Country Grocer - Vancouver Island Grocery Store

Celebrating over three decades on Vancouver Island and Salt Spring Island, family-owned and operated Country Grocer has earned a reputation as a truly local company with a deep commitment to our local communities and to the Island’s farmers, growers and producers.

Quite simply, Islanders know Islanders.

Our roots reach back to 1984 when Wally Large and Henry Zwynenburg founded Nanaimo’s Food Country. In 1986, Peter Cavin and spouse  Laura Cavin, launched Mr. Grocer in the Victoria community of Esquimalt a store in Royal Oak followed the next year.

After working together for a decade, our three groups came together formally in 1997 to create the Island Independent Buying Group, a 40,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution centre in Chemainus that allowed us to take advantage of greater buying power. For customers, that has meant access to more products and more competitive pricing.

Soon after, bringing the stores together under the Country Grocer banner meant improved continuity and recognition among staff and customers, while also acknowledging our growth and Island focus.

Today, 38 years after welcoming our first customers, Country Grocer has grown to eleven stores serving Greater Victoria, Salt Spring, Cobble Hill, Lake Cowichan, Nanaimo, Cedar, Chemainus, Ladysmith and Duncan/North Cowichan. We continue to grow and thrive by staying true to these same principles: provide our customers with quality products, competitive pricing, exceptional service and an unwavering commitment to the communities we serve.