Cornwall, Ontario, March 6, 2011 — After opening up their books, operations and management to careful scrutiny, Farm Boy has been named one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies. The fresh food retailer joins 49 other companies, spanning every region across the country and an array of industries, which have been recognized for business excellence.
 
Farm Boy operates nine fresh-food grocery stores in neighbourhood locations in Cornwall and Ottawa, with another store currently under construction.
 
"We are totally focused on the customer who wants a fresh food experience and unique private label- branded fresh products," says Jeff York, Chief Executive Officer. "The freshness and quality of our food is what initially attracts customers. It's also what ensures their loyalty as repeat customers."
 
Farm Boy's first store was opened in Cornwall in 1981 by Jean-Louis Bellemare. Over the next two decades, he and his brothers Normand and Daniel would expand to Ottawa, opening 8 more stores. Today, the company employs 1300 people in Cornwall and Ottawa.
 
Future expansion to Southwestern Ontario is likely, and could include a franchise or partnership model or perhaps conversions of independents, Mr. York says.
 
As befits a company focused on fresh products that include gluten-free, organic and products for special needs diets, Farm Boy devotes significant resources to environmental issues. The company opts to buy new, more efficient equipment rather than use old, inefficient equipment and it was one of the first retailers in Eastern Ontario to contract to buy 5% of its energy from renewable sources.
 
With regards to logistics, Farm Boy employs a hub-and-spoke distribution model based on a central facility, from where stores are fed within a two- to 2½-hour radius.
 
Farm Boy is an active sponsor of community events. Its charitable endeavours include some unique initiatives, including sending individual packages of fresh jujube candies at Christmas to Canadian military and peacekeepers abroad, certainly a sweat treat for those far from home.
 
With more opportunities ahead, Farm Boy continues to pride itself on providing the freshest products at the best possible prices. That is the core of the business and the key service that customers demand. But since the inception of Farm Boy, the Bellemare Brothers have not been satisfied with simply running a business. They take special steps to make shopping at Farm Boy a warm and fun, experience for all!
 
Farm Boy can be found in Cornwall at 814 Sydney Street, and online at www.FarmBoy.ca

About Canada's Best Managed Companies
Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies continues to be the mark of excellence for Canadian-owned and managed private companies with revenues over $10 million. Every year, since the launch of the program in 1993, hundreds of entrepreneurial companies have competed for this designation in a rigorous and independent process that evaluates their management skills and practices. Program sponsors are Deloitte, CIBC Commercial Banking, National Post and Queen's School of Business.

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Source: Choose Cornwall
Title: Farm Boy Named One of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies
Date Published: March 6, 2011
Date Accessed: August 8, 2013