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Local independent grocery chain rebrands with new look and same great quality

Local grocery chain Donald’s Market’s Commercial Drive, Port Coquitlam and New Westminster locations are now operating under a new name: City Avenue Market.

Local grocery chain Donald’s Market’s Commercial Drive, Port Coquitlam and New Westminster locations are now operating under a new name: City Avenue Market.

While the name has changed, City Avenue Market is still an independent grocery store that is 100% Canadian owned and operated by the same family and team.

“We have a new name, but the same team you know and love continues to serve your community,” says Gary Joe, director of City Avenue Market. “We continue to provide the same commitment, service, and quality which you have come to expect from us.”

City Avenue Market is an independently owned and operated neighbourhood market serving its local communities. Because of its strong connection to the community, City Avenue Market opted to stay open to continue to serve its customers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re here to serve the community and we’re all in this together,” Joe says. “Our customers live close by and we want to make sure they have the essentials so they can cook at home.”

City Avenue Market also stepped up its health and safety measures in the store, enforcing physical distancing, installing plexiglass to protect its cashiers and customers, and introducing frequent cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch surfaces.

“We wanted to make sure our staff and customers felt safe coming here,” Joe says. “Even after COVID-19, we are going to continue with our enhanced cleaning processes.”

Packed with goodness, the grocery chain prides itself on offering a large variety of local and specialty products, at affordable prices. City Avenue Market is ecologically mindful and exercises sustainable environmentally-conscious practices. The grocery chain recently eliminated plastic shopping bags from its stores, offering its customers kraft paper bags in their place.

“Our reasoning for successfully discontinuing plastic bags in our stores is that there is so much harmful plastic polluting the world,” Joe says. “If everyone can come together to reduce plastic waste, we could make a big difference.”

City Avenue Market is working to reduce its environmental footprint further by phasing out plastic produce bags from its stores, reminding customers to only use them when absolutely necessary.

For Donald’s Market customers who were collecting rewards points, City Avenue Market honours those points and matches them to their new rewards program. Soon, they’ll be able to access their rewards points balance through a mobile app the grocer is developing that will be available to customers shortly.

“The mobile app is under testing right and will be out soon,” Joe says. “This app is to encourage customer loyalty. They’ll be able to see pricing, check their points and gift card balances, and see our flyers and specials. Plus, if they sign up with their names and birthdates, they’ll be eligible for a special deal on their birthdays.”

In addition to its facelift, the new City Avenue Markets will now be offering everyday lower prices.

“Since the transition to City Avenue Market, our everyday low prices have gone down a lot. They’re all better,” Joe says. “Everyone has bills to pay. Rent, mortgage, and everyday costs are so expensive. We want to provide something that is affordable and organic in a neighbourhood store, where customers can get the best deals for their shopping needs.”

As an independently owned local company in the lower mainland, City Avenue Market aims to contribute to the local economy by stocking goods from companies that are also local and independent.

“We are here to serve our neighbourhood,” Joe says. “Some grocers can get all of their goods from the same two vendors. We work with over 500 of them because we try to buy independently and locally. Some of the small vendors we work with only offer one or two products but we think it’s important to offer them and support our local economy. It’s a cycle. We hope that by supporting our neighbourhood vendors, our customers will choose to support us.”

City Avenue Market also tries its best to source its available produce locally, especially during the summer season.

“We do our best to turn to Osooyoos and the Okanagan for our produce items,” Joe says.

In addition to its local, fresh, and organic offerings, City Avenue Market is committed to responsive customer service and is always open to feedback.

“Every now and then our customer will tell us about an item that they want us to stock and we will do our very best to get it for them,” Joe says. “Service wise, we get on top of it. We always try to be there for our customers and listen to them.”

For more information about City Avenue Market, visit its website at www.cityavenuemarket.ca.