Freshlocal Solutions Inc. is an online grocer, wholesale distributor, store operator and software licensing company based in Vancouver. The company was founded as Small Potatoes Urban Delivery in 1997. In September 2021 Freshlocal went under new executive leadership which resulted in key leadership changeover and in May 2022 it filed for bankruptcy protection.[3]

Freshlocal Solutions Inc.
FormerlySustainable Produce Urban Delivery
Small Potatoes Urban Delivery
Company typeDefunct, Certified B Corporation
TSX: LOCL
IndustryRetail (Grocery)
FoundedVancouver, British Columbia (1997)
Area served
Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton
Key people
Simon Cairns CEO, Jeffery King CTO Adrienne Uy EVP[1][2] (CEO)
Number of employees
~900 (2017)
Websitewww.spud.ca

Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery

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Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery, or SPUD.ca, is a bankrupt[citation needed] online grocery service operating in British Columbia and Alberta that predominantly focuses on selling organic groceries while losing money.[4][failed verification]

Be Fresh Local Markets

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Be Fresh Local Market, located at 1900 West 1st Ave in Vancouver

In August 2015, Spud.ca opened its first retail store and café, located in the Kitsilano neighbourhood of Vancouver.[5] The stores are located in urban areas and carry a limited amount of products, in addition to ready-made meals.[6] The stores also serve as an order pick-up point for online orders.[7] Most locations are owned by Spud.ca; however, the company has partnered with existing small format retailers in Vancouver and provides these retailers with distribution.

Food-X

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Food-X is a subsidiary of Spud which operates the back-end operations, warehousing, and fulfillment of grocery items on behalf of partner retailers.[8] They operate a 74,000-square-foot warehouse in Burnaby to fulfill orders to Metro Vancouver residents.[9] In February 2018, Walmart announced that Food-X would handle their e-commerce grocery platform in Vancouver.[10]

Blush Lane

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Blush Lane Organic Market is a grocery store chain in Alberta, acquired by Spud in 2017.[11]

References

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  1. ^ foodnavigator-usa.com (26 March 2020). "Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Food-X Technologies offers solutions to grocers navigating e-commerce". foodnavigator-usa.com. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  2. ^ Dobie, Cayley (26 October 2018). "Food-X is saving the planet, one grocery delivery at a time". Burnaby Now. Retrieved 2020-07-10.
  3. ^ Kronbauer, Bob (26 June 2012). "Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery (SPUD.ca!) for a family of 3". Vancouver is Awesome. Glacier Media.
  4. ^ Penner, Derrick (31 October 2013). "Online groceries must be convenient, reliable and 'reasonably priced', says one experienced shopper". Vancouver Sun. Postmedia Network. Archived from the original on 16 August 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  5. ^ Sherman, David (8 September 2016). "Online grocer gets a storefront". Canadian Grocer. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  6. ^ Korstrom, Glen (31 August 2015). "Spud.ca adding roots with new storefront". Vancouver Courier. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  7. ^ Korstrom, Glen (30 August 2015). "Spud.ca joins the trend of online retailers opening storefronts". Business In Vancouver. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  8. ^ "Walmart to Expand Home Delivery to Vancouver with Food-X Partnership". Toronto Sun. 21 February 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  9. ^ Kwan, Tammy (21 February 2018). "Walmart Canada teams up with Food-X to launch sustainable grocery delivery service in Metro Vancouver this summer". The Georgia Straight. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  10. ^ Shaw, Hollie (21 February 2018). "Walmart courts urban Vancouver customers with launch of fresh grocery delivery service". National Post. Retrieved 22 February 2018.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ Falconer, Kirk (13 December 2018). "SPUD.ca secures $11 mln to advance Food-X delivery platform". Private Equity Hub. Retrieved 23 February 2019.

Further reading

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