Demand for Asian, Middle Eastern groceries spurs plans for 2nd Multifood Supermarket location

How big is the demand for East Asian, South Asian, and halal groceries in Windsor?

Big enough that the owners of the city's largest multicultural grocery store — Multifood Supermarket — are planning to expand with a second location in the east end.

Qing Qing Lin, head of Multifood in Windsor, said the idea came about "according to the market."

"I think Windsor [can] have a bigger international supermarket," Lin explained.

The ambitious project will transform a lot at 1286 Lauzon Rd. into a plaza: Along with a supermarket building, the site will have up to seven units for business tenants. "Some other restaurants," Lin said.

With a total property space of more than 60,000 square feet, the plaza will be bigger than Multifood's current location on Crawford Avenue, in the city's west end.

The Crawford Avenue location will continue operating after the new location is established.

Lin said the property on Lauzon Road has been secured and site plans are being developed. Construction is hoped to begin in mid-2025, with completion and opening in 2026. Total investment is estimated at $20 million.

"We can bring in more international product that people like. Like barbecue, and sushi, and many many ethnic foods," Lin said.

Multifood Supermarket at 799 Crawford Ave. opened in 2015. The business took over a building previously occupied by Price Chopper, which closed its doors in 2012.

Originally focused on East Asian goods, Multifood has broadened its offerings to include South Asian and Middle Eastern items. The supermarket now features a halal butcher's counter, along with its Indian food section, live seafood section and Asian produce section.

Over the past decade, Multifood's customer base has continued to grow. Lin said the supermarket currently averages around 20,000 customer visits per month.

That's why Lin is confident about the expansion, despite the east end's abundance of grocery stores. "We are ... strong in ethnic people ... Strong in international people," he said.

Multifood's ownership group is also behind the Ethnic Supermarket locations in Guelph and Milton.

Sylvain Charlebois, professor and director of the Agri-Food Analytics lab at Dalhousie University, isn't surprised by the expansion. 

"We're seeing the same phenomenon here in Halifax, in [suburban] Montreal," Charlebois said. "You're seeing more of these stores doing extremely well, when it comes to servicing migrants, ethnic groups, or consumers looking for ethnic products."

But with its second location, Multifood Supermarket is stepping into an arena: Zehrs, Food Basics, FreshCo, and the east end Walmart Supercentre are easily accessed from Lauzon Road. There's a Metro only two kilometres away on Wyandotte Street East.

Charlebois said Multifood can keep its competitive edge by continuing to stock items that aren't readily available elsewhere.

"You really want to offer something different or unique," he said. "That's really the key here."

With two locations, Multifood might also benefit from higher volume wholesale orders.

"These merchants are pretty smart," Charlebois said. "I mean, I go to these stores all the time, and I'm born-Canadian ... [People are] just looking for two things: Good deals and different products."

Vinoo Dayal, acting president of the South Asian Centre of Windsor, said he and many others would welcome a second location of Multifood Supermarket.

"I'm one of the regulars," Dayal said. "I'm very pleased with what they have done for the South Asian community in Windsor."

Dayal said he appreciates that Multifood regularly stocks vegetables and fruits that aren't common at larger chains, and its seafood is much fresher. "They cater to the South Asian community."

Dayal noted that Windsor has large numbers of South Asian people living in the neighbourhoods of Riverside, Forest Glade, and Hawthorne Drive — all areas near Lauzon Road.

"I've been in Windsor since 1987... The (South Asian) population has increased almost tenfold, I would say, since 2000."