Overwaitea Food Group
| |
Subsidiary | |
Industry | Supermarket |
Founded | 1915 |
Headquarters | Langley, British Columbia, Canada |
Key people | Jim Pattison |
Products |
Western Family Western Classics Good and Kind Value Priced |
Parent | Jim Pattison Group |
Website | owfg.com |
The Overwaitea Food Group is an operator of supermarkets, based in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. It is owned by the Jim Pattison Group.
On March 8, 1915, Robert C. Kidd purchased a store at 746 Columbia Street in New Westminster, British Columbia. He developed several innovative merchandising techniques to attract customers to his store including odd-penny pricing and selling 18 ounces of tea for the price of a pound. The store was soon known as the "over-weight tea" store. When Kidd opened his second store, he decided to call it "Overwaitea".
As of August 2015 the Overwaitea Food Group owned and operated 145 grocery stores in B.C. and Alberta under six different brand names. OFG later opened 4 stores in Saskatchewan and 3 stores in Winnipeg, Manitoba during 2016. Additionally, in 2017, a full-size store was opened in Whitehorse, Yukon.
In February 2014, it was announced that Overwaitea would purchase 15 stores from Sobey's, 3 in Alberta and 12 in British Columbia. The stores purchased were under the Safeway, Thrifty Foods and Sobey's banners and all will convert to become Save-On-Foods stores.[1] It was also announced that Overwaitea would convert 11 Pricesmart Foods locations to the Save-On-Foods brand.[2]
OFG employs over 15,000 team members, as of August 2015.
On March 22, 2018, the Overwaitea Foods banner became defunct with the closure of the last two locations in British Columbia, which were reopened the following day as Save-On-Foods stores.[3]
Store Banners
- Save-On-Foods
- Urban Fare
- PriceSmart Foods
- Bulkley Valley Wholesale
More Rewards
More Rewards is a coalition customer loyalty program run by Overwaitea Food Group. Points can be earned at OFG store banners, Petro Canada gas stations, Coast Hotels and on the Carrot Rewards app. The program also has a Visa credit card offered by Scotiabank.
References
- ↑ http://www.timescolonist.com/all-victoria-safeway-stores-sold-to-overwaitea-food-group-1.853373
- ↑ http://www.langleytimes.com/business/245265591.html
- ↑ "Final two Overwaitea stores in B.C. convert to Save-On-Foods". Grocery Business Magazine. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
External links