Metro, a Quebecois company?
In answer to a question posed by a reader, La Presse聽looked into the origins of the Metro group with expert commentary from agricultural economist Pascal Th茅riault, Director of McGill's Farm Management and Technology program and Senior Faculty Lecturer.
Among the five major players in the grocery field (Metro, IGA, Loblaw, Costco and Walmart), Metro is the only one to have its head office in Quebec. The big decisions are therefore made here, indicated Th茅riault.
"The company was founded in Quebec. And the acquisitions it has made have mainly been Quebec acquisitions: Steinberg, Premi猫re Moisson, Jean Coutu, Adonis... Metro's expansion has been through Quebec," Th茅riault said.
And for consumers, is there any real difference between shopping at Metro or elsewhere? "Less and less," answers Pascal Th茅riault.聽
He points out that Metro is not the only one to offer Quebec products. "For example, the selection of B艙uf Qu茅bec products is much greater if you go to Loblaw [Provigo, Maxi] than if you go to Metro," notes Mr. Th茅riault.
He adds that consumers feel they're supporting a Quebec company when they deal with a franchisee, who is often involved in his or her community, regardless of the brand.
"The owners of Metro and IGA stores, we see them on the floor, we talk to them, they ask us how things are going. It's a contact we don't have in corporate grocery stores [like Maxi]."