Customer experience and sustainable development shape all-new Duchemin Family IGA extra in #SaintLaurentMtl

MONTREAL, May 26, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - A new grocery store offering a one-of-a-kind experience in Quebec officially opened its doors today at 5600 Boulevard Henri-Bourassa West in the Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent. After more than 32 years on Keller Boulevard, the Duchemin Family has realized a dream—and met the hopes of customers—by moving its store a few streets away from where it first set down deep roots in the neighbourhood.

A family business involved in the community
In 1984 Normand Duchemin opened the Duchemin Family IGA. His sons joined him later. "The experience has definitely brought Richard and me a whole new level of excitement about the grocery industry," said co-owner Daniel Duchemin. "We've always been on the lookout for trends and what customers want. We love that. And Saint-Laurent has been such a welcoming community for our store." Grocer owners Richard, Daniel, and Francis Duchemin now oversee a model store in the IGA network. The new location represents a more than $13 million investment in the neighbourhood and has added nearly 120 jobs to the existing 80, for a total of almost 200. It features 52,000 square feet of floor space and will offer all the services available under the IGA extra banner.

The opening also brings other good news for the grocers: the next generation is waiting in the wings. Daniel's son Francis Duchemin is part of the very first cohort of Programme Flambeau, a unique Quebec training initiative in grocery retailing instigated by Sobeys Québec/IGA at the request of merchants.

Customer experience a source of inspiration
The Duchemin Family IGA team really knows how to create a grocery environment for shoppers. It has taken the customer experience into new and exciting territory to meet every possible need of grocery shoppers:

• A tasting counter for chef and nutritionist workshops
• A grab-and-go section of ready-to-cook products for recipes, perfectly designed for quickly picking up what you need to prepare dinner or a week-end meal.
• A ready-to-eat meal section featuring a 70-seat bistro (including 30 on an outside terrace), for anytime dining with its incredible array of freshly prepared meals, plus all this:
  • Italian-style coffee (first IGA in Quebec to roast its own coffee)
  • A MITO counter for all your sushi and Asian meal cravings, AND
  • An all-new pizzeria: "Our pizzas have long been a store specialty, because we put our heart and soul into making the very best crust and sauce right in store. And now we have a full-fledged pizzeria and may even soon be offering home delivery!" enthused co-owner Richard.

A true fish lover's fish counter
In a neighbourhood like Saint-Laurent with its more than 65 nationalities, ethnic products are commonplace. One thing that makes the Duchemin Family IGA extra particularly special, however, is its incredible fish counter, a paradise for fish and seafood lovers since 1996. Compared to before, the new fish counter is bigger and features more whole fish and exotic fish, while still offering the same great advice that shoppers have come to love and trust. Another unique store feature is its great selection of local products, with more Quebec microbrewery offerings than ever. The store has also added a new beef-aging chamber (an IGA exclusive), fresh-baked hot bagels, and an integrated Rachelle-Béry shop featuring a huge array of natural and organic products and treatments.

Energy efficiency and waste materials management
The new store is in perfect conformity with Bois-Franc neighbourhood standards as it has been built according to LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification standards. It stands out in numerous ways:

• The roller-compacted concrete (RCC) parking lot to fight heat islands
• The many trees with very little need of water
• Its low energy LED lighting
• Its CO₂ refrigeration
• Its refrigeration doors for fresh produce to optimize energy efficiency, shopper comfort, and product quality
• The two electric car charging stations available free during store hours
• The waste materials management room to optimize waste handling: compostable materials, fat and bones, plastic, paper, cardboard, glass, and metal

The entire team at the Duchemin Family IGA store is looking forward to welcoming shoppers and showing them the Joy of Eating Better.

About IGA
IGA is the largest group of independent grocers in Canada and has been established in Quebec since 1953. In May 2014, IGA merchants launched the Joy of Better Eating movement aimed at getting Quebecers to cook in new ways and more often, to discover new local and imported flavours, to eat healthier meals, and to make more responsible choices. In April 2016, they decided to make the movement even more accessible by making permanent price cuts to thousands of grocery products. The IGA banner counts nearly 300 stores. IGA is the only group of food retailers to offer customers the opportunity to collect AIR MILES® reward miles.

SOURCE Sobeys Québec

Image with caption: "Ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook sections, sushi counter and a full-fledged pizzeria at the all-new Duchemin Family IGA extra! (CNW Group/Sobeys Québec)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160526_C6349_PHOTO_EN_700424.jpg

Laurie Fossat, Communications Advisor, Sobeys Québec, Tel.: [phone], ext. 2158, [email protected]