Crews were on site Saturday (March 16) at the former Safeway in Strawberry Hill. Sobeys “Career” page on its website shows the previously announced Fresh Co. could be opening in summer of 2019. (Photo: Lauren Collins)

Crews were on site Saturday (March 16) at the former Safeway in Strawberry Hill. Sobeys “Career” page on its website shows the previously announced Fresh Co. could be opening in summer of 2019. (Photo: Lauren Collins)

Crews work on two former Safeway locations in Surrey

Sobeys websites says Strawberry Hill Fresh Co. 'opening summer 2019'

The previously announced Fresh Co. grocery store in Strawberry Hill could be “opening summer 2019,” according to Sobeys.

RELATED: Discount grocery store to replace Surrey Safeway locations, Jan. 29, 2019

Sobeys “Careers” page on its website shows three job openings for management positions at the new Fresh Co. store in Strawberry Hill (7450 120th St.). The posting also says the Strawberry Hill Fresh Co. is “opening summer 2019.”

Jacquelin Weatherbee, director of external communications with Sobeys, told the Now-Leader that construction and renovations are underway at the new FreshCo locations, “which will open in the coming months.”

On Friday and Saturday (March 15 and 16), crews were seen work at both Surrey locations.

FreshCo is a Sobeys Inc. brand discount grocery store that has 95 locations, all of them in Ontario.

Back in January, Sobeys Inc. announced Fresh Co. would be opening in the former Safeway locations in Strawberry Hill and Newton, as well as in 10 other locations in B.C. and Manitoba.

The Jan. 29 release also said five locations in Western Canada – three in B.C. and two in Manitoba – were expected to open in the spring of 2019, but the release didn’t state which locations that would be. An additional seven stores are expected to open in B.C. “in the first half of fiscal 2020, depending on timing of construction schedules and permits.”

About a year ago, Sobeys announced the closure of the Strawberry Hill and Newton Safeway locations “for financial reasons.” The closures put 251 Surrey employees out of work.

READ ALSO: Safeway closures at two Surrey stores will end 251 jobs, Jan. 24, 2018

READ ALSO: Safeway union urges rejection of mediator recommendations, Aug. 17, 2018


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