The Drouin family’s Metro store located on St-Jean/St-Laurent is moving to the heart of Vieux-Longueuil and will become the first L.E.E.D branch of the chain

Longueuil, October 30, 2008 – The December 4 opening of a new Metro Plus store on rue St-Charles is good news for residents of Longueil and the area, for a number of reasons, including:

• Its floor surface is three times larger;
• It has created approximately 60 local jobs;
• It is the first Metro L.E.E.D supermarket, which means it is built according to technologically and environmentally innovative criteria.

The new store with the Metro Plus banner replaces the store formerly located on the corner of St-Jean and St-Laurent. Longueuil residents will now have over 38,000 square feet of shopping space. They will also benefit from an expanded range of products and services, including several new items:

• A large variety of organic foods and international flavours
• The first high-end Adagio in-store coffee roasting concept
• An Aki Sushi counter, with sushi prepared onsite by sushi specialists and a dining area
• An impressive range of deli products and a large variety of fine local cheeses
• A master butcher service and a gourmet fishmonger
• A larger variety of red grill Angus beef pieces, fish and shellfish
• A large and delicious range of dishes prepared onsite by our experienced cook "Cuistot du Marchand"
• An innovative cut fruit and vegetable department
• Hundreds of health and beauty products at very competitive prices
• Chester’s famous fried chicken concept
• A fine food buffet catering service
• A large supply of imported and micro-brewed beers and wines.

"We have invested $8.5 million to satisfy the needs of consumers of Longueuil and the South Shore. They can now meet all their food needs in the same place," explains Sébastien Drouin, co-owner, with his sister Marie-Josée. They are continuing the work of their father Raymond Drouin, whose business has been established in Longueuil since 1994.

The opening brings more good news for the region - Metro Plus will hire more than 100 people; 60 more than at the former store.

The new store is environmentally friendly and is the first L.E.E.D-certified Metro branch. It was developed in the spirit of protecting the environment and improving the well-being of workers and customers. Its design is based on innovative technological standards, including:

• One hundred and sixty-six-parking spaces are made of recycled asphalt spaces for bicycles;
• Seventy-five per cent of its roof is made of a pale membrane that reflects light instead of absorbing heat;
• The exterior lighting (90% horizontal) does not project light into the sky;
• The aerated faucets, bathrooms, etc. require 40 per cent less water;
• The landscaping resists dryness and requires less water;
• The energy performance of the building is 17.5 per cent greater than the standard.

"These added values are part of our attention to detail. The latter is also apparent in the great attention our customers receive and in the same impeccable service they have always known at Metro Drouin," concludes with pride Sébastien Drouin, while inviting Longueuil residents to an evening celebrating the opening of the supermarket on December 3 at 7 p.m.

The store will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., 7 days a week.

Metro Inc.
With an annual turnover of $11 billion and more than 65,000 employees, Metro Inc. is a leader in the food and pharmaceutical sectors in Quebec and Ontario, where it operates a network of almost 600 food stores under several brands, including Metro, Metro Plus, Super C and Food Basics as well as 250 pharmacies under the Brunet, Clini Plus, The Pharmacy and Drug Basics brands.

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Information and media relations
Marie-Claude Bacon
Director, Corporate Affairs Department
(514) 643-1086
mbacon@metro.ca

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