Montréal, May 15, 2014 – Metro is pleased to announce that all of the chicken used for its Irresistibles private label products sold in its Metro, Super C and Marché Richelieu stores in Quebec will now be farmed and processed in Quebec. This announcement marks the first anniversary of Metro's Local Purchasing Policy, which the company announced on May 1st, 2013, intended to optimize the accessibility and promotion of local products for its customers.
All five Irresistibles products, namely two breast cuts, whole chickens, drumsticks and thighs, will not only be processed in Quebec, but will also be farmed in Quebec. The sourcing of these products has been entrusted to Les Viandes Central Bernard in Montreal and Distribution La Préférence in Laval, who will ensure that chicken from Quebec is isolated in the supply and processing chain. To make them easier to locate, all five Irresistibles products, including three Irresistibles Life Smart products, will bear the Aliments du Québec logo on their packaging.
“This initiative is in keeping with the spirit of the Local Purchasing Policy announced in May of 2013, one of the three guiding principles of which consists of making Metro a privileged partner of Aliments du Québec. Chicken is very popular with Quebecers : requiring that our private label chicken products intended for our Quebec customers be sourced locally will allow us to offer them quality products whose origin will be Quebec certified”, pointed out Serge Boulanger, Senior Vice-President, National Procurement and Corporate Brands for Metro. “Our fresh chicken offerings are already in very large part from Quebec. But we decided to go even further by guaranteeing 100% Quebec offerings for our private label.”
Irresistibles fresh chicken is 100% air-chilled, which provides it with an ideal cooking texture. It's tasty, tender and easy to prepare, along with being a healthy choice. It is corn, barley and oat grain fed and does not contain any preservatives. Fully trimmed, it's a good source of protein, without the fat.
Marie Beaudry, Executive Director of Aliments du Québec, commented: “We are delighted to be able to rely on our partners to make it easier to identify, and therefore to buy, Quebec products in-store”.
“We are very satisfied with the fallout from our Local Purchasing Policy. We are seeing positive impacts, such as several new agreements with suppliers who are innovative or whose products are certified Aliments du Québec, as well as over 200 new products from thirty or so new suppliers thanks to our pilot project for regional products. We are more determined than ever to mobilize our employees, merchants, partners and suppliers in order to continue to provide easier access to local products”, said Marie-Claude Bacon, Senior Director, Corporate Affairs for Metro.
As a result, Metro hopes to promote Quebec agri-food products by basing itself on both certifications that guarantee that products originate from Quebec: Aliments du Québec and Aliments préparés au Québec. The policy, which is in keeping with Metro's overall Corporate Responsibility approach, rests on three guiding principles and is intended to make Metro a unique showcase for regional products; a partner of choice of Aliments du Québec; and the main ally of innovative Quebec suppliers. Metro's Local Purchasing Policy may be viewed on Metro’s website.
The 2014 Corporate Responsibility Report is now available. Click on metro.ca/responsability to view it.
Metro Inc.
With annual sales of over $11 billion, METRO INC. (TSX: MRU), founded in 1947, is the only major Canadian food distribution company to have its head office in Quebec. Along with its affiliates and franchisees, METRO INC. employs in Quebec and Ontario over 65,000 people, whose mission is to satisfy their customers every day and earn their-long term loyalty. METRO INC. operates a network of almost 600 food stores under several banners including Metro, Metro Plus, Super C and Food Basics, as well as over 250 drugstores under the Brunet, The Pharmacy and Drug Basics banners.
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Metro inc.
Geneviève Grégoire
Communication Advisor
genevieve.gregoire@metro.ca
(514) 643-1000 # 2055