This week in A&P History we take a look at the Canadian Dominion supermarket. This chain was bought by A&P in 1985, along with many other chains, including Farmer Jack (Bormans), Food Emporium, and Waldbaum's. A&P had been putting the focus on its 'most profitable' line of stores, which was in Canada. Dominion was the banner A&P used for their Toronto area stores, but also used it in other parts of Canada as well, including Quebec, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.
Dominion stores included the basic A&P decor packages, models, products, and even commercials (the repetitive 'Dominion' commercial was also used for A&P) and slogans. I personally think that A&P should've never given up its Canada wing... they should have pulled their Farmer Jack stores first. It's interesting that corporate said that this was "the most profitable line", even though it was closed before anything else, practically.
Just to show how similar Dominion was to A&P Canada, here's the Front Street Bakery commercial that I started my return with, with both A&P's version, and Dominion's version, side-by-side. Play them both, if you'd like.
Dominion stores were one of the highest rated supermarkets in Canada, of course with A&P being right by their side the whole time. In 2009, A&P ended relations with their Canadian chain and exited the area, selling all stores to Metro, which A&P would still have ties with for using the Food Basics name in the U.S.
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