Cory Davits And Family Prove An Independent Grocer Can Be Competitive BC Market
SAANICH – Pepper’s Foods has a long history full of personal relationships. Originally a Shop Easy owned by John Pepper, local butcher John Davits took the opportunity to buy the store when Mr. Pepper retired. Pepper’s has stayed in the Davits family for the last 30 years, with John’s son Cory Davits currently the grocer’s General Manager. The legacy of Pepper’s has only grown under the Davits’ clan.
Cory Davits, General Manager of Pepper’s Foods
“My father spent years working with the community, modernizing the store and pushing to support local vendors. We have a great team that’s like family to us. John Eldridge, our butcher, and Don Way, our grocery manager, have been with us over 25 years, and have played a huge role in mentoring me on my way from stock person to my current role. I’ve learned so much from working alongside them all, and it taught me the confidence to lead now that my father has moved into retirement.”
Over the years, Pepper’s has grown from the “little store down the hill” into a full-service, one stop grocery store, expanding the location to add a deli department and butcher shop, and giving them the opportunity to compete with much larger stores.
Pepper’s Foods won back-to-back National Gold Awards from the CFIG in 2004-2005, a milestone only achieved by Pepper’s as of this writing. Today, their hardworking staff of eighty employees continue Pepper’s winning ways, most recently taking home a bronze medal at the 2020 Canadian Independent Grocer of the Year awards this past May for being one of the top stores under 15,000 square feet in the entire country. It is a testament to not only their service, but their deep integration into the Saanich community.
Elaborates Cory, “We’re lucky to have cultivated a true relationship within our community, we support them in any way we can and in turn they are very loyal and supportive of us. We try to stay ahead of the curve and remain modern while maintaining our intimate atmosphere which is what our customers are looking for from us. We’re small enough that we personally know all our staff, our customers and their families, which makes a huge difference in our ability to provide the best customer service.”
Being one of the only independent, full-service grocery stores left on the Island that has a single location, while coming with its own challenges, has also benefited Pepper’s in many ways. Their autonomy has allowed them to pivot quickly without dealing with corporate red tape, something Cory feels gives them an edge in a very competitive industry.
“Being independent allows us to support our local vendors who are just starting out. No artisan is too small for us to put on our shelves. It is the most satisfying part of the job knowing Pepper’s has been the launching pad for many island vendors to become successful in their own right. We feel this is uniquely Pepper’s ability.”
Beyond everything, Cory appreciates the lineage he’s been able to nurture and enjoy with those he cares for, both family and customer alike. It’s a privilege that is not lost on him.
“Over the last 35 years, the people at Pepper’s have been a family to me. I’ve worked with my father, my wife and daughter as well as my uncle. We’ve watched as some of our staffs’ children joined the team. We’ve sat in each other’s backyards, celebrated birthdays and weddings together. Pepper’s would not be as successful as it is without the feeling of family we have here.”
