No Name grocery store opens in Brockville, Ont. today: Here’s what you need to know

Loblaw opened its new ultra-discount grocery store in Brockville, Ont. on Wednesday, promising customers will save up to 20 per cent on everyday grocery and household essentials.

The ‘No Name’ store is located on Parkedale Avenue in Brockville, the third ‘No Name’ store in Canada.

“This innovative pilot store is all about saving customers money,” Loblaw says. “With a thoughtfully curated selection of products and cost-saving measures, customers can expect to save up to 20 per cent on their everyday grocery and household essentials.”

“With 1,300 top-selling items, this unique store aims to bring affordability without compromising quality.”

Sixty per cent of the items in the store are No Name brand, but there will be national brand items.

"People who are working have had to turn to the food bank to get by," Matt Wren, mayor of Brockville, told CTV News Ottawa. "And so hopefully, an option like this with, regular brands and types of foods at lower prices will help our residents."

Loblaw says the new No Name grocery store in Brockville, Ont. will have no refrigeration items and a "small range of frozen food items." The new store opened to the public on Wednesday, Oct. 2024. Full story here (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)

The ‘No Name’ store will have shorter operating hours, with the store open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

"We’ve reduced the amount of deliveries a store like this would get," Jennifer Teixeira, Loblaw Hard Discount vice-president of operations, said. "Staff, we have about 12 colleagues who work here. So it allows us, when you take the complexity out of the day to day, it allows us to be able to provide value."

Loblaw says the new store will have “no refrigeration (no dairy or fresh meat products)”, limited marketing and no flyers, and the “smaller assortment means the store is less complicated to run.”

The stores will have a "small range of frozen food items," along with pantry staples, household necessities and shelf-stable bakery and produce items, including bread, bagels, apples, bananas, peppers and carrots, according to the company.

Loblaw says the new No Name grocery store in Brockville, Ont. will have no refrigeration items and a "small range of frozen food items." The new store opened to the public on Wednesday, Oct. 2024. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)

Shoppers were impressed with the store on the first day.

"Actually, it's amazing," Laura Decarlo said.

"We'll save a lot of money coming here," Janis George said.

"It is cheaper, but it's just as good as any other," Linda Mellon said.

Two other ‘No Name’ pilot stores are opening in St. Catharines and Windsor.

“Our goal is simple – providing food and essential household items across a limited range of national brands and no name brand products at our lowest possible price,” Per Bank, President and CEO of Loblaw, said in a statement in August.

“Since food inflation took off globally, we have been laser-focused on doing what we can to keep prices lower for customers, including opening more discount food locations in more parts of the country. This new test concept allows us to pass on lower prices to our customers – it’s a completely different and simplified shopping experience.”

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