Aldergrove's Otter Co-op is behind a new grocery store that's just opened in Cloverdale.
Co-op Essentials, is being billed as a unique offering from Co-op, 鈥渁 first of its kind food store鈥� to open in Surrey. The new store is a joint project between Otter Co-op and Saskatoon鈥檚 Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL).
The grand opening took place Tuesday, June 11 with Jack Nicholson, Otter Co-op CEO, and Rick Fernandes, FCL vice president, both on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the store.
鈥淥tter Co-op is excited to bring Co-op Essentials to the Cloverdale community,鈥� said Nicholson.
鈥淭his new format is designed to understand and quickly adapt to customers changing lifestyles 鈥� to meet their unique needs. I鈥檓 genuinely excited for this new food store, and the positive impact it will have on our community.鈥�
The Co-op Essentials store will differ from other grocery stores. It will have a smaller footprint (the Cloverdale location is 15,000 square feet) than many other grocery stores. It will stock Co-op branded and local products thereby bringing in extra savings to customers, the company noted.
鈥淎 lot of our products, especially produce, will be brought in locally,鈥� Nicholson told Black Press Media.
鈥淥ur actual Co-op Gold chips are made right in Surrey. So, we鈥檙e excited about that. And a lot of our name-brand products are manufactured here in the Lower Mainland.鈥�
Fernandes said FCL was 鈥減roud鈥� to have have partnered with Otter Co-op to help design and implement this 鈥渘ew concept鈥� food store.
鈥淲hat makes co-op a different kind of business is that each local co-op and their community are distinct, and we want to celebrate that,鈥� he said.
鈥淭his new format allows us to extend the co-op food offering to new customers and communities and provide everyday savings to the consumer.鈥�
Charlie Fox, the Otter Co-op president, said it was 鈥済reat鈥� to be back in Cloverdale and to have 鈥渃o-op presence鈥� in the town once again.
He said they wanted Co-op Essentials to be 鈥渁n entity that was going to be a positive contribution to the community and yet meet the needs of a (fast-growing) area like Cloverdale.鈥�
About 300 people were lined up for the opening and many streamed in shortly after the ceremony. The first 500 customers were given a coupon for a free jug of milk. There were also in-store savings on a variety of products.
Another 150-200 members of the Cloverdale community, representatives from Otter Co-op, and representatives from FCL took in the ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the store.
Paul Orazietti, executive director of the Cloverdale BIA, said he was 鈥渢hrilled鈥� to see the store opening in Brick Yard Station.
鈥淭his is the return of an old friend,鈥� noted Orazietti. 鈥淔or some of the older folks who live here, the co-op used to be located on Highway 10 and 176A Street. So, this is probably one of the more exciting news stories that we鈥檝e been talking about for awhile.鈥�
He said Otter and FCL have already reached out to the BIA and local groups about how they can be involved in helping out in the community.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e a perfect fit for Cloverdale,鈥� he added. 鈥淭his is a super-positive story.鈥�
Nicholson added he was also very happy to see a Co-op in Cloverdale again.
鈥淲e鈥檙e locally owned, been here for 102 years 鈥� and really excited for the next 102, and proud to be a part of the Cloverdale community.鈥�
The new food store is located at 17433 56th Ave. in Brick Yard Station (in the old Staples store location).
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