Newfoundland Independent Retailer Honoured with National Retail Council of Canada/Visa Ambassador Award
Bidgood Family of Bidgood's Supermarket Recognized for Commitment to Community
Toronto, May 25, 2007 – Retail Council of Canada (RCC) announced today that independent retailer Bidgood's Supermarket, a family-owned and operated business serving Newfoundlanders for more than 50 years, will be honoured with the Visa Ambassador Award at the upcoming STORE Conference in Toronto June 4-5. Bidgood's Supermarket is being recognized for its contributions to its community and to the retail industry in Newfoundland.
"The Bidgood family embodies the true meaning of what the retail Ambassador Award represents," says Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO, Retail Council of Canada. "Bidgood's Supermarket is an integral part of the community by supporting seniors and youth, whether it's supplying transportation services, holding an annual fun day, or granting scholarships to local high school students. We are thrilled to present this award to Bidgood's Supermarket in recognition of its important role as an ambassador in the community."
"We are thrilled to be recognized by the Canadian retail industry with the Visa Ambassador Award," says Rick Bidgood, Store Manager, Bidgood's Supermarket. "As a family-owned and operated business, we believe it's imperative to contribute to the lives of those people in your community, and we try to do that every day. I wish to thank Retail Council of Canada and Visa Canada for honouring Bidgood's Supermarket with this award and I humbly accept it on behalf of all our employees who embody our philosophy."
"Bidgood's Supermarket exemplifies the spirit of the Visa Ambassador Award through its commitment to the community and the retail industry as a whole," says Frank Van Nie, Vice President, Relationship Management, Visa Canada. "We at Visa are continually inspired by the heartfelt commitment demonstrated by retailers. Through this award, Visa proudly recognizes Bidgood's Supermarket for its community contributions, customer loyalty and retailing excellence."
Since 1947, Bidgood's Supermarket has been the premier source for traditional Newfoundland food and crafts. Roger and Jenny Bidgood originally opened the business to showcase their love and appreciation of Newfoundland, its resources and its people. Today, Bidgood's Supermarket can look back on the past 60 years of business, which grew from a small outport general store into a wholesale operation, and eventually into Bidgood's Supermarket. Over the years, Bidgood's Supermarket has accumulated a loyal customer base that is seeking traditional Newfoundland products, hospitality and service.
While Bidgood's Supermarket is a fixture on the Newfoundland retail scene, the organization is being honoured with the Visa Ambassador Award for its long-standing commitment to their community. Bidgood's Supermarket is an active supporter of a wide variety of organizations and causes in the community of Goulds and surrounding areas. In 1988, Roger Bidgood donated the Bidgood Salt Fish Plant and property to the town of Petty Harbour/Maddox Cove, to be used as a Tourist site to help enhance the community's economy. In 2000, the Bidgood family donated 38 acres of land to the City of St. John's for development of a public park in Goulds. Today, Bidgood's Supermarket funds a special mini-bus service that transports seniors from their homes in St. John's and surrounding areas to Bidgood's Supermarket for a weekly shopping trip. In addition, Bidgood's Supermarket partners with a local recreation centre each summer to host a Summer Blast Day for youth, free of charge. Approximately 300 children are treated to a private movie viewing, water activities, a barbecue and a dance under the stars. Bidgood's Supermarket is also a proud supporter of education by making an annual donation to local elementary and high schools to support music programs, library services and sports teams. Local high school students benefit from Bidgood's Supermarket's annual scholarship program, while the Goulds Soccer Association receives an annual donation of $11,000 to encourage physical activity and team sports.
The Visa Ambassador Award will be presented to Rick Bidgood on behalf of the retail industry at a gala dinner on Monday, June 4, 2007. The dinner, part of STORE 2007 — Canada's Retail Conference, will take place at the Toronto Congress Centre from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
For more information about STORE 2007, Canada's Retail Conference, log on to www.storeconference.ca.
About Retail Council of Canada
Retail Council of Canada (www.retailcouncil.org) is the Voice of Retail. It is a not-for-profit association representing more than 40,000 stores of all retail formats, including independent merchants, regional and national mass and specialty chains, and online merchants.
About Visa
Visa connects cardholders, merchants and financial institutions through the world's largest electronic payments network. Visa products allow buyers and sellers to conduct commerce with ease and confidence in both the physical and virtual worlds. Visa is committed to the sustained growth of electronic payment systems to support the needs of all stakeholders and to drive economic growth.
Visa products currently generate more than $US 4 trillion in sales volume worldwide. Visa enjoys unsurpassed acceptance around the world. In addition, Visa/Plus is one of the world's largest global ATM networks, offering case access in local currency in over 170 countries. Within Canada, financial institutions have issued more than 29 million Visa cards, accounting for $168 billion in sales volume in 2006. For more information, visit www.visa.ca.
Media are invited to attend STORE 2007. For more information and to RSVP, contact: Stephanie Petroff, Manager, National Public Affairs, (416) 922-0553, ext. 228; e-mail: spetroff@retailcouncil.org; or Meredith Smith, Account Manager, Pipeline Communications, (416) 694-2777, ext. 223; e-mail: meredith@pipelinecommunications.ca.