A retail giant – with locations across B.C., including Vancouver Island – wants to help out local restaurants impacted by ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
London Drugs is putting out a call for any restaurant with specialty items suitable for retail sales – like sauces, jams, apparel, and more – to submit an application. Once doing so, their products could be stocked and sold in store.
Launched in 2020, London Drugs ‘Local Central Program’ first started offering shelf space to small businesses impacted by Covid last April. Since then, the program has helped out more than 100 local businesses.
A year later, the chain is once again extending the invitation to business owners. But this time, the focus is on restaurateurs.
London Drugs says it’s ready to review product submissions right away, which means local restaurants could see their packaged products and merchandise on store shelves within the week.
“The collateral damage to small businesses created by the pandemic has been devastating and, the restaurant industry — particularly those small and locally-owned — have sustained one of the heaviest blows,” adds London Drugs president and COO Clint Mahlman. “As a company, we want to offer any support we can to restaurateurs and businesses in our communities right now, and we know our customers do too.”
To submit products for review, restaurant owners can find the application form online here.
