2025 Period 6 - EN

Incredible Members of an Incredible Family

Dear T&T Team,

Every year I look forward to the Staff of the Year Awards. Seeing so many people nominated for going above and beyond to bring our company values to life is inspiring. The award celebrates colleagues who set an example for others by demonstrating outstanding work performance, remarkable personal behaviour, and fostering a positive atmosphere. Every nomination was outstanding, and the decision was difficult. I want to use this space to recognize all the winners and runners-up, we are so proud of you!

Congratulations to, in no particular order, Yin Kwan (T&T Lansdowne), William Wang (T&T Harvest Hills), Nikita Zheng (T&T Woodbine), John Ng (Support Center), and Justin Huang (East Support Centre) for winning this special award!

Winner Spotlight: Yin Kwan, Acting Assistant Grocery Department Head, Lansdowne T&T

Nominator: Cliff Chow, Grocery Department Manager

Yin’s outstanding leadership ability and unwavering commitment to supporting his colleagues deserves recognition. When his supervisor was away during the holiday season, Yin took full responsibility for planning displays, coordinating gift box layouts, and managing inventory, which helped the store set a new Christmas sales record. “Yin’s strong sense of responsibility and ability to respond to challenges makes him a role model for future leaders at T&T,” notes Cliff. Yin also played a pivotal role in onboarding and mentoring the new U.S. team, generously sharing his extensive knowledge of grocery operations. He went out of his way to help the new team adapt and feel supported, exemplifying T&T’s core value of being “People Oriented”

Check out the video below for Yin’s advice on overcoming challenges, and what motivates him to get up in the morning:

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Winner Spotlight: William Wang, Receiver, Harvest Hills T&T

Nominator: Caspar Hu, Store Administration Head

Known as the HH store’s “backroom housekeeper,” William plays a crucial behind-the-scenes role in improving operations. William had a lead role in transforming the receiving area using the “5S Management” initiative. He improved backroom organization by reclassifying goods, implementing detailed storage standards, and launching daily cleaning routines. His work led to material improvements in workplace safety, food safety, and staff engagement score.

During the temporary closure of the neighbouring Sage Hill store after a fire, William stepped up under immense pressure by quickly reconfiguring storage layouts, coordinating manpower, and optimizing the receiving process to absorb the extra business without disruption. As the first line of defense for product quality, William checks every shipment for freshness, damage, and accuracy. His motto is clear: “It’s better to reject a supplier than to lose tens of millions of customers.” His attention to detail and refusal to compromise have made him a trusted guardian of T&T’s reputation. “When being nominated for this award, choosing William was nearly a unanimous decision amongst all HH employees” according to Caspar.

Get to know William and hear what motivates him below:

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Winner Spotlight: Nikita Zheng, Assistant Cashier Head, Woodbine T&T

Nominator: Karin Xiao, Cashier Head

Nikita truly embodies our T&T spirit, always putting customers first and inspiring her colleagues with her passion. As a leader on the cashier team, Nikita is generous with her time and patiently trains new employees. Under her training, the service level of her team has seen significant improvements, and she achieved a 0% turnover rate within her team. In the opening of T&T’s London, ON, Kanata, ON, and Brossard, QC stores, she spent two months traveling to each location, helping onboard staff, manage long lineups, and troubleshoot peak-hour bottlenecks in real time.

“She is meticulous and conscientious,” says Karin, “When faced with problems, she takes initiative and never avoids responsibility.” When a customer returns a product, she doesn’t just refund the item, she immediately reports the issue to relevant departments, urges an internal check for similar products, and follows up to ensure it’s resolved. Her proactive approach helps prevent recurring problems and protects T&T’s reputation for freshness and safety. From her commitment to food safety to her selfless dedication to training and supporting her team, she has made a lasting impact.

Let’s hear from Nikita about how she overcomes difficulty and decompresses after work:

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Winner Spotlight: John Ng, Senior Grocery Operations Specialist, Support Center

Nominator: Kevin Suen, Store Operations Senior Director

John’s standout achievements this year have positively impacted many stores in the West region. He was crucial to the opening of our first US store in Bellevue, working hard to recruit and train employees. He also led on-site support efforts to build a strong foundation for the store’s success. John played a key role in resolving challenges caused by unpredictable inventory from new suppliers. John also worked closely with the Merchandising and Re-layout teams to drive forward a product display optimization project in stores, improving both customer experience and operational efficiency. Lastly, he spearheaded the Grocery and Dairy-Frozen departmental merger, ensuring a smooth transition across 21 stores. “John is a trusted team partner. He not only delivers results but also listens and collaborates effectively. He consistently gets the job done with stability and care.” says Kevin.

