2025 Period 4 - EN

Now THAT’s dedication!

Dear T&T Family,

At T&T, passion for what we do runs deep. It’s the kind of passion that is engrained and part of who we are. Recently, that spirit came to life in the most unexpected place: a Costco in Taiwan! Of the 23 million people there, two members of our merchandising team, Senior Merchandising Director Charles Huang and Buyer Nick Kuo—on separate family trips, across different stages of their careers—just happened to coincidentally cross paths across the world. Both Charles and Nick couldn’t help but sneak away to Costco to take a look at what’s trending. Not because anyone asked them to. It’s just the curiosity in them. This heartwarming story was recently shared in a SC huddle, and I want to give them space to share it here:

I was recently on vacation back home in Taiwan. After being in this industry for over 20 years, visiting supermarkets while I travel has become second nature. It’s one of the best ways to stay on top of trends, especially in Asian grocery.

As I was about to head into a Costco in Taiwan, I heard someone call out to me from behind. To my surprise, it was Nick Kuo, our Buyer—also on vacation in Taiwan. Of all the places to run into a colleague halfway around the world, Costco Taiwan wouldn’t have been my first guess.

Nick was stuck at the entrance since he didn’t have a membership, so I asked why he was there. He explained that he wanted to check out Costco Taiwan’s assortment of Asian groceries, and use it as an opportunity to find inspiration for products we might bring to T&T. I had no idea how he planned to get in had we not crossed paths—but I was genuinely impressed by his initiative. First year on the job and he’s taking time out of his vacation to do market visits. That’s passion. That’s ownership.

Nick told me, “For me, visiting supermarkets is more than a job. It’s my first year as a buyer, and I haven’t been back to Taiwan in a while, so my goal is to discover what’s out there, 多看多學—see more, learn more—and become a better buyer.”

And he didn’t just browse. Nick left with fresh ideas, product leads, and even a few exciting finds—like 鬍鬚張滷肉飯—that could one day appear on our shelves in Canada. He even texted the selfie we took to his parents, proudly showing them the start of his career at T&T.

Charles Huang

Senior Merchandising Director

At T&T, what we do impacts so many people – our family, friends, community – everyone has something to say about T&T. When you feed millions of people a week, it’s easy to feel passionate about your work. Be the Best We Can Be is a longstanding value at T&T, and this moment is a great example of that in action: staying curious, staying inspired, and finding connections even halfway across the world. We’re not just feeding Asian Canadians—we’re building something bigger and having a little fun along the way.

Charles and Nick took a selfie to commemorate this chance encounter at a Costco in Taiwan.

Tina Lee

CEO

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Striving for perfection 

(First Ave Store) Store Admin Dept. — Fannie Zhang

At the first light of dawn, while most are still asleep, a familiar figure is already bustling around the store, sometimes perched on a tall ladder, and at other times, crouched down to check the merchandise. That person is Fiona, the Grocery Department's Store Inventory Supervisor (SIS).

Fiona started as an ordinary entry-level employee when she first joined the company in October 2022. She continuously honed her skills, always demonstrating a sense of dedication and responsibility. She not only completed the 400 assigned weekly inventory checks, but even proactively expanded her checks to include more products in order to improve the accuracy of the inventory data.

In June 2024, the company raised the accuracy standard from a "plus or minus three" range to "100% accuracy”. As inventory data is constantly fluctuating, this was both a challenge and a motivation for the SIS, driving the team to strive for perfection. Fiona worked closely with her colleagues, analyzing every detail starting with the PO and invoice the moment inventory arrives to check for any possibilities for inventory discrepancies.

In the inventory counts in June and December of 2024, the East First Ave team achieved the top national ranking, a reflection of Fiona's pursuit of excellence in her role as SIS.

Growth is a journey of self-improvement. We hope along Fiona's journey in pursuit of "100% accuracy”, she will continue to progress and push forward together with her team!

Korean couple teams up to deliver exceptional professionalism

(Brossard store) Store Admin Dept. — Chloe Zhu

The young woman in this photo is Jessi. She is from Korea and is fluent in both Chinese and English, and is also known for her attention to detail and strong work ethic. She was previously the Kitchen Department Supervisor at T&T's DF store in Calgary and was named Employee of the Year in 2023. Her dedication and professionalism has not only fueled her career success but also brought boundless positive energy to her team.

In 2024, right when Quebec's Brossard store was preparing to open, Jessi didn't hesitate to step up to meet the company's needs. Despite facing numerous challenges, she relocated her family to Montreal and took on the role of Supervisor of the Kitchen Department at the Brossard store. She utilized her extensive experience in this brand new environment and energized the team.

Jessi's husband, Jack, is equally as passionate and responsible. With years of experience in the food service industry, he chose to accompany his wife and move to Montreal to support her job transfer. During the Brossard store's recruitment, Jack joined the Meat Department as a butcher. His professionalism allowed him to quickly adapt and successfully pass probation, showcasing his adaptability and dedication.

Jessi and Jack's story is an inspiration to all our colleagues. Their professionalism and dedication have brought the team and customers a positive energy. Their actions perfectly embodies teamwork, selfless dedication and the shared pursuit of both family and career.

Distorted values

Asset Protection Dept.

After years at the company, Employee A has been dissatisfied with his compensation, feeling undervalued by his superiors and unable to get a promotion or salary increase.

The more this colleague dwelled on it, the more he felt a sense of injustice, and a twisted thought began to take root, "Since you're all treating me this way, I'm gonna to find a way to compensate myself."

So Employee A took every opportunity he could at work to take merchandise without paying. At first it was snacks and drinks, and eventually shampoo, body wash, and even beef and seafood. He began to take more, thinking no one noticed.

Eventually, through the joint efforts of the store and the Asset Protection Department, Employee A's theft was confirmed on the spot, and the case was handed over to the police for further investigation.

At the time, the store's colleagues were all surprised with the situation. Employee A also realized that his misguided attempt at compensation not only didn't bring him the justice he had hoped for, in fact it cost him his reputation and he ended up paying a much greater price.