Metro's Local Purchasing Policy - 68 products from Chaudière-Appalaches arrive at Metro

MONTREAL, April 14, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - In keeping with the Local Purchasing Policy that it adopted May 1^st, 2013, Metro today announces the arrival in store of 68 new products from the Chaudière-Appalaches region. In fact, as a result of the pilot project currently underway in that region, 8 suppliers will see several of their products offered in five Metro and two Super C stores: the Metro Laroche & Fils in St-Étienne-de-Lauzon, the Metro Plus Éric Gariépy in St-Nicolas, the Metro in St-Romuald, the Metro Laval Veilleux & Fils in St-Georges, the Metro Plus Robert Desrochers in Lévis, the Super C in Lévis and the Super C in St-Jean-Chrysostome.

The project is the fruit of constant cooperation with the businesses and organizations responsible for developing the regional bio-food sector. Over the past few months, Metro has worked closely with la Table agroalimentaire de la Chaudière-Appalaches (TACA), whose contribution was vital in identifying and assisting the region's agri-food businesses while the project was being planned.

So you'll be seeing several distinctive products representative of the Colours and Flavours of Chaudière-Appalaches made by local artisans, on the shelves of participating Metro and Super C stores. Customers will come across sauces and tapenades, jellies and jams, syrups and oils, flours and seasonings, etc. To make it easier to locate and showcase these products, they are grouped together in a prominently displayed four-sided piece bearing the colours of the campaign and identified as "Colours and Flavours of Chaudière-Appalaches". Furthermore, other suppliers, this time of fresh products, will soon be joining the project. You'll be able to find their meat, deli meat or bakery products in participating stores.

"We are delighted with Metro's initiative to put food products from Chaudière-Appalaches in their stores as part of this pilot project. With its 5,400 farms and 140 processing plants, the Chaudière-Appalaches area is the second largest bio-food sector in Quebec. We hope that consumers will discover or rediscover products sold by Metro and that the quality and diversity of these products will be a source of pride" commented Normand Côté, President of la Table agroalimentaire de la Chaudière-Appalaches.

"The first of the three guiding principles on which our policy is based consists of making Metro a prime showcase for regional products. As today's announcement proves, the work that has been done so far in the Chaudière-Appalaches region is paying off. We can now ensure a greater in-store presence of regional products at a competitive price", said Marie-Claude Bacon, Senior Director, Corporate Affairs Department for Metro.

This pilot project is the second in a series of three, which are also being carried out in the Lanaudière and Centre-du-Québec regions.

This agreement is in keeping with the spirit of the Local Purchasing Policy announced by Metro in May of 2013, one of the three guiding principles of which consists of making Metro a prime showcase for regional products. Thus, Metro wishes to ensure the in-store presence of a distinctive selection of the products available in a region, at a competitive price for its clientele. Metro's Local Purchasing Policy can be viewed on the Metro's website. The 2013 Update on the progress of Metro's corporate responsibility initiatives is also available. Click here to view it.

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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SUPPLIERS

Ferme Pré rieur, Saint-Jean-Port-Joli
COOP PFNL de la MRC de L'Islet (Finesse Boisée), Saint-Perpétue
Les Flatteries du palais, Sainte-Marie
Les Jardins St-Antoine, Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly
Miel Leclerc; Miellerie Prince Leclerc, Saint-Agapit
Les Produits d'érable Cumberland, La Guadeloupe
Retours aux sources, St-Aubert
Seigneurie des Aulnaies, St-Roch-des-Aulnaies

To come:

Les Viandes Délecta, Saint-Henri
Détour de France, Lac Etchemin
Ferme Les Arpents Bleus, Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly
Fromagerie du Terroir de Bellechasse, Saint-Vallier
Les Coquineries, Saint-Agapit
Boulangerie Boutin, Saint-Fabien-de-Panet

PARTICIPATING STORES

Metro Plus Laroche & fils, 982 route Lagueux, St-Étienne-de-Lauzon
Metro Plus Éric Gariépy, 550 route du Pont, St-Nicolas
Metro St-Romuald, 2150 boul. de la Rive-Sud, Lévis
Metro Laval Veilleux & Fils, 17850, boul. Lacroix, St-Georges
Metro Plus Robert Desrochers, 44, route du Président-Kennedy, Lévis
Super C Lévis, 1400 boul. Alphonse-Desjardins, Lévis
Super C St-Jean-Chrysostome, 820 rue Commerciale, St-Jean-Chrysostome

Image with caption: "Metro's local purchasing policy - 68 products from Chaudière-Appalaches arrive at Metro (CNW Group/METRO INC.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140414_C9706_PHOTO_EN_39200.jpg

SOURCE: METRO INC.

Metro
Geneviève Grégoire
Communications Advisor
514 643-1000 # 2055
[email protected]

TACA
Sébastien Béchard
Communications Advisor
418 837-9008 # 241
[email protected]