Canada’s Greenest Grocer Puts Down Roots in Ontario with 10th Store

(Victoria, BC) - – Planet Organic Markets, the group of Canadian-born organic grocery stores recently hailed as this country’s “greenest” grocer, is vigorously putting down roots in Ontario with its 10th store opening in Markham on Oct. 20.

The Markham store at 8190 Bayview Avenue is the third Ontario location and joins Port Credit and Vaughan in the growing list of Planet Organic Markets in the greater Toronto area.

Earlier this year, Corporate Knights magazine ranked Planet Organic Markets number one in Canada in its Green Grocer survey. Planet Organic achieved an overall “A” grade and outranked all national grocery chains for their excellent track record in stocking a wide variety of organic, fair-trade and environmentally-friendly products as well as integrating consumer education and sustainability into its operations.

Diane Shaskin, Co-Founder of Planet Organic Markets, celebrates the opening of her 10th store The Planet Organic Market concept was born after Diane Shaskin had a typically frustrating grocery shopping experience. She was standing under the chill of fluorescent lights in a long checkout line at a grocery store chain in Edmonton in the spring of 1992 and thought to herself “there has got to be a better way.”

“I can’t be the only one who doesn’t want to roam up and down endless aisles of junk food and walk a mile to pick up a jug of milk.”

Shaskin opened Terra Natural Food Market in Edmonton in 1993, and the first Planet Organic Market came to life in Edmonton a few years later. Planet Organic has flourished since that beginning, with a second Edmonton store in 2006 joining stores in Victoria, Port Coquitlam, Calgary (two locations), Vaughan, Port Credit and Halifax. Planet Organic Market’s bottom line is as healthy as its groceries, and more stores are in the works for the Greater Toronto Area.

The key principal at Planet Organic Market is offering high-quality, organic food – all fruits and vegetables, for example, are 100% certified organic. But the shopping experience is just as important – and just as much cared for. There are no fluorescent lights, endless aisles of empty calories, disgruntled clerks or rock-hard produce picked and packed before it’s ripe.

“People want an alternative, “ Diane Shaskin says. “They want to shop where it feels good and where the store is laid out on a human scale with products that are healthy and delicious.”

Besides its fresh, organic produce section, each Planet Organic Market has dairy and frozen foods, breads and packaged foods, supplements and personal care products as well as a deli counter that features original recipes prepared in Planet Organic’s kitchens.

Add to this the many consumer seminars, tastings and special events that are held at every store and you have a recipe for healthy, delicious eating – and a great shopping experience. Recipes and food tips can also be found on the website at www.planetorganic.ca.

For more information, please go to www.planetorganic.ca

Media contacts:
Alan Thompson / Store Management Coordinator
Planet Organic Market
250.217.1527 (cell)
athompson@planetorganic.ca

Diane Shaskin / Co-Founder
Planet Organic Markets
Phone: 250-727-0867
dshaskin@planetorganic.ca

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