Waterloo students revolutionize retail AI innovations at Loblaw
By: Christie Zeb (she/her)
From automation to machine learning, Waterloo students at Loblaw Companies Limited deliver solutions that boost efficiency and shape the future of retail.
As Canada’s largest retailer, Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw) is more than a grocery store brand – it’s an ecosystem of businesses. From Shoppers Drug Mart to Joe Fresh and PC Financial, Loblaw’s corporate teams are driving innovation across Canada’s food and pharmacy leader.
For years, Loblaw has turned to University of Waterloo co-op students to help fuel this innovation. The partnership began with the retailer’s technology and analytics teams. The team sought out Waterloo’s strong pool of data-driven talent.
Today, the relationship extends further, spanning Loblaw's digital, finance, supply chain and pharmacy divisions.
“Waterloo has always been a top school for Loblaw. We have a lot of alumni who started as co-op students,” says Michelle Reyes, senior manager of campus recruitment at Loblaw.
“Some of our high performers within key business units are Waterloo alum. We see the impact they’ve made as employees, and we’re continuing to build a strong workforce by hiring Waterloo students.”
Michelle Reyes, senior manager of campus recruitment, Loblaw
From e-commerce to supply chain, students make real contributions to core business projects.
At Loblaw Digital, students:
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Help enhance apps like PC Express
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Shape the online shopping experience for younger generations
In data and analytics, students:
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Build dashboards
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Develop predictive models
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Analyze customer behaviour across loyalty programs like PC Optimum
In supply chain, students:
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Contribute to optimization efforts using automation, AI and advanced data tools
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Streamline distribution processes
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Enhance efficiency
Students’ work directly influences Loblaw’s ability to deliver better services to millions of Canadians.
Waterloo students come in with not only theoretical knowledge, but also the hands-on practical experience that sets them apart. They bring technical and analytical acumen and strong critical thinking skills, which align perfectly with how we operate.
Students save time, cut costs and build smarter systems
For Vansh Joshi (BMath ’22), a co-op term at Loblaw meant the chance to gain real-world problem-solving experience. He broadened his perspective and connected with professionals across the company.
Vansh Joshi (BMath ’22), data scientist, Loblaw
“One of my key contributions was developing an automation tool to generate weekly reports that collectively saved the team over 1,000 manual hours annually,” Joshi says.
“This tool streamlined routine processes, allowing the team to focus more on strategy and insights rather than repetitive tasks.”
Joshi also worked on a forecasting project that optimized investment strategies. He applied advanced statistical and machine learning techniques to create models. These models improved accuracy and efficiency.
“I gained exposure to building machine learning solutions from scratch, which gave me practical experience in end-to-end development. From data preparation to implementation,” Joshi says.
Since graduating in 2022, Joshi went back to Loblaw and is now working full-time as a data scientist at the company.
Azizul Chowdhury, a fourth-year computer engineering student, worked at Loblaw as a software developer.
During his co-op work term, Chowdhury built a data pipeline powered by large language models (LLMs) to assess whether vendor price increases for grocery products were justified.
“This involved applying natural language processing to map products to similar items and researching their ingredient composition to determine if the market prices for the ingredients justify the price increase or not,” Chowdhury says.
“Having the opportunity to build a feature like this end-to-end and knowing the impact it would have on the enterprise was one of my most fulfilling experiences throughout all my work terms.”
Azizul Haque Chowdhury, computer engineering co-op student
Support systems that build confidence
Behind every student’s success story is a structure designed to ensure they thrive. Loblaw provides:
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A defined onboarding and orientation program: students learn about the company, its cross-functional nature, tools, systems and acronyms.
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Internal student portal: the company provides an on-demand resource which houses orientation materials.
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Tailored departmental onboarding: co-op supervisors introduce students to their teams, assign mentors, work to set learning goals and coordinate regular check-ins.
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Project ownership: the company encourages regular feedback exchanges between students and managers and creates space for independent problem-solving.
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Student-led internal committee: the committee organizes socials, peer lunches and development events. Students participate in a case competition, join a cross-team learning day and experience “coffee chat roulette,” which pairs them with a new colleague every few weeks to expand their networks.
“We rely on our students a lot here at Loblaw. We hire more than 300 students a year, and some of these students are in roles that are consistently filled by co-ops,” Reyes says.
“The managers are very much focused on giving these students autonomy, encouraging feedback and challenging them to question the status quo.”
Looking ahead
For Loblaw, co-op isn’t about filling temporary roles – it’s about investing in future talent.
Students continue to strengthen Loblaw’s ability to adapt and innovate in a rapidly evolving retail landscape.
“Loblaw has created an environment where students aren’t just learning, they’re contributing in meaningful ways,” says Melissa Prospero, University of Waterloo’s co-op account manager.
“The company’s structured onboarding, mentorship and commitment to autonomy give our students the confidence to take ownership of real projects.”