Toronto, ON, November 2, 2017 - Grocery retailer METRO announced today the arrival in store of 71 new products from 13 different suppliers located in the Lake Ontario East & St. Lawrence River areas. There are now 12 Metro stores and eight Food Basics stores between Port Hope and Cornwall (including the Peterborough area, due to proximity) that will offer customers unique products either made or developed in their community.
The roll-out to this market marks the third phase of the local purchasing program in Ontario, which kicked off in Ottawa in March 2017, followed by Southwestern Ontario in June 2017. The success of the local purchasing program will be continuously evaluated and will influence the program’s development in other markets in Ontario. Eventually, locally sourced products will be available at Metro and Food Basics stores across the province.
“It’s important to us to continually offer our customers access to local, unique and innovative products from their very own community,” says Joe Fusco, Senior Vice President, Metro Ontario. “Our localized commitment also extends beyond our customer. Metro proudly supports the local suppliers in the region who produce a variety of quality products that our customers will appreciate.”
Through an ongoing key partnership with Foodland Ontario, Metro works to promote varied and differentiated Ontario agri-food products across numerous major product categories (meat, eggs, wheat flours, honey, fruits and vegetables, dairy products and more) whose freshness, quality, availability and value meet its customers’ expectations.
“We are delighted with Metro’s initiative to put forward products from the Lake Ontario East and St. Lawrence River areas under this local purchasing policy that further promotes local, seasonal foods and works to help consumers recognize and ask for Ontario-grown foods at their local grocery store,” says Denise Zaborowski, Manager, Foodland Ontario. “We hope that these new agreements will benefit customers and suppliers in these communities, and in a more general way, the socio-economic development of the region.”
Suppliers now represented on store shelves include Canadian Vinegars Cellars, La Cultura Salumi, Urban Hippie Granola, O’Hara Sugar Maples, Pasta Tavola and more. These suppliers have expressed enthusiasm about being able to reach a wider market with their products by participating in the program.
“Metro’s local purchasing initiative is a great way for Pyramid Ferments to meet consumer demand for local food and meet a new customer base,” says Jenna Empey, Co-owner, Pyramid Ferments.
“Expanding into Metro stores is an amazing opportunity for Bee Real Products,” says Helen Bertrim, Owner, Bee Real Products. “Since starting my business five years ago, and having been based in the Seaway area, it is very exciting to expand distribution of my all-natural deodorant line.”
“Metro’s local purchasing initiative helps Reid’s Dairy to make significant contributions toward local charities, food banks, schools, sponsorships and cancer research,” says Bill Hanna, Vice President, Reid’s Dairy Co. Ltd. “As Reid’s Dairy grows, it continues to play a big part in our local communities.”
Local Purchasing Program
On June 10, 2016, Metro launched its local purchasing program in Ontario, which aims to optimize the accessibility and promotion of local products. The program, which is part of Metro's overall corporate responsibility approach, is based on three guiding principles and aims to make Metro a unique showcase for regional products; A key partner of Foodland Ontario and sectoral agri-food associations that promote Ontario products; a key ally of Ontario innovative suppliers. The local purchasing policy can be consulted on metro.ca. The Metro 2016 Corporate Responsibility Report is also available online at metro.ca/responsibility
ABOUT METRO INC.
With annual sales of over $12 billion and over 65,000 employees, METRO INC. is a leader in the food and pharmaceutical distribution in Québec and Ontario, where it operates a network of more than 600 food stores under several banners including Metro, Food Basics, Metro Plus and Super C, as well as over 250 drugstores under the Brunet, Metro Pharmacy and Drug Basics banners.
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Contact Information:
Sadie Weinstein
Communications Specialist
sadie.weinstein@metro.ca
(416) 239-7171 ext. 6620