Metro Focuses on Discount Store Footprint in 2025
Metro Inc. revealed plans to open a dozen new discount stores in fiscal 2025.
The Canadian retailer, whose banners include grocery chain Metro, discount supermarkets Super C and Food Basics and pharmacy chain Jean Coutu, shared the news as it reported its 2024 fourth quarter earnings on Nov. 20.
After opening nine new stores in 2024, Eric La Flèche, Metro president and CEO, told analysts that along with the new stores, some conversions are also planned, primarily in Quebec.
Metro completed 28 major renovations across its pharmacy network this past year. Its plans for 2025 include 30 major projects, including 12 expansions and 18 major renovations — nine of which will be to the company’s new store layout design.
"We see good opportunities in discount, mostly in both provinces," La Fleche said. "We see opportunities for us to expand our network, grow our market share and grow our tonnage. Food Basics in Ontario is doing really well. It's been on a very good run for a few years, capturing share, and we see more opportunities. Same with Super C."
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Metro’s discount banners continue to outperform its traditional grocery stores, La Fleche added. The company sees opportunities to draw customers in areas experiencing population growth.
"It's really market by market. … There's urban, suburban, rural — there's opportunities in all of these markets. For competitive reasons, we're not going to telegraph our plans here, but we see opportunities for growth, and we have a plan to deliver on it," he said.
Also in the quarterly earnings report: More than 1 million shoppers have signed up for Metro’s Moi loyalty program in Ontario.
The program first launched in Quebec in May 2023, and was introduced in Ontario last month. Moi counts 2.7 million active members in Quebec.
Also last month, Metro marked the completion of its seven-year, billion-dollar supply chain modernization project with the opening of an automated fresh distribution center in Toronto.
P2PI members can now view Metro's dedicated Retailer Profile.