Choices Markets Burnaby Crest

Currently with seven Metro Vancouver locations (including our Rice Bakery) and our newest location in Kelowna, BC, Choices Markets is Western Canada’s largest retailer of natural and organic food. We are a 100% Canadian owned and operated family business.

Since opening their first store in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood on December 6th, 1990, founding partners Wayne and Lloyd Lockhart have committed themselves to natural and organic food retailing. From the beginning the brothers immediately began drawing a loyal cliental who loved the “boys’” commitment to green retailing. Fellow natural food enthusiast, Salim Ahmed, joined Wayne and Lloyd as their business partner in 1998. Since then these three wise entrepreneurs have actively expanded the number of their retail outlets. In addition to the their Kitsilano flagship store, the three partners have added 6 sister stores (3 more in Vancouver, 1 in Burnaby, 1 in South Surrey and 1 in Kelowna) and a rice bakery specializing in wheat-alternative baked goods

Although Wayne, Lloyd and Salim had been in the grocery industry for years, the beginning of Choices was somewhat of an accident. There was a shipment of organic rice cakes ordered by mistake. When customers nabbed the organic goods off the shelf in record time, ownership had a feeling they were on to something. From then on, Choices has been, and remains, Western Canada’s largest retailer of natural, organic and specialty foods.

While establishing a presence as a natural, organic grocer, Choices also gained recognition as an advocate of supporting the great number of BC dedicated food producers. In 20 years, the lasting relationships that Choices has built with local food producers are more than simply buy-and-sell transactions; they run much deeper. We set aside time to get to know the people who grow and produce the local foods that go home with Choices’ customers.

Choices has been a strong supporter of not only the farmers and food makers, but also local organizations that work toward building healthy, sustainable communities, whether through food, education, health or environmental initiatives. At the core, we believe that it takes more than good food to build strong communities. We are connected closely with organizations like FarmFolkCityFolk, elementary and secondary schools, community gardens, hospitals, community centres, environmental organizations, arts programs, sports teams, and more.