With seven straight years as one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies, Quality Foods will open its newest store in Langford this summer with yet another honour under its belt.
The Qualicum Beach-based grocery chain and co-founders Ken Schley and John Briulo this week were named to Deloitte’s Platinum Club for ongoing business excellence under the Canada’s Best Managed Companies program.
The platinum standing recognizes companies with six or more consecutive years of qualification under the prestigious program, which looks at operational and financial criteria. The achievement follows Quality Foods’ gold standard award attained in 2010.
“It takes in the entire business from front to back. It’s not just community involvement or customer service,” Quality Foods marketing director Rob McKay said of the program. “We’re pretty proud of that, as it includes everybody inside of our company and all of our suppliers.”
The company is one of about 120 program members with platinum status nationally, but the standing is far more rare in the grocery industry, with only a handful such firms on the list.
Quality Foods is excited about moving into Greater Victoria for the first time, McKay said, and has been welcomed “with open arms” by the community in Langford.
“We’re getting emails from people asking us when we’ll be open,” he said.
While opportunity played a big part in determining location – the vacated former Ashley Furniture store on Langford Parkway is being converted for the new store –the presence of numerous families on the West Shore and the overall community feeling were just as important, McKay said.
“To feel welcome like that and to go into a community like that is very exciting.”
Up to 100 staff will eventually be hired for the Langford store. A second location in the area is planned for the Eagle Creek Village development proposed for Helmcken Road and Watkiss Way near Victoria General Hospital in View Royal. It would likely open sometime in 2015.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com