Which supermarkets offer products similar to those found in Ukraine?
Calgary has long been a real multicultural hub where fans of Ukrainian food and goods can find not only specialty shops but also sections with Eastern and Central European products in big chain supermarkets. This is especially true for those looking for Ukrainian pickles, sausages, cereals, sweets, and semi-finished products in one place alongside their usual grocery shopping. Below is an overview of the largest chains and local markets with relevant departments.
1. Real Canadian Superstore
Real Canadian Superstore (a Loblaw Companies chain) is one of the largest hypermarkets in Western Canada and offers a wide range of international products, including a department with Eastern European goods.
In this department, you can usually find:
- Frozen vareniki with various fillings (potatoes, cheese, meat).
- Pickles — cucumbers, tomatoes, sauerkraut.
- Ukrainian sausages and ham (Kyiv sausage, smoked sausages).
- Ukrainian-made cereals and flour.
- Sweets: candy, chocolate, halva.
The supermarket management regularly adjusts the assortment depending on demand, so on the eve of holidays (Easter, Christmas), the number of traditional Easter cakes, kutia, and gingerbread cookies increases significantly.
2. Sobeys and Safeway
Both chains — Sobeys and Safeway — often have products from Eastern Europe in their “international” or “European” sections, which are similar in taste and format to Ukrainian products.
Typical assortment:
- Ready-made pelmeni and vareniki in refrigerators.
- Canned borscht and solyanka in jars.
- Hard cheese “Gouda” and “Kashkaval” produced in Ukraine and Poland.
- Marinades and adjika in jars.
It is especially useful to keep an eye on seasonal promotions, when the delivery and display of imported goods from Ukraine and Poland is more regular.
3. No Frills / FreshCo / Costco
Hard discounters and large warehouses such as Costco also sometimes offer frozen pierogi or Polish pelmeni, which are a worthy alternative to Ukrainian vareniki.
- No Frills and FreshCo occasionally have their own brand of vareniki in bags.
- Costco imports large batches of frozen street food pierogi under the Eastern European Classics brand, which taste very similar to homemade ones.
These stores attract customers with low prices and large packages, which are convenient for family dinners.
4. Home Country Market
Home Country Market is a small chain of local supermarkets from Central and Eastern Europe.
The main assortment consists of products from Poland, Hungary, and Ukraine:
- Sausages, sausage products, cheese, oil, flour, cereals.
- A separate refrigerated section with homemade semi-finished products: stuffed cabbage rolls, potato pancakes, and pancakes.
- Confectionery products: honey sticks, nut rolls, and Cossack cookies.
The stores are located in the southern and northern parts of Calgary, convenient for access and parking.
5. European Deli & Produce Market
This market is a real European “shop” within a supermarket:
- Products from Ukraine, Poland, and the Czech Republic.
- Own mini-kitchen, where first and second courses are prepared for takeaway.
- Fresh rolls, puff pastries, and Easter cakes made from daily recipes.
- In the summer, there is a separate kiosk with cool drinks made from Ukrainian fruits (compotes, uzvar).
6. Crossroads Market and Calgary Farmers' Market
An open-air market is not a supermarket in the traditional sense, but here you can find dozens of pavilions with homemade pickles, sausages, cheese, and baked goods, including many Ukrainian and Polish producers.
- Sunday “Eastern European weekends” with a special program demonstrating how to cook borscht and varenyky.
- Seasonal fairs: Easter fair with paska and pysanka, Christmas fair with holiday gingerbread and mulled wine.
Each of these formats makes it possible to find products very similar to traditional Ukrainian ones, even if there are sometimes not enough directly imported brands. It is most convenient to plan your purchases in advance:
- Monitor seasonal promotions in large chains.
- Check for special import sections at Real Canadian Superstore, Sobeys, and Safeway.
- Visit Home Country Market or European Deli for authentic “grandma's treats.”
- Use weekends to visit Crossroads Market and Farmers' Market to support Ukrainian producers.
Thus, even in a large multicultural city like Calgary, it is not difficult to find products that are similar in taste and format to Ukrainian ones — the main thing is to know where to look and plan your shopping schedule according to seasonality and promotions.