GRANBY, February 24, 2025 - METRO, in collaboration with its long-time partner Food Banks of Quebec, is pleased to announce the unveiling of the first kitchen in the METRO’s Shared Kitchen network, within SOS Dépannage|Moisson Granby. This unveiling officially launches the first edition of this project, enabling organisations working to combat food insecurity to receive funding so they can build collective gathering places where different community groups can come together.
Thanks to this new METRO’s Shared Kitchen, the SOS Dépannage|Moisson Granby will be able to limit food waste and repurpose food to nourish the community. Moreover, the food bank will be able to accommodate other organisations and groups to offer culinary education workshops or collective kitchen groups. This new installation will promote access to healthy, nutritious food through innovative various programs, create a sense of belonging within communities and provide a resource for those feeling isolated.
“All of our community will benefit significantly from this new space, as local organisations will have access to a processing kitchen to carry out various educational training, meal preparation and other projects. For us, this kitchen will enable us to gain even more ground in the fight against food waste by allowing us to repurpose the food received in our facility and redistribute it to those in need,” says Patrick Saint-Denis, General Manager, SOS Dépannage | Moisson Granby.
“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 selected beneficiaries will be announced in the summer.
About METRO Inc.
With annual sales of more than $21 billion, METRO Inc. is a food and pharmacy leader in Québec and Ontario, providing employment to more than 97,000 people. Its purpose is to Nourish the health and well-being of our communities. As a retailer, franchisor, distributor, manufacturer, and provider of eCommerce services, the company operates or services a network of 995 food stores under several banners including Metro, Metro Plus, Super C, Food Basics, Adonis and Première Moisson, and some 640 pharmacies primarily under the Jean Coutu, Brunet, Metro Pharmacy and Food Basics Pharmacy banners. For more details, visit corpo.metro.ca and follow the latest news on LinkedIn.
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Source:
METRO inc.
Further information:
METRO
Media Relations
media@metro.ca
514 643-1009
The Food Banks of Quebec
Claudia Gastonguay
claudiagastonguay@banquesalimentaires.org
438 881-9567