METRO and Food Banks of Quebec unveil the fourth kitchen of METRO’s Shared Kitchens network

ANJOU, June 2, 2025 – METRO, in collaboration with its long-time partner Food Banks of Quebec, is pleased to announce the unveiling of the fourth kitchen in the METRO’s Shared Kitchens network at Service d’aide Communautaire Anjou.

Thanks to this new METRO’s Shared Kitchens, the organization will now be able to offer more culinary education workshops and host more collective cooking groups than their previous kitchen allowed. This new installation will also help limit food waste by transforming surplus food, promote food autonomy, and improve access to healthy and nutritious food through various programs, all while fostering a sense of belonging within communities and provide a resource for those feeling isolated.

"The establishment of this METRO’s Shared Kitchen in our new facilities is an opportunity to bring all our activities together and offer a new lineup of workshops. This new space allows us to reach a wider audience, build connections within our community, and promote food autonomy," says Nathalie Lajoie, Executive Director of Services d’aide Communautaire Anjou.

METRO is investing nearly $2 million over four years for this first edition of seven kitchens, including nearly $300,000 for the installation of the METRO’s Shared Kitchen at the Services d’aide Communautaire Anjou.

“Our goal was to develop a program that concretely responds to local needs. We are very proud of our collaboration with Food Banks of Quebec in creating a tangible project for their food banks, allowing us to create a legacy in the communities where we operate, and bring to life METRO’s purpose to nourish the health and well-being of our communities,” says Marie-Claude Bacon, Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications, METRO.

Meeting the needs of the community sector

Sharing facilities, personnel and material resources, as well as funding to build new professional kitchen infrastructures dedicated to different types of educational cooking programs will able the community organisations to better meet their needs.

“We know that the lack of resources and infrastructure remains an obstacle to the development of this type of program for our members. The funding will have a major impact in the affected communities, as organizations will now be able to do more for their beneficiaries. The enthusiasm shown by our network demonstrates the need for these types of facilities in Quebec,” says Martin Munger, Executive Director, Food Banks of Quebec.

The second edition of METRO’s Shared Kitchens is already underway, with the call for projects now open to the province's BAQ network. The new round of selected beneficiaries will be announced in the coming weeks.