A new Provigo Le Marché(TM) store opens its doors at Place de la gare Jean-Talon in Montréal

After receiving an enthusiastic welcome from Quebecers in regions where the store concept has already been implemented, Provigo is now carrying out a number of new openings.

MONTRÉAL, May 22, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - (TSX: L) - Provigo, a member of the Loblaw Group, proceeded today with the official opening of a new Montréal store under the Provigo Le Marché concept. The opening ceremony, which was attended by local elected officials, industry partners, several Provigo suppliers and many shoppers who came to discover a range of new products, marked the opening of the eighth Provigo Le Marché store in Québec.

"The new Provigo Le Marché stores were extremely well-received in all the regions of the province where they were implemented last year. Now we're excited to be launching the second rollout of this unique concept, which is designed with Quebecers in mind, and to offer our customers an experience centred on freshness, the discovery of new products and flavours, and exceptional customer service," said Pierre Dandoy, Senior Vice President of Operations for Provigo, Provigo Le Marché and Loblaws in Québec. "The opening of this new store is part of a more than $210 million investment program in Québec in 2013–2014."

Located at the corner of Jean-Talon Street and Parc Avenue, the store was built on the site of the former Jean-Talon train station, and its architecture preserves some key elements of the extraordinary site's heritage. This new Provigo Le Marché will serve customers from the Parc-Extension, Villeray, Outremont and Little Italy neighborhoods, along with many Montréalers from different parts of the city.

"Along with my 200 colleagues, I'm thrilled to be welcoming our first customers to what I believe is the most beautiful store in Québec," said Sylvie Craig, Manager of the Provigo Le Marché. "Because our clientele in the neighbourhood is so culturally diverse, we have spared no effort in offering fresh products and groceries adapted to their preferences and shopping habits. Our store colleagues also speak 12 languages!" 

The new Provigo Le Marché store is located at 375 Jean-Talon Street West and is now open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. With a total area of more than 6,000 m² and a larger space allocated to fresh products, this modern store boasts a sleek design and a welcoming market-style atmosphere, and offers its customers a complete range of services provided by a team that knows how to offer an exceptional shopping experience. Underground parking, which is easily accessible from the back of the store via Ogilvy Avenue, makes customers' lives easier and allows them to spend more time discovering new products and getting new ideas and advice from in-store chefs rather than searching for parking.

The opening of this store has created around 70 new full- and part-time jobs, which brings the total number of colleagues dedicated to providing outstanding customer service at this location to almost 200.  

Features of the Provigo Le Marché store at Place de la gare Jean-Talon

• An extensive range of fresh products and products from Québec growers and producers, including 40 products adapted to the multicultural clientele
• More than 120 varieties of organic fruits and vegetables, a salad bar and freshly squeezed juice every day
• A daily shipment from sustainable fisheries, and an oyster bar
• Beef aged in store, several varieties of sausages made on site as well as local products such as Québec pork, milk-fed veal and lamb, which customers can discover thanks to in-store butchers who are happy to share their expertise
• An incredible variety of ready-to-eat meals, including smoked meat, several varieties of pizza from the popular Pizzédélic brand, and ready-to-heat meals prepared by our chefs
• A wide variety of cupcakes and macaroons as well as bagels baked in store
• A new kind of sushi counter that allows customers to have their personalized order prepared before their eyes or while they finish their shopping
• An incredible wall of cheeses offering a line-up of 400 cheeses, including 300 from Québec, located next to the deli counter, which features an impressive selection of imported prosciutto and Quebec pâtés and terrines

Customers at the Provigo Le Marché at Place de la gare Jean-Talon can now take advantage of Guiding Stars^®, an impartial food-rating system that assigns stars and helps identify healthy foods at a glance. Customers who would like more details about this food-rating system can visit the following website: http://guidingstars.ca/.

Adjacent to the Provigo Le Marché is the standalone Joe Fresh^® store, also located in the former Jean-Talon train station. This uniquely attractive flagship store offers a full line-up of trendy outfits for the whole family. Customers can thus get all their shopping done in one trip.    

The manager and her team continue to support the community, and took advantage of the opening activities to make a $1,000 donation to Breakfast for Learning in order to help implement a nutrition program in a local school. Marie-Josée Mastromonaco, Regional Coordinator of Breakfast for Learning, was at the opening to thank members of the Provigo Le Marché team for their generosity and involvement.

About Provigo, a member of the Loblaw group
Provigo is a member of the Loblaw group, one of the largest private sector employers in Québec and Canada's largest food retailer. The Loblaw group employs nearly 30,000 people in the province of Québec through its 400 corporate, franchised and affiliated stores operated mainly under the Provigo^®, Provigo Le Marché^TM, Maxi^®, Maxi & Cie^®, Loblaws^®, Club Entrepôt Provigo^® and Les Entrepôts Presto^® banners. The Loblaw group also offers Canada's strongest control (private) label program, including the President's Choice^®, no name^® and Joe Fresh^® brands. In addition, it makes available to consumers President's Choice Financial^® services and offers the PC^® points loyalty program.

SOURCE Provigo, member of Loblaw group

Image with caption: "Sylvain Jodoin and André Fortier, Provigo Le Marché, Marie-Josée Mastromonaco, Breakfast for Learning, Martin Patenaude, Provigo Le Marché, Andréa Séguin, Barthélémy Vimont school, Mary Deros, city councillor, Parc-Extension, Spyridon Koutsouris, pharmacist-owner, Sylvie Craig, Pierre Dandoy and Anita Jarjour, Provigo Le Marché and Jane Marshall, Choice Properties (CNW Group/Provigo, member of Loblaw group)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140522_C2891_PHOTO_EN_2229.jpg