There’s a new grocer in Aldergrove in place of Safeway.
On Thursday morning, FreshCo at 27566 Fraser Hwy. opened its doors to the public. The first things customers will see as they walk in will be rows of colourful produce and the colour green.
The discount grocer’s newest location occupies the larger, left side of the downtown building, which was divided into two units after Safeway closed in May after 40 years in operation.
Store owner Ben Wade said that the Sobeys-owned franchise, on average, will offer residents a 30 per cent reduction in their grocery costs.
Wade – a former Safeway manager and current Langley resident – has been working to train 120 new hires over the last month, 19 of who worked for the old Safeway.
“They have been a huge help,” Wade emphasized.
READ MORE: Aldergrove FreshCo gears up for grand opening
Behind the large produce section is a pre-packaged selection of deli and smoked meats that wraps around to the store’s back wall.
Its bakery, in the same area, will be, stocked continuously with goods from Canada Bread.
At the back of the location a pharmacy can be found, with the same pharmacists many locals got used to being seeing in the same building for years.
“Some I worked with back in 2008 when I relocated from Vancouver Island,” Wade said.
“Power aisles” consisting of wooden pallets showcase the store’s “best-priced” items. The grocer will price-match flyers from other stores and carries bulk foods, Wade added.
It also allows for store returns within 14 days if patrons are unsatisfied with their purchase.
“We’re coming up with [product] pricing that no [other grocer] can touch,” Wade touted.
FreshCo will have a much larger ethnic food section, including South Asian and East Asian products, Wade said.
“I have been told that the South Asian community is very excited for our arrival” in Aldergrove, Wade elaborated.
Aisle three is exclusively international foods.
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On the right-back side of the store is the dairy section, and wall-to-wall coolers with frozen foods that extend around to the front checkout area.
At FreshCo’s grand opening, Wade presented the Langley Food Bank with a $2,500 donation for its Aldergrove location.
The store also has its own food bank packages for purchase, bags of food that goes directly to the local food bank and families in need.