Here is a message from John on how he works through challenges and stays motivated everyday:

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Winner Spotlight: Justin Huang, Meat Operations Specialist, East Support Center

Nominator: Gerald Wai, Store Operations District Manager

Since joining T&T, Justin has grown steadily from Meat Associate to Meat Operations Specialist. His innovation and dedication have been instrumental in achieving key milestones for the meat department. During the rapid opening of three new stores within just three months, Justin played a pivotal role managing every detail: department layouts, equipment setup, supply chain coordination, recruitment, and scheduling. He led training for the meat department team, ensuring each new store launched with a strong, well-prepared team on day one. Justin also partnered with Engineering to source and customize a new band saw machine, allowing for safer daily use. Lastly, Justin organized a meat Department Head skills exchange event featuring a live demonstration by the Certified Angus Beef Association’s director, enhancing cutting techniques and meat knowledge exchange across stores. “I am glad Justin received the award,” says Gerald, “it shows T&T’s recognition for the outstanding performance and the dedication Justin has demonstrated this year.”

Meet Justin below, and hear what motivates him:

Across the company, I am proud of the incredible things our teams have accomplished, whether in stores or in our offices. You have all raised the bar in T&T’s customer service, food safety, team culture, and operational excellence. I also want to recognize the runners-up for the Staff of the Year award, listed in the table below. Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate. I’m looking forward to seeing all the nominations again next year!

Tina Lee

CEO

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Yumiko’s culinary adventure - From Hokkaido to T&T’s Kitchen Department 

(South Edmonton store) Store Admin Dept. Winston Li

Yumiko, who is originally from Hokkaido, Japan, is a member of the Kitchen Department’s prepared foods section. When her kids grew up, she decided to re-enter the workforce through a friend’s referral to T&T. There were many challenges at first, she was still learning English, didn't speak Chinese, and struggled to recognize ingredient names, relying only on sketches or gestures to communicate and build her understanding.

When she first started, Chinese ingredients like dried tofu, cold dishes and chilli oil were all foreign to her. While her colleagues chopped at lightning speed, she felt like she was moving in slow motion. But Yumiko never got discouraged and never lost her smile. She was always optimistic and warm, winning everyone over in the process. Her colleagues patiently guided her and used simple English and gestures to communicate.

Yumiko can now hold her own, and even serves as a peer trainer in the department, assisting and guiding new colleagues, sharing her experience and skills with them. She says, “Working here brings me joy every day, not only have I learned alot about Chinese cuisine, but I've also made new friends from all over the world.” She is grateful for the support from her team and department head, which has allowed her to find the perfect work-life balance. 

Yumiko’s story has taught us that with passion, a willingness to learn and a smile on your face, you will be able to find success and a sense of belonging in a foreign country.

Loss prevention is our team's daily unspoken commitment 

(Downtown store) Store Admin Dept. Hannah Huang

Located in the bustling city centre, our DT store sees a steady stream of customers, which also contributes to a higher occurrence of theft. To raise our colleagues’ awareness in loss prevention, we encourage everyone at our department meetings to remain observant and support and work together to protect the company's assets. This is more than just a motto, but represents a daily commitment, and Winnie is its perfect embodiment.

She is normally responsible for overlooking the cashier operations. While she's always busy, whenever there's a crowd at the checkout area, she will proactively go out to provide support, guide customers using self-checkout and patiently explain the payment process. Not only is she meticulous and reliable, she also has keen observation skills.

One day, while assisting in the self-checkout area, she found a customer acting suspiciously, holding a bulky shopping bag with tags still attached. Sensing a potential theft, she responded accordingly, skillfully buying time by engaging in conversation with this individual while quietly alerting nearby colleagues and the asset protection team for support. With the team's help, they were ultimately successful in preventing the theft of over $500 worth of goods.

She not only protected the company's assets, but also reinforced the safe environment the team has built together. Winnie's professionalism, vigilance and integrity has made her a trusted and valuable force within the team.

Self-serving 'mutual help' ultimately harms others and oneself

Asset Protection Dept.

The company has always encouraged mutual support amongst colleagues, however, when this so-called “mutual support” compromises the company's interests and shields misconduct, it loses its true intent and ends up hurting everyone involved.

The company recently launched an investigation into suspicious purchasing practices within the Meat Department of a particular store. Multiple employees, including those in the management level, were discovered to have abused their positions to sell high-value meat products at a discounted rate to colleagues, friends and family. For example, putting on a regular sticker on premium meats, reserving products for each other, or even reducing the product weight, resulting in an unusual drop in the department’s profits. They thought they were being discreet but neglected to consider the company's loss prevention equipment, data analysis and investigative processes, which ultimately exposed their misconduct. While those who directly benefited were penalized, those who assisted with printing stickers and reserving products also received disciplinary action.

Undermining the company's success under the pretense of teamwork is something we will not tolerate at T&T. We are committed to maintaining trust and encouraging the spirit of true teamwork, and will work together to protect the company's interests and maintain a healthy work environment.