Metro
Metro Inc. is a publicly traded Canadian food and pharmacy retailer operating approximately 1,000 grocery stores and 640 pharmacies under multiple banners across Quebec and Ontario, generating over CAD $22 billion in annual revenue and serving individual consumers and franchised independent grocers.
- Company typePublic
- Founded-
- HeadquartersMontreal, Canada
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Metro does
Metro Inc. is a publicly traded Canadian food and pharmacy retailer (TSE: MRU) headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, generating over CAD $22 billion in annual revenue and employing more than 97,000 people. The company operates a vertically integrated multi-banner network of approximately 1,000 food stores and 640 pharmacies across Quebec, Ontario, and New Brunswick, functioning simultaneously as retailer, franchisor, distributor, manufacturer, and eCommerce provider. Its banner portfolio spans full-service (Metro, Metro Plus), discount (Super C, Food Basics), specialty (Adonis, Première Moisson), and pharmacy (Jean Coutu, Brunet, Metro Pharmacy, Food Basics Pharmacy) formats, with franchise banners Marché Richelieu and Marché Ami extending reach through independent operators.
The company's revenue mechanics blend same-store retail sales, franchise fees from independent banners, distribution income (notably through McMahon Distributeur pharmaceutique and Metro Richelieu/Metro Ontario for food), and a growing eCommerce channel that posted 19.8% year-over-year sales growth. Customer segments are predominantly individual consumers, with secondary exposure to independent grocers operating under franchise agreements and to external wholesale customers of its distribution arms. There is no documented public-facing technology platform, API, or proprietary software product; the company's competitive technology footprint is limited to operational retail systems and a recently approved facial recognition pilot covering up to 10 Quebec stores under privacy regulator oversight.
Recent strategic positioning reflects both offensive investment and defensive operational stress. Metro is actively expanding its discount formats (121st Super C in June 2026, 152nd Food Basics in October 2025), building out the Cuisines partagées METRO shared-kitchen network with food bank partners across Quebec and Ontario, and refinancing its capital structure through a C$350 million senior unsecured notes offering in February 2026. At the same time, a 13-week union strike at the Laval produce distribution centre beginning March 2026 materially impacted Quebec operations, and the company has taken public political positions including a boycott of US products in response to tariff disputes. Q2 2026 financial results—sales of $5.1 billion, adjusted EBITDA of $488.5 million, and adjusted EPS of $1.11—demonstrate continuing low-single-digit top-line growth with mid-single-digit profitability expansion despite the labor disruption.
Metro firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Metro
- Legal name
- Metro Inc.
- Website
- https://corpo.metro.ca
- Company type
- Public
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Metro Inc. is a publicly traded Canadian food and pharmacy retailer operating approximately 1,000 grocery stores and 640 pharmacies under multiple banners across Quebec and Ontario, generating over CAD $22 billion in annual revenue and serving individual consumers and franchised independent grocers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Metro is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montreal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Metro business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- Food Retail: Revenue generated from operating approximately 1,000 food stores under multiple banners including Metro, Metro Plus, Super C, Food Basics, Adonis, and Première Moisson across Quebec and Ontario.
- Pharmacy Operations: Revenue from operating 640 pharmacies under Jean Coutu, Brunet, Metro Pharmacy, and Food Basics Pharmacy banners.
- Distribution Services: Revenue from distributing food and pharmaceutical products to the company's own stores and external customers.
- Franchise Fees: Revenue from franchising store concepts to independent operators under various banner agreements.
- eCommerce: Online sales through digital channels for food and pharmacy products.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Metro product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Metro is a Canadian food and pharmacy retailer headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. The company operates approximately 1,000 food stores and 640 pharmacies under multiple banners across Quebec, Ontario, and other provinces. Metro also supplies independent grocers through its wholesale network and offers an e-commerce platform in partnership with Shopify Plus.
