Ontario Craft Brewers salute Loblaw's commitment to community of local beer craftsman and drinkers.

BRAMPTON, ON, Dec. 15, 2015 /CNW/ - Loblaw Companies Limited will begin the sale of beer today in 19 of its Ontario grocery stores - including the select Loblaws, Real Canadian Superstore, Your Independent Grocer, and Fortinos locations listed below. The stores will eventually stock hundreds of beer varieties, with equal representation of Ontario's local or craft beer and multinational brands.

"Our customers shop with us for all the flavours and ingredients of great meals, and today we can better serve that demand with the announcement that beer is here," said Grant Froese, Chief Operating Officer, Loblaw Companies Limited. "This is a historic first step for our company and for the Ontario government, giving customers the greater convenience of shopping for groceries and beer in one stop. We expect great demand and customer anticipation for more opportunity in our local stores throughout the province, consistent with the government's planned roll-out."

The 19 stores will begin beer sales today with a tailored initial assortment of brands. As the assortment and display space expands into January, the largest-format beer sections could include more than 200 varieties of import, domestic and Ontario craft beer. The company intends to allocate 50 per cent of shelf space to local or craft beer, and will provide additional opportunities for regional favourites on a store-by-store basis.

"With the opportunity to stock beer, we will become a destination for local and craft-beer lovers," said Froese. "We have found a great partner in The Ontario Craft Brewers."

"We salute Loblaw's commitment to Ontario craft brewers and its exceptional efforts to provide us new retail opportunities," said John Hay, President, Ontario Craft Brewers. "The province has a vibrant community of craft brewers and we expect Loblaw's business to create new energy and new opportunities to connect Ontario customers with Ontario beer throughout the province."

The following stores begin beer sales today:

• Newmarket: Real Canadian Superstore, 18120 Yonge St
• Georgetown: Real Canadian Superstore, 171 Guelph Street
• Etobicoke: Loblaws, 380 The East Mall
• Oshawa: Real Canadian Superstore, 1385 Harmony Rd N.
• Mississauga: Loblaws, 5010 Glen Erin Dr.
• Toronto: Loblaws, 50 Musgrave Street
• Toronto: Real Canadian Superstore, 2549 Weston Rd
• Toronto: Real Canadian Superstore, 51 Gerry Fitzgerald (Dufferin & Steeles)
• Toronto: Loblaws, 17 Leslie St (Leslie & Lakeshore)
• Cambridge: Zehrs, 400 Conestoga Blvd.
• London: Oakridge Mall Real Canadian Superstore, 1201 Oxford St. W.
• Kitchener: Highland Hills Real Canadian Superstore, 875 Highland Ave. W.
• Windsor: Real Canadian Superstore, 4371 Walker Rd.
• Hamilton: Fortinos, 65 Mall Rd.
• Ottawa: South Kanata Real Canadian Superstore, 760 Eagleson Road
• Ottawa: Loblaws College Square Market, 1980 Baseline Rd.
• Kingston: Loblaws, 1100 Princess St.
• Stittsville: Browns Your Independent Grocer, 1251 Main St. 
• Thunder Bay: Real Canadian Superstore, 971 Carrick Street

About Loblaw Companies Limited
Loblaw Companies Limited is Canada's food and pharmacy leader, the nation's largest retailer, and the majority unit holder of Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust. Loblaw provides Canadians with grocery, pharmacy, health and beauty, apparel, general merchandise, banking, and wireless mobile products and services. With more than 2,300 corporate, franchised and Associate-owned locations, Loblaw, its franchisees, and Associate-owners employ approximately 192,000 full and part-time employees, making it one of Canada's largest private sector employers.

Loblaw's purpose - Live Life Well - puts first the needs and well-being of Canadians who make one billion transactions annually in the companies' stores. Loblaw is positioned to meet and exceed those needs in many ways: convenient locations; more than 1,050 grocery stores that span the value spectrum from discount to specialty; full-service pharmacies at more than 1,250 Shoppers Drug Mart® and Pharmaprix® locations and more than 500 Loblaw locations; PC Financial® no-fee banking; affordable Joe Fresh® fashion and family apparel; and three of Canada's top consumer brands in Life Brand®, no name® and President's Choice®. Through the PC Plus® and Shoppers Optimum® loyalty programs, more than one in every three Canadians are rewarded for shopping with the companies.

SOURCE Loblaw Companies Limited

Image with caption: "Local, craft and multinational beer brands come to 19 Loblaw locations across Ontario (CNW Group/Loblaw Companies Limited)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20151215_C9620_PHOTO_EN_44576.jpg