can leave a meaningful impact on someone’s life. I’m thankful for my job, and every customer is just as important as the next.”

Way to go, Diana, on an exceptional example of kindness, generosity, and putting the customer first! Thank you to all of our outstanding Safeway teams who continue to go above and beyond to serve our customers.

Today we announced the difficult decision to permanently close the Southland Crossing Safeway store in Calgary. The store will close on August 31, 2019 at 6 p.m.

The decision to close a store is never taken lightly. Various factors are taken into consideration and unfortunately, despite the hardworking efforts of our team the store continues to underperform. The lease term for the store expires in October 2019 and as a result, we will not be renewing the lease agreement.

We are grateful for the dedicated service that the store team has given to the Southland community. We know news like this can be difficult and are committed to working closely with impacted employees, and their respective unions, to ensure all terms of their collective agreements are met. Wherever possible, we are providing transition support to employees who will move on to new opportunities.

UFCW 401 has recently launched a campaign against the Company and the Sobeys brand. It’s unfortunate to see that the Union continues to lack focus on what matters most – bargaining for the future of Safeway. These public stunts are unproductive and only stand to hurt us all.

While the union is investing their time in non-productive campaigns that seek to damage our brand and negatively impact our sales, we remain focused on securing a strong future for Safeway and introducing FreshCo to the Alberta market.

You can see through our remodel and expansion of the Beltline Safeway store, show-and-sell plans, and commitment to local suppliers that we are putting the right plans in place to ensure our employees and our stores are positioned to win.

We want to work with our employees to build a stronger business, improve our customer experience and make Safeway an even better place to work. We agree with UFCW 401 when they say that Safeway is a great place to work. We disagree with UFCW 401 when they say that all Sobeys wants to win is a “retail race to the bottom”.

While we remain committed to achieving a fair and competitive agreement, the union continues to make our discussions more challenging than needed. We hope the Union will join us with a focused approach at the table. Our store teams continue to prove their dedication and commitment, and with your hard work and the strong plans we have in place, we are confident we can get Safeway back on track.

Safeway is committed to helping our employees be the best that they can be. Whether it’s within the store walls or in their personal lives, we support our employees in taking risks, making bold moves, and striving for greatness – and when they achieve success, we celebrate together.

Hasan Ulutas was born in a small village in Turkey. His mother had seven children, and dreamed of the opportunity for them to receive an education, as she believed it was the only way to escape the quality of life in their town.

After graduating high school in 2008, Hasan came to Canada in search of higher education. With the immediate goal of bettering his English, Hasan applied for a role with Safeway where he could speak to customers and improve his language skills. During this time, Hasan was taking courses to upgrade his high school degree and hoped to one day becoming an engineer.

Hasan genuinely enjoyed his time spent at Safeway, and when his Store Manager went on an extended leave, he happily stepped into the role of temporary Assistant Manager.

“During my time as Assistant Manager, I noticed how many long term employees were working at Safeway, and how happy they all looked,” Said Hasan. “That’s when I knew that I wanted to stay at Safeway. I put my dream of becoming an Engineer on hold, and put my full focus on my job – with the downside of not receiving the higher education that my mom wished for me.”

While at Safeway, Hasan took every opportunity to connect with customers and colleagues to better his language and social skills. Little did he know that these simple connections would lead him to success. “I was casually talking to few colleagues who mentioned Safeway’s Education Assistance Program, and I became hopeful and excited again,” said Hasan. “It offered the possibility of getting the education that I was supposed to get.”

With the mentorship of his Store Managers, Ahmad Abdallah and Ric Lockhart, and the support of Safeway’s Education Assistance Program, Hasan continued his studies and recently graduated from the University of Calgary with a Certificate in Professional Management.

“I started life a few steps behind the average person,” shared Hasan. “I was born in a small village in Turkey. My family was poor and uneducated. I came to Canada without knowing English and had no life or work experience. If Safeway didn’t offer such a great education program, I wouldn’t be able to go to school, continue improving myself, and overcome the disadvantages that I was born into.”

Not only has Hasan excelled within his store and studies, but his hard work, dedication and commitment has paid off in his personal life. In addition to receiving his Certificate, Hasan purchased his first home and became a Canadian citizen – all in one month.

Through our Education Assistance program, we support our employees in pursuing education in job-related areas that will help them perform more effectively in their current role, or to support their development for future advancement with Safeway. We know that continuing education and lifelong learning are important parts of personal and professional development, and strive to equip our employees with the skills they need to win.

If you’re a full-time employee with six months of continuous service, or a part-time employee with two years of continues service, and are interested in learning more about the Education Assistance program, speak to your Store Manager for information on how we can help you to build a long-term career with Safeway.

“The value of the Education Assistance program is more than a dollar amount to me,” said Hasan.