Montreal, June 3, 2015 – The Joy of Eating Better movement launched a year ago by Sobeys Québec and its IGA merchants took top honours yesterday at the Prix d’excellence awards gala presented by Société québécoise des professionnels en relations publiques (SQPRP). Sobeys Québec actually walked away with two awards at this event aimed at recognizing public relations and communications excellence in Quebec. These distinctions reflect the passion and hard work of the employees, merchants, suppliers, and partners who joined forces to make a concrete, lasting impact on the lives of Quebecers.
Sobeys Québec was first presented with the Platinum award in the Strategic Excellence – Overall Public Relations category for the quality and attention to detail that went into developing and rolling out the 360° communication strategy surrounding the launch of its Joy of Eating Better movement. It also received the Gold award in the Tactical Excellence – Events category for its organization of a food forum for its suppliers. The goal of this big event, which brought together some 450 people last fall, was to encourage suppliers to offer Quebecers products that are innovative or offer better nutritional value to contribute to a healthier Quebec.
The Joy of Eating Better: It’s just the beginning
Sobeys Québec is very proud to have won these awards, which come just a week after it celebrated the first anniversary of the movement: “The Joy of Eating Better is a vision that we’ve turned into reality. It’s not a marketing campaign, it’s a movement that influences everything we do,” said Marie-Noëlle Cano, director of communications at Sobeys Québec. “And this is just the beginning. We’re committed to doing even more to help Quebecers eat better,” she added.
An across-the-board success
A year ago Sobeys Québec wanted to find a way to put its food expertise to work to counter increasing obesity rates. That’s what prompted it to create this new movement, which is based on four main principles (cooking, exploring, making responsible choices, and healthy eating) designed to help people take joy in eating better.
For Sobeys Québec and its banners, including IGA, the launch and rollout of its Joy of Eating Better movement is a huge success on many levels. For instance, a recent survey of people in charge of household food purchases demonstrated that IGA allows them to:
- Eat healthier (84%)
- Cook more at home (81%)
- Access local products (81%)
- Discover new flavours (79%)
An initiative praised by the industry
The Joy of Eating Better movement has also recently earned recognition in various competitions and awards presentations. It was named people’s choice and took top honours in the Communications Large Commercial Food Enterprise category in the DUX contest, which celebrates initiatives that help Quebecers eat healthier. It was also a finalist for an award at the Retail Council of Canada (RCC) Excellence in Retailing Awards Gala.
Sobeys would like to share these awards with and thank its employees, merchants, and partners, who have all worked so hard to make a real difference in peoples’ lives.
About Sobeys Québec
Sobeys Québec is a subsidiary of Sobeys Inc., wholly owned by Empire Company Limited. Headquartered in Montréal-Nord, Sobeys Québec operates several banners, including IGA, Les Marchés Tradition, Marché Bonichoix, Rachelle-Béry health food stores, and various convenience stores. The goal of Sobeys Québec is to be an unparalleled creator of experiences that inspire Quebecers to eat better. It therefore chooses top-tier partners and constantly innovates to offer consumers better choices.
Information:
Laurie Fossat
laurie.fossat@sobeys.com
514-324-1010, ext. 2158