Grocery Innovations Canada 2026

Grocery Innovations Canada (GIC) is the annual trade show and conference of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, held at the Toronto Congress Centre's North Building. It brings owners, executives, category managers and buyers from independent grocers, national chains and specialty formats together with suppliers of food, equipment, technology and services.

Who attends

GIC targets the people who make grocery decisions: business owners and principals, management and operations leaders, and category managers and buyers. According to the organizer, about half of retail attendance comes from independent and franchised grocery stores.

• Independent and franchised grocers
• National chain and specialty retailers
• Category managers and buyers
• Suppliers, brands and service providers

Programme

The event opens on Monday, October 26 with an industry tour for CFIG retailers, Category Connect pre-scheduled retailer-supplier meetings and an opening reception, followed by two days of morning conference sessions and afternoon trade show hours.

• Oct 27: Morning Conference 7:30-11:00, Trade Show 11:00-4:30, Master Merchandiser Awards
• Oct 28: Conference & Workshops 7:15-10:45, Trade Show 11:00-4:00
• IGYA Reception & Gala Dinner on Oct 28 (registration required)
• New Product Showcase and Top 10 new products
• First-Time Exhibitor and Sustainability Central pavilions