Third Healthy Together campaign: $3.1 million for food banks in Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick

MONTREAL, Jan. 21, 2025 /CNW/ - As part of its third annual Healthy Together campaign, METRO is proud to donate nearly $3.1 million to its three partners: Food Banks of Quebec, Feed Ontario and Food Depot Alimentaire in New Brunswick, thanks to the generosity of its customers and the renewal of its corporate donation of $1,050,000. Since the initiative began in 2022, more than $9.1 million has been donated to these partners, helping them meet the needs of hundreds of thousands of people in need.

"The issues of food insecurity and access to basic necessities unfortunately continues to grow and affect more and more Canadians. Healthy Together is one of the many initiatives we have put in place to make a real difference in our communities. This campaign, which reflects our purpose to nourish the health and well-being of our communities, provides an important helping hand at this time of year, when food banks were in great demand during the holiday season," says Marie-Claude Bacon, Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications, METRO.

In November and December, customers of Metro, Super C, Food Basics, Adonis, Première Moisson, Jean Coutu and Brunet banners were invited to donate when paying for their in-store purchases. All funds raised are redistributed locally.

For METRO, community investment goes beyond financial contributions and takes the form of concrete projects benefiting the communities in which we operate. Such is the case with its most recent project, METRO's Shared Kitchens, launched last fall in collaboration with Food Banks of Quebec, which will see, in its first edition, the implementation of eight shared kitchens across Quebec.

One More Bite: the equivalent of $78.8 million in food donations

In addition to its financial support, METRO supports local food banks through its One More Bite program, which donates quality unsold products recovered from its 504 participating food stores in Quebec and Ontario, and its distribution centres. In 2024, over 8.5 million kilograms, the equivalent of more than 17 million meals or $78.8 million in food donations, were redistributed in communities by Food Banks of Quebec, as well as Feed Ontario and Second Harvest in Ontario.

" Food security is a pillar of our community investment strategy. Despite our increasingly efficient systems to minimize unsold products, our operations in the food sector inevitably result in some losses. Therefore, it is crucial to us that this food is redistributed and consumed by those in need," adds Marie-Claude Bacon.

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.

SOURCE METRO INC.

For more information: Media Relations, [email protected], 514 643-1009 or 1-800-463-2190