SKUFood Recipes for Success
The food and beverage industry impacts everyone. There is always something happening that impacts producers, processors, distributors, retailers and consumers. SKUFood Recipes for Success podcast tells the story of what is happening and why.
Our guests will be people from one end of the value chain to the other. We will discuss what they are working on and how it impacts the store shelf and what goes into the shopping cart. People want to know more about the food and beverage products they take home to share with family and friends.
Host Peter Chapman has worked in this industry for his entire career. A high school job in retail evolved into 20 years with Canada’s largest food retailer where Peter worked in marketing and advertising and merchandising. After leaving Loblaw, Peter has worked with producers and processors from coast to coast to get their products on the shelf and into the shopping cart.
SKUFood Recipes for Success
S01 E22: Growing Together: Building Success with the Sobeys Local Program
In this episode of Recipes for Success, we’re joined by Gary Hughes, Local Program Specialist at Sobeys, who has spent over 27 years growing with the company and building a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in grocery retail.
Gary began his career as a clerk at a Garden Market IGA and worked his way up to Store Manager, before moving into buying and category management roles overseeing multiple categories across Sobeys, Safeway, and IGA in Western Canada. In 2017, he joined the newly created Field Merchandising team with a mission close to his heart, helping local products come to life on Sobeys shelves across the Prairies.
With a lifelong passion for small business, Gary now works with hundreds of entrepreneurs and startups, guiding them through the process of getting their locally made products into grocery stores. In this conversation, he shares insights on what retailers are looking for, how local suppliers can stand out, and the steps that can help small producers expand from community-based sales into larger retail opportunities.
If you’re a food entrepreneur looking to grow your retail presence, this episode is packed with practical advice from someone who knows both sides of the shelf.
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If you would like to be on the show, send us an email :
peter@skufood.com or susan@skufood.com
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Thanks for listening!