Lina's Italian Group - Celebrating 30 Years

Photo by Riverwood Photography

Delivering

a Taste of Italy at Calgary Markets Written by Rennay Craats | Published by Brittany Fouquette

Lina’s Italian Group | Celebrating 30 years 85

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or centuries, travellers have flocked to Italy to experience its incredible culture and even better food. Without leaving the city, Calgarians can be transported to an authentic Italian market simply by walking into one of the five Lina’s Italian Market locations across the city.

It started when Lina Castle incorporated her experience working in delis and independent grocers with her Italian heritage to create her own store, Lina’s Italian Market, in 1994. The 800-square-foot Centre Street store brought the taste of Italy to Calgary with specialty products not available elsewhere and she attracted a loyal customer base that would drive across town for her authentic Italian goodies.

“She focused on quality Italian products of course, but she also focused on great customer service and community building. That’s what we do today and that’s what we’ll always do,” says Matthew Rai, senior vice president of Lina’s Italian Group.

While the founder retired and sold the business to a restaurant group in 2017, which in turn sold to local

entrepreneur Joe Dand in 2018, the current management team works hard to ensure the charm and high service levels that earned the market’s following for decades remains intact. They are clearly doing something right as Lina Castle has come back as a brand ambassador, training staff as the company expands.

The company has expanded its brand significantly since opening the flagship store. With four new stores in five years, Lina’s can offer unique experiences and products that cater to each distinctive market and reflect the communities in which they are located. The first expansion location, the 16,000-square-foot Lina’s Italian Supermarcato, opened on 130th Avenue SE in 2020 to accommodate the huge number of customers who were travelling from south Calgary to shop at the

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Lina’s Italian Group | Celebrating 30 years | 2

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original location. On top of the imported grocery and deli items, the company added an espresso bar that serves Lina’s private label Italian coffee and creamy cappuccinos paired with sweet treats baked inhouse. It also introduced Enoteca, a wine shop that invites wine vendors and makers to come educate customers about their wines, all of which are available for purchase at the market. The market also invites customers to stop in for a bite and a visit.

“Along with all the other grab-and-go meals and sandwiches that are made by retired chefs and Italian moms, we also have a commissary where we have Nonnas who produce great meals for us,” he says.

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Next, Lina’s Italian Mercato opened in 2022 on Elbow Drive with the highlight being a quaint bistro, Lina’s Italian Cucina, that invites guests to experience amazing Italian dishes on Friday and Saturday nights. To create a truly memorable experience, this market location also hosts popular Chef’s Table events where Chef Giuseppe Di Gennaro prepares a four-course menu showcasing the cuisine from different Italian regions.

In 2023, the company added a pizza hotspot within its Italian market with Lina’s Italian Piazza in Inglewood.

Here, customers will find a LavAzza Organic Tierra Café, a salumeria offering amazing cured Italian meats, a pizzeria and dining space and a bakery department displaying trays full of cannoli, biscotti, panettone and tiramisu along with various tarts, cakes, pastries as well as breads and pizza dough. To take the market to another level, Lina’s introduced catering services out of this location so customers can commission authentic Italian food for their special events. For those who want to learn to cook like Italian chefs, the Inglewood space introduced Sapore Academy which offers amazing Italian cooking classes.

Close on the heels of opening the Mercato, Lina’s launched the 25,000-square-foot Deerfoot City location in November 2023. This impressive space merges Italian eateries with an Italian supermarket with Lina’s Market Hall.

“The Deerfoot City location is a true market hall, and the opportunities are endless. It’s a unique concept: an old food court that we’ve taken over where every station is a dedicated Italian fast food offering,” says Rai.

We would like to Congratulate Lina’s Italian Market on 30 years in business!

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Over the years, the company has truly grown from an intimate specialty store to multiple locations allowing customers to experience the best of Italian culture. Each market location has everything a budding Italian chef needs on the shelves available for delivery; Lina’s private label Sicilian olive oil provides the base on which they can build delicious meals by adding the market’s incredible produce, fresh and dry pasta, imported cheeses and cured meats. A customer favourite is Lina’s one-stop pizza station that allows customers to pick up everything they

need, from dough to sauce to toppings, to easily make authentic pizza at home.

Meat is a big draw to Lina’s too, and old-school Italian butchers are there to serve up sausages, meatballs, restaurant grade beef, ham, chicken and kebabs, all but guaranteeing a great Italian meal at home. There is also an incredible selection of unique cured meats and Lina’s has made it even easier for customers to access all these imported offerings.

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Best Wishes on your 30th Anniversary!

Lina’s Italian Group | Celebrating 30 years | 5

“We’ve now opened up a distribution warehouse and we import directly from Europe. People can always find items that they recognize from being in Italy,” says Rai, with the market carrying everything from next-level Vacche Rosse parmesan cheese to Iberico ham to truffle salami.

Even as Lina’s continues to grow and bring in more specialty imported items, the company remains committed to supporting local vendors as well; the markets offer a space for the best local producers to sell their wares. After all, Lina’s has always been about community and connection, taking pride in being a great place for people to come together. As such, Lina’s Italian Market is committed to giving back to the Calgary community that has supported it for the past 30 years. The company supports many worthy causes across the city including the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, Calgary Meals on Wheels, The Alex, the Veteran’s Food Bank and Woods Home.

“Our team is committed to giving back to the community by supporting local organizations and charities that make a

Lina's on 30 years!

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WE RAISE OUR CUP TO

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positive impact in the life of our community. At Lina’s Italian Market, we’re not just in the business of selling food, we’re in the business of building connections and making our community a better place to live,” says Rai. For 30 years, Lina’s Italian Market has become a cherished part of the community and it continues to reach new customers as it expands with additional locations offering unique experiences. Whether customers are looking for specialty items in the grocery aisles, picking up or sitting down to a prepared Italian meal, grabbing an espresso and pastry after shopping, learning a few culinary tricks in a class or finding unique gift ideas, the five Lina’s Italian Market locations proudly offer customers the whole Italian experience in Calgary.

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Congratulations Lina’s Italian Market on your 30th Anniversary and continued success!

From all of us at

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Lina’s Italian Market 2202 Centre St. NE 403.277.9166 Lina’s Italian Supermercato Bosa Foods Ad #100, 4916 130th Ave SE Business in Calgary Magazine 403.523.7713 January 2024 Issue

“Congratulations on 30 years of providing Calgary with high quality cuisine.”

Final size: 3.3125” x 4.75” (Quarter Page)

Lina’s Italian Mercato Revised November 27, 2023 - Revision 1 5108 Elbow Drive SW 403.454.8323 Lina’s Italian Piazza 1023 9 Ave SE 403.960.1007 Lina’s Italian Deerfoot City 5103 901 64th Ave NE 403.960.1012 www.linasmarket.com

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