Montreal, August 3, 2017 – METRO is pleased to announce that all three drinks made by 1642 Sodas, a Montreal company, are now available in Metro and Metro Plus stores in Quebec. Sold in some of its locations since 2016, METRO becomes the first chain to provide them with an official spot on its network's shelves.
"We're delighted to become part of the large METRO family which, like us, is a proud Quebec company. Barely two years ago, 1642 Sodas was just an idea. Today, our activities support more than 350 jobs in the province. Thanks to partners like METRO, we hope to touch the hearts of more and more Quebeckers and to do more for our economy. The work has only just begun!" said Bastien Poulain, Founding President of 1642 Sodas.
"We are very pleased to include 1642 Sodas as one of our Quebec suppliers and to contribute to the economic growth of a new local company, run by young passionate entrepreneurs", commented Serge Boulanger, Senior Vice-President, National Procurement and Corporate Brands for METRO. “We are always on the lookout for suppliers who have set themselves apart through the originality of their products or their production methods, and who are looking to grow with us. 1642 Sodas meets these criteria.”
Bottled in St-François-Xavier-de-Brompton in the Estrie region and certified Aliments préparés au Québec, all three drink flavours – Cola, Tonic and Ginger – are made from quality ingredients, several of which are from Quebec, such as Appalachian spring water or maple syrup and honey from the Plessisville co-op.
This agreement is in keeping with METRO's Local Purchasing Policy, of which one of the guiding principles is to make METRO the main ally of innovative suppliers. In so doing, METRO confirms its interest in Quebec suppliers who want and who are able to continuously develop their products or their production and who show growth potential with respect to distribution. You can view METRO's Local Purchasing Policy on METRO's website. The 2016 Corporate Responsibility update is available at metro.ca/responsibility.
METRO
With annual sales of over $12 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 exceed their customers’ expectations every day to 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, Metro Pharmacy and Drug Basics banners.
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FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
We have used, throughout this press release, different statements that could, under the regulations issued by the Canadian Securities Administrators, be construed as being forward-looking information. In general, any statement contained herein, which does not constitute a historical fact, may be deemed a forward-looking statement. The use of future and conditional tenses are generally indicative of forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements do not provide any guarantees as to the future performance of the Corporation or the outcome of the transaction and are subject to potential risks, known and unknown, as well as uncertainties that could cause the outcome to differ significantly. An economic slowdown or recession, or the arrival of a new competitor, are examples of risks described under the “Risk Management” section of the 2016 Annual Report which could have an impact on these statements. We believe these statements to be reasonable and pertinent as at the date of publication of this report and represent our expectations. The Corporation does not intend to update any forward-looking statement contained herein, except as required by applicable law.
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METRO
Geneviève Grégoire
Corporate Affairs Department
genevieve.gregoire@metro.ca
(514) 643-1000, ext. 2055