Montreal, November 20, 2013 – Metro is pleased to announce today that it has reached an agreement with La Tablée des Chefs for a pilot project that will be set up in 12 Metro and Super C stores in the Greater Montreal area. This 12 weeks project will ensure the redistribution of food surpluses to community organizations and food banks and should result in the collection of about 165 kilos of food per store every week.
In its role as broker, La Tablée des Chefs will serve as a liaison between participating Metro and Super C stores and the organizations that will redistribute the food to those in need. The Welcome Hall Mission on the Island of Montreal and Action Nouvelle Vie on the South Shore, will carry out the collection in the stores taking part in the pilot project.
“Although we always try to minimize food losses in our stores, the very nature of our activities inevitably results in some. That's why we are delighted to work with an organization like La Tablée des Chefs so that the food can be redistributed and eaten by people who need it”, said Marie-Claude Bacon, Senior Director, Corporate Affairs Department for Metro. “We hope that the knowledge gained from the pilot project will enable the project to spread out and reach more stores.”
The food products will be carefully chosen and will come from the bakery, prepared meals, and cheeses and meat departments. They will be frozen in-store on their expiry date and then handed over to the organizations whose collections will be carried out twice a week. La Tablée des Chefs will ensure that food safety rules are respected and that the cold chain is maintained throughout transport and distribution.
“By offering carefully handled “ready-to-eat” products, Metro provides us with invaluable and vital support. There is a crying need for food assistance, which is why all of the food taken from grocery stores will wind up on the tables of families for whom this help makes a huge difference.”, said Jean-François Archambault, Executive Director and founder of La Tablée des Chefs.
This agreement is in keeping with the spirit of Metro's new Community Investment Program, in which the company commits to donating an amount equal to 1% of its average net earnings over the last three years. It rests on two pillars: food accessibility, which the sustainable food brokerage program is linked to, and promoting healthy eating, from which the Green Apple School Program was created. Since 2012, Metro and its merchants have been investing a million dollars a year by awarding 1,000 grants of $1,000 each to elementary schools and high schools in Quebec. For more information, go to: greenapple.metro.ca
The 2013 Update on the progress of Metro's corporate responsibility initiatives is also available. Click here to see it.
About 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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About La Tablée des Chefs - www.tableedeschefs.org
La Tablée des Chefs feeds families in need and educates future generations by developing their food autonomy.
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