Save-On-Foods facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Save-On-Foods

Type	Subsidiary
Industry	Supermarket
Founded	1982; 43 years ago (1982) British Columbia
Headquarters	Langley, British Columbia, Canada
Number of locations	177 Stores
Key people	Jim Pattison
Products	Grocery, General Merchandise, Pharmacy, Personal Care, Wine (Select Stores)
Brands	Western Family Only Goodness
Revenue	$1 billion
Number of employees	21,842 (2021)
Parent	Pattison Food Group

Fresh produce and prepared foods at a Save-On-Foods store.

Inside a Save-On-Foods store, showing the aisles.

Online shopping order pick-up fridges at a Save-On-Foods store.

Save-On-Foods is a popular chain of supermarkets found across Western Canada. It is owned by a company called the Pattison Food Group.

These stores sell many different things. You can find well-known brands and also their own special brands. These special brands are called private label brands, like Western Family and Only Goodness. Many Save-On-Foods stores have a pharmacy where you can get medicines. Some locations offer extra services too. These might include tours to learn about healthy eating or even small health clinics. You might also find coffee shops like Starbucks or Tim Hortons inside. Some stores even have juice bars or sections for local wines. Today, Save-On-Foods has about 180 stores. They are located in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Yukon Territory.

The Story of Save-On-Foods

How Save-On-Foods Started

The Save-On-Foods name first appeared in British Columbia in 1982. It was started by a company called Overwaitea Foods. Overwaitea Foods had been around for a long time, since 1915. A famous businessman named Jimmy Pattison bought Overwaitea in 1968.

Over time, most of the Overwaitea stores slowly changed their name to Save-On-Foods. This started in the 1980s. The very last two Overwaitea stores became Save-On-Foods in 2018.

Growing Across Canada

The first Save-On-Foods store in Alberta opened in 1990 in Edmonton. In 1992, the store launched a special card for loyal shoppers. It was first called the Save-On-More card. Later, it was renamed More Rewards. This card helps customers save money and earn points.

Save-On-Foods also has its name on a sports arena. It's called the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre Arena in Victoria, British Columbia. In 2004, the Jim Pattison Group agreed to pay money to have the arena named after Save-On-Foods.

In February 2014, Save-On-Foods announced big news. They were taking over 14 stores on Vancouver Island. These stores were owned by Sobeys, and many were Safeway or Thrifty Foods stores. Also, 11 of their own PriceSmart Foods stores were changed to Save-On-Foods.

Until 2015, Save-On-Foods stores were only in British Columbia and Alberta. But in July 2015, they shared plans to open many new stores. They wanted to open up to 40 stores in Manitoba and Saskatchewan over the next few years. The first of these new stores opened in 2016. This included three stores in Winnipeg and four in Saskatchewan.

In March 2016, it was announced that Save-On-Foods would also expand to northern Canada. They planned to open a store in Whitehorse, Yukon, in 2017.

For a short time in 2017, Save-On-Foods sold products from a UK grocery chain called Tesco. This partnership ended in early 2019.

Where to Find Save-On-Foods Stores

Save-On-Foods has many locations across Western Canada. Here's a look at where you can find them:

Alberta Stores

There are 49 Save-On-Foods locations in Alberta.

British Columbia Stores

British Columbia has the most Save-On-Foods stores, with 118 locations.

Manitoba Stores

There are 5 Save-On-Foods locations in Manitoba.

Saskatchewan Stores

Saskatchewan has 7 Save-On-Foods locations.

Yukon Store

The Yukon Territory has 1 Save-On-Foods location.

More to Explore

• List of supermarket chains in Canada
• Urban Fare