Calgary Co-op’s private-label brand, Cal & Gary’s, launched with more than 800 products in 2020 and is flying off shelves at the Co-op’s 23 food stores. That’s owing “to the public awareness we generated for the label,” which, in the face of tough competition during lockdown, “exceeded all expectations,” says Melissa Edighoffer.

Edighoffer deserves a good amount of the credit—she has led the brand-building marketing efforts. Fun, smart and market-tailored, the award-winning launch campaign featured headlines like “Ready to Crack. Like your windshield” for Cal & Gary’s Organic Brown Eggs, a clever nod to Alberta’s brutal winters.

Born and raised in the province, Edighoffer says “it was super exciting to work on a campaign that resonated specifically with Calgarians.” She also makes sure to spotlight local growers and producers in the Co-op’s marketing, from in-store signage to promotions. Calgary Co-op has grown the number of local products it carries to 2,300, from about 1,200 just a few years ago.

“Their support of local is what attracted me to apply here in the first place,” says Edighoffer,
who joined the company in 2019 from clothing retailer Mark’s, another Calgary-headquartered company where she managed content and consumer marketing.