Food market closes after two-decade run in Mississauga

A longtime food retailer in Mississauga has permanently closed its doors, ending a run of more than 20 years in the community and catching many customers by surprise.

M&M Food Market at 1900 Lakeshore Rd. W. in Clarkson wrapped up operations on June 13.

No reason for the closure has been publicly announced.

The store was one of several M&M Food Market locations in Mississauga and served as a convenient stop for residents looking for frozen meats, prepared meals, appetizers, seafood and desserts. Customers can still shop at other locations in the city, including stores in Erin Mills, Meadowvale and east Mississauga.

The closure marks the end of a longstanding neighbourhood business in southwest Mississauga, where many residents had become accustomed to relying on the store for quick meal solutions and specialty frozen food products.

The Clarkson store had been one of the earlier stores to open in the chain.

Founded in Kitchener in 1980, M&M Meat Shops started with a focus on flash-frozen meat products. The company expanded rapidly throughout the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, opening stores in communities across Canada and building a loyal customer base.

Over time, the retailer broadened its offerings well beyond meat products, adding prepared meals, vegetables, seafood, appetizers, pizzas and desserts. In 2016, the company rebranded as M&M Food Market to better reflect its expanded selection and introduced a modernized store format.

Today, the company is headquartered in Mississauga and operates hundreds of locations across Canada. M&M says more than 80 per cent of its branded products are made in Canada using domestic and imported ingredients.

The retailer also adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic by expanding online ordering and curbside pickup services as consumers increasingly sought convenient meal options.

While retail closures are a regular part of the business landscape, the loss of the Clarkson store is notable because of its longevity in serving generations of local customers.