IGA

When it comes to looks, Fresh St. is definitely a step up from the IGA that used to be there. But the improvements don’t stop at appearances.nnI'll start with what motivated me to write this review: #BuyCanadian. This Fresh St. is by far the grocery store I’ve seen make the greatest effort to highlight Canadian-made products, and the one with the widest variety of them. Everything is clearly labeled with flags or a Buy BC tag. They even have a section of frozen goods dedicated solely to Canadian made. There's even a section of frozen goods dedicated solely to Canadian-made items. This is my go-to place for greens from UP Vertical Farms, grown here in BC.nnThe new hot/ready to eat stations are great, offering tasty food and great soups. The new bakery makes good baguettes and a delicious walnut cookie.nnThe produce section is well-presented and consistently fresh, with many items appearing to be locally sourced. I even found Canadian-grown onions here, which I haven’t been able to find elsewhere.nnCustomer service here is great, everyone is friendly. The store layout works well, and everything is clean and organized.nnThat said, despite all the improvements, there’s clearly been a price increase. This new Fresh St. is more expensive than the larger grocery chains.nnP.S.: Flower bouquets there are beautiful and often cheaper than at nearby stores.

Pleased to see this store’s been revamped and is now Fresh Street Market!nn•Produce: vibrant, fresh. Plenty appear to be locally sourced and reasonably priced.nn•Bakery: wonderfully aromatic. Cookies, cakes, and breads were appetizing. The samples available were good; clearly, everything’s made with real ingredients I’m aware how bizarre that is to say, but when you know, you know.nn•Hot & Ready Meals: savory smells grab your attention. Ample stock for the almost dinner rush, and even better, nothing looked like it’d been sitting under a heat lamp all day.nn•Deli + Butcher: large-assortment. Again, all looked fresh, and reasonably priced since they appear to carry higher-quality.nnVery early days for this location, fingers crossed they maintain this excellent level of cleanliness, organization, quality, and deals!

I’ll start by saying the staff at this store are great, especially the cashiers. They’re always friendly and helpful. My review is not directed at them.nnI’ve been VERY disappointed at the store’s chain’s? utter failure to accurately label Canadian vs non-Canadian food. I’m attaching one photo as an example but it’s just one of many. They’re labeling US products as Canadian, and they’re also skipping putting labels on actual Canadian products what??. It’s like they’re just randomly putting stickers wherever, without even trying. Come on…. Do better!nnAnd don’t get me started on the price jumps and weird layout since the renos…. It’s frustrating, especially since it’s the only full grocery store in the neighbourhood so we don’t have other options.

Have come here a few items when I needed something quickly that has been forgotten and not worth a drive to a different store. Prices were reasonable and impressed that they had a lot of freshly made items that you could have for a quick meal or take home and put together and elaborate meal altogether.nnThe cashier's are friendly. Would come back and shop again when I need to.

Fresh Market offers a wide variety of items, but it’s not the most budget-friendly compared to other markets.nIt’s helpful in a pinch, especially if you’re in a rush or have an emergency.nnAs for the food more like a hot buffet than fast food, they offer things like wings, curries, and lots of rice options. Personally, I didn’t enjoy the flavor much, but it works if you’re in a hurry.nnI paid around $16 CAD, which felt a bit high for the quality.nOnly recommended if you’re in a rush—there are better restaurants nearby, especially around the Seabus station.