Public | |
Traded as | : MRU |
Industry | Supermarket |
Founded | 1947Verdun, Quebec, Canada | in
Founder | |
Headquarters | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
Area served
|
Ontario, Quebec |
Key people
|
Eric R. La Flèche (President and CEO) François Thibault (Senior Vice President, CFO, Treasurer) |
Brands |
Private labels: Selection Irresistibles Super C |
Revenue |
|
|
|
Profit |
|
Total assets |
|
Total equity |
|
Number of employees
|
65,000 (2013) |
Divisions |
Food Basics Super C Marché Richelieu Les 5 Saisons Marché Ami Marché Adonis The Barn Markets (Operating as "Metro") |
Subsidiaries | Brunet |
Website |
www.metro.ca http://corpo.metro.ca/en/home.html |
Metro Inc. is a Canadian food retailer operating in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. The company is based in Montreal, Quebec. Metro is the third largest grocer in Canada, after Loblaw Companies Limited and Sobeys.
There are 365 namesake locations in Ontario and Quebec. Super C is the discount supermarket division operated in Quebec with 72 stores, averaging 4,000 m2 (43,056 sq ft). These stores contribute to C$1 billion of Metro's annual sales. In Ontario, Metro has 119 discount supermarkets under the Food Basics banner, which are very similar to the Super C stores. Large Metro stores in Quebec operate under the Metro Plus name. Metro also operates 142 small groceries under the Marché Richelieu banner.
In November 2007, Metro reported a 9.3% increase in earnings for the fiscal year ending September 29, 2007, making $276.6 million in 2007 compared to $253 million in 2006. In 2011 Metro acquired a majority stake (55.5%) (CAD$153.8 million) in Marché Adonis, one of Quebec's biggest ethnic food retailers specializing in Mediterranean food (Marché Adonis sales CAD$73 million 2011).
The company was founded in 1947 in Verdun, Quebec by Rolland Jeanneau. Many independent grocery stores joined the company to form Magasins Lasalle Stores Ltée. In 1952, Magasins Lasalles Stores Ltée change its name to Épiceries Lasalle Groceteria. The company had 43 affiliated grocery stores at the time. In 1955, they were 50 franchised stores and the company with a revenue of $2 million. The company gained fame in 1956 through an advertisement in La Presse which showed turkeys sold for 39 cents. That year, mayor Jean Drapeau was already talking about implementing in Montreal a rapid transit to be called the Montreal Metro. This inspired the company to create a division called Metro. Other grocery stores joined the company bringing its number of stores to 73 in 1957 with revenue of $10 million.