We review Sobeys’ first quarter performance and the outlook for the year ahead as it continues to advance its ecommerce, value and loyalty initiatives. Q1 key numbers Total sales increased 4.1% to $7,938m Same-store sales, ex-fuel, increased 0.4% Excluding fuel, gross margin increased 63 basis points Net earnings flat (-$1.0m) Final year of Project Horizon The retailer s...

We look at Sobeys’ fourth quarter performance and consider what’s next for the business as it moves into the final year of Project Horizon, its three-year, growth-focused plan. Q4 and FY key numbers Total sales increased 13.3% to $7,841m, underpinned by the acquisition of Longo’s and an extra trading week (53-week calendar) Q4 same-store sales (ex-fuel) decreased by 2.5%, reflecting e...

Sobeys’ parent company, Empire Company Limited, has become a co-owner of Scene+, with a plan to transform it into one of Canada’s leading loyalty programmes. Boosting membership Empire joins Scotiabank and Cineplex as co-owners of the programme. This enables it to roll it out to its stores, replacing its existing partnership with Air Miles as its core rewards programme. Sobeys plans to star...