Urban Grocer | Above & Beyond for Gluten-Free Shoppers

Sylvia, Grocery Manager

The recent arrival of Urban Grocer on The Celiac Scene warranted an in-person visit! I popped by their location at the junction of Oak Bay Ave & Fort Street – right next door to Shopper’s Drug Mart – to get to know them better.

Urban Grocer is committed to reviving the grocery tradition. They know what they are talking about! They have been in the grocery business on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands for more than 50 years.

I was happy to see that there was plenty of parking, right out front, along the side of the store and in the parking lot they share with Shopper’s. As you enter, a weekly hard-copy flyer is available by the cashier – who does that these days?! So nice to be able to leaf through it as you tour the aisles.

Keona, their Marketing & Outreach Coordinator, walked me through this deceptively large and airy space. Not only were their long aisles shelves beautifully organized – gluten-free (and keto) shelf labels helped to guide me to the many brands I recognized.

Urban Grocer prides itself on supporting Island Good, hyper-local brands including many of our faves! MAiiZ Tortillas, Mole and Salsas! Poke Fresh Gluten-Free, Vegan Sauces & so much more! Staff were not only friendly, they were happy to be of service – and pose for pics. They are sincerely keen to receive our product requests. I noticed QR codes throughout the store that allow shoppers to provide them with suggestions or feedback – on the spot. How cool is that!

BIG NEWS! Urban Grocer is bringing in the highly sought-after Little Northern Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns! Just in time for BBQ season. Look for them in the freezer section.

Keona assembles Urban Grocer’s weekly flyer and is now tagging which items are gluten-free. She makes sure they are! For our safety – she personally checks each item for a gluten-free label. Above and beyond!

Please scroll down for pictures of my tour, and to learn more about this one-of-a kind grocer!

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