Three weeks of empty grocery store shelves causes mass buy event in Nunavut community

Grocery stores in Cambridge Bay have been short on produce and staples for at least three weeks, with bare shelves lining the aisles, according to Rosabelle Aknavigak.

Fresh vegetables, bread, rice, flour, and even frozen pizza have been rare finds in the community of 1,700 people.

Both Ikaluktutiak Co-op and the local Northern Store have suffered from the shortages, but Aknavigak said Kalgens Dis & Dat C-Store has food in stock.

The Co-op restocked its supply on Sept. 9, according to Duane Wilson vice-president of stakeholder relations at Arctic Co-operatives.

But Aknavigak said she was unable to beat the rush by community members eager to fill their fridges and pantries after weeks of shortages.

“An hour after being notified that they restocked, I go there at 4 p.m. and no more fresh vegetables, and it’s not even just the Co-op. I think the Northern’s going on three weeks where they haven’t restocked on their fresh produce. There’s no bread,” Aknavigak said. “As soon as fresh produce and fresh dry goods come in, they’re gone right away.”

Wilson said the residents of Cambridge Bay have every reason to complain.

Ikaluktutiak Co-op is working to replenish its shelves and receiving additional resources from Arctic Co-operatives management to order more food.

“This is not a systemic issue and there in no need for panic buying,” Wilson said.

Wilson provided numerous photos of fully stocked Ikaluktutiak Co-op shelves on Sept. 9, but more than one resident said they were quickly cleared out by shoppers.

Aknavigak said the mass buy event on the afternoon of Sept. 9 was likely only for necessities.

“They’re buying now because their groceries are going to run out,” Aknavigak said.

The North West Company, which owns the Northmart and Northern grocery store chain, said it was aware of inventory shortages.

However, the company said shortages at Cambridge Bay’s Northern store were not particularly high.

“We are not currently aware of any significant ongoing in-stock issues,” said Brigitte Burgoyne, communications director for The North West Company.

Why is this happening?

Three suggestions for why Cambridge Bay’s shelves are running empty were posed by Aknavigak, Wilson, and Burgoyne.

Aknavigak believes that staff turnover at the grocery stores is causing a delay in ordering new food, while Wilson said cruise ship passengers and smaller sailing vessels passing through town are what caused the shortage.

But Aknavigak didn’t buy that explanation.

“In the past, when the cruise ships were here before, they were always restocked. They always come and there used to be enough food,” Aknavigak said.

When asked why cruise ship visitors might have caused a bigger impact this year, or why they would have purchased goods like flour and rice, Wilson said he didn’t have enough information to explain this year’s anomaly.

Burgoyne said the timing of the sea lift and greater local demand is what drove shortages.

“Our sealift is expected to arrive in mid-September,” Burgoyne said.

Growing population and new students

Aknavigak said she wants to see both the Ikaluktutiak Co-op and Northern store adapt to Cambridge Bay’s growing population.

“They’re the two main stores in Cambridge Bay that should be able to meet the needs of the community,” Aknavigak said.

Larger orders for more people is the lesson Aknavigak wants grocers to take away from the event.

A new school year could also be contributing to increased demand, suggested Aknavigak.

“You have Arctic College students coming from other regions. You have new employees coming in. You have people that’s coming into town. It’s embarrassing to come to Cambridge Bay, and you don’t see anything. The hard part is us beneficiaries, us residents of Cambridge Bay, we shouldn’t be struggling to get anything fresh,” Aknavigak said.