IGA unwraps a Christmas story to spark the joy of cooking

IGA is aiming to ignite young people’s passion for cooking with a new holiday campaign.

The Quebec-based grocer has launched a two-minute animated short film that tells the story of a little boy named Nico. One Christmas morning, he sees the cookies he left out for Santa are gone and in their place is a gift. Nico develops a passion for cooking and baking, and every year his treats for Santa get more elaborate.

One year, the gift left by Santa is a cookbook called A Snack for Santa, which IGA has recreated as a Christmas storybook and is selling at its stores in Quebec and New Brunswick. The book costs $10 and all profits will be donated to La Tablée des Chefs, a non-profit organization whose mission is to feed people in need and to develop youths’ culinary education. The book features two recipes by celebrity chefs Ricardo and Stefano Faita, and five recipes created by the culinary team at La Tablée des Chefs.





Carl Pichette, vice-president of marketing at Sobeys, IGA’s parent company, says IGA has supported La Tablée des Chefs for a few years, but hadn’t done a large-scale campaign before.

“Their mission resonates with IGA for obvious reasons,” says Pichette. “The more we expose our youth to being autonomous in the kitchen and the endless possibilities that food offers, the more we are helping shape the youth of tomorrow. Cooking and understanding new and different food is an aspect that—when learned young—can be used throughout their entire lives.”

The campaign is also a way for IGA to get stand out during the busy holiday period, and remind people about the importance of cooking together as a family, says Pichette.

The short film is airing on TV in Quebec and New Brunswick, and is being shared on IGA’s social media channels.