From opportunity to ownership
September 28, 2026
Sometimes, the first step toward a new opportunity is having someone else see the potential in you.
For Mitch Sadler, Owner, Your Independent Grocer, Kelowna that inspiration came early in his career in Kamloops, B.C. There, he watched franchise owners Jason and Christine Cain build a business while becoming an important part of their community.
“They were always ready to support local initiatives,” Mitch recalls. “Being able to leave that kind of impact on a community means everything.”
It was the kind of franchise owner Mitch wanted to become.
With encouragement from his leaders, he joined Loblaw’s Franchise Development Program in 2023. Working in different stores and learning from experienced operators helped him strengthen his financial, operational and leadership skills. It also gave him a network he still relies on today.
“The connections you make are second to none,” says Mitch. “I can pick up the phone and call one of my classmates to talk through a change in the business or simply ask for advice.”
That experience helped Mitch make the move into franchise ownership. Today, he is preparing to take over a store in a new town, marking the next chapter in his journey.
For Satrina Swinemar, Market Franchise Owner Academy Candidate, that journey is happening now.
Satrina had never seriously considered franchise ownership until she began working with franchise owner Tanya Sears in Nova Scotia.
“Tanya saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself,” Satrina says.
Tanya started as a part-time produce clerk and spent nearly 20 years progressing through different roles before becoming a franchise owner in 2024. While working together, Tanya encouraged Satrina to take on new challenges and consider what could come next.
“Without her, I would not be where I am today,” Satrina says. “She believed in me and challenged me to step outside my comfort zone and pursue something I never thought was possible.”
Today, Satrina is part of the Franchise Academy, gaining hands-on experience in stores and communities across Canada. Her assignments have taken her across Canada [RB1] from the Atlantic to BC where she has built her knowledge of strategic planning, ordering, profit and loss statements, expenses and labour while learning from specialists across the business.
“That has been one of the biggest parts of my development,” Satrina says. “I’ve learned from knowledgeable people across the country who have shown me what to look for, what to watch for and have offered their support along the way.”
The Franchise Academy is an immersive 13-month journey designed to prepare candidates for future franchise ownership through hands-on store experience in Your Independent Grocer and Loblaws City Market stores across Canada, leadership learning, mentorship, and varied assignments. The experience is designed to build a broader understanding of the business while strengthening the financial, operational and leadership skills needed for ownership.
As Mitch puts it, “The exposure is everything.”
For Satrina, that exposure has turned something she once thought was out of reach into a goal she can picture herself achieving.
“I can’t see myself doing anything other than eventually becoming an owner,” she says.
And she already knows what she wants that ownership to mean.
“Ownership is so much more than having your name on the building,” Satrina says. “It’s about building your team, knowing your community and understanding what they need.”
Her advice to others considering the Franchise Academy is simple: “Believe in yourself and go for it. Ask questions. You won’t know everything from the start, but with the right people around you, anything is possible.”
Ready to explore your own path to Franchise Ownership? Applications for the January 2027 Franchise Academy cohort are open now. Learn more about the program and apply click here for Ontario(Open in a new tab), here for Western(Open in a new tab) and here for Atlantic(Open in a new tab).
