Canadian Grocer's Kwon moves to CFIG

Canadian Grocer’s longtime managing editor, Nancy Kwon, is leaving the magazine but she will still be a familiar face in grocery circles.

Kwon (pictured) is moving to the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers as director of marketing and communications. She starts next Tuesday at the association’s office in Toronto.

Kwon spent more than 15 years working as a journalist in Canada and abroad. She was editor-in-chief of three travel retail magazines covering Asia, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas before joining Canadian Grocer in 2006.

During her time at the 128-year-old magazine, Kwon was instrumental in developing Canadian Grocer’s online content and contributing to the growth of its conferences and awards programs, including the annual Star Women in Grocery awards.

She is a two-time Gold winner for excellence in business journalism at the annual Kenneth R. Wilson Awards, having won for article she wrote on Metro’s loyalty program in Quebec, Metro & Moi, and Sobeys’ automated warehouse in Ontario.

She has written several cover stories on notable independent grocers, including Annick Gazaille of IGA in Quebec, Jeffrey Min of Galleria in Toronto and current CFIG chair, Scott Mitchell of Market Street Vulcan in Alberta.

“Nancy’s past experiences make her an ideal candidate to help CFIG increase member value,” the association said in a press statement, citing her “passion for independents, having grown up in a Korean immigrant household where many family members were small business owners, from c-stores to small grocery outlets.”

CFIG is currently gearing up for its big annual trade show and conference. Grocery Innovations Canada will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre Sept. 29 to 30. For more information on the show or to register, click here.