Product overview
METRO Inc. is a major Canadian food and pharmacy retailer operating a multi-format network of approximately 1,000 grocery stores and 640 pharmacies across Quebec and Ontario. The company operates as a retailer, franchisor, distributor, manufacturer, and eCommerce provider under a portfolio of distinct banners: Metro and Metro Plus (full-service grocery), Super C and Food Basics (discount grocery), Adonis and Première Moisson (specialty/bakery); and Jean Coutu, Brunet, Metro Pharmacy, and Food Basics Pharmacy (pharmacy). Independent franchise banners include Marché Richelieu and Marché Ami. The company generates over $22 billion in annual revenue and employs more than 97,000 people. Community initiatives include the Cuisines partagées METRO food bank infrastructure network. Online sales represent a growing channel with 19.8% year-over-year growth.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- METRO Cuisine partagée: Shared kitchen network initiative in partnership with food banks to support food security in communities
- Ensemble en santé
- Super C
- Food Basics
- Jean Coutu
- Brunet
Products and services
- Metro (and Metro Plus)
Companies that use Metro
Customer profileSegments2 records
Metro technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Metro partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.
- Feed OntariomajorMETRO and Feed Ontario inaugurated a second Shared Kitchen METRO at The Sharing Place Food Centre in Orillia, Ontario. The Shared Kitchens network provides commercial kitchen space for food banks to prepare meals for communities in need.
- Feed OntariomajorMETRO and Feed Ontario launched the Shared Kitchens METRO network, combining resources to combat food insecurity across Ontario communities.
- Banques alimentaires du QuébecmajorMETRO and Banques alimentaires du Québec inaugurated the fifth shared kitchen in the Shared Kitchens METRO network, supporting food bank operations across Quebec.
- Banques alimentaires du QuébecmajorMETRO and Banques alimentaires du Québec inaugurated a fourth shared kitchen as part of the Cuisines partagées METRO network.
- Banques alimentaires du QuébecmajorMETRO and Banques alimentaires du Québec inaugurated a third shared kitchen in the network.
- Too Good To GominorSuper C and Too Good To Go partnered to allow Quebecers to save money and reduce food waste through surplus food sales.
- Banques alimentaires du QuébecmajorMETRO and Banques alimentaires du Québec inaugurated a second shared kitchen.
- Banques alimentaires du QuébecmajorMETRO and Banques alimentaires du Québec inaugurated the first shared kitchen in the Cuisines partagées METRO network.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Metro competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Loblaw Companies: Loblaw is Canada's largest food and pharmacy retailer (Loblaws, Maxi, No Frills, Provigo, Shoppers Drug Mart), directly comparable to Metro in grocery, discount, and pharmacy banners across Quebec and Ontario.
- Empire Company (Sobeys): Empire owns Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, FreshCo, and Lawtons Drugs — a directly comparable multi-banner Canadian grocery and pharmacy operator with overlap in Quebec and Ontario.
- Alimentation Couche-Tard: Quebec-headquartered convenience store and fuel retailer; comparable as a Quebec-rooted multi-banner retailer and franchisor with overlapping customer segments in food and beverages.
- Rexall Pharmacy Group: National Canadian pharmacy chain (owned by McKesson); directly competes with Metro's Jean Coutu and Brunet banners on prescription and front-store pharmacy.
- Shoppers Drug Mart (Loblaw subsidiary): Canada's largest pharmacy chain and Loblaw subsidiary; the most direct pharmacy competitor to Metro's Jean Coutu, Brunet, Metro Pharmacy, and Food Basics Pharmacy banners.
Emerging players
- Longo's: Family-owned Ontario-based premium grocery banner; overlaps with Metro Plus and Première Moisson positioning in the premium fresh and specialty segments.
- T&T Supermarket: Canada's largest Asian-focused grocery banner; competes with Metro's Adonis banner in the ethnic and specialty grocery segment across major Canadian metros.
Regional players
- Save-On-Foods: Western Canada-based grocery banner under the Jim Pattison Group; relevant as a multi-format Canadian grocery peer with limited overlap in Metro's core Quebec/Ontario footprint.
Broad incumbents
- Walmart Canada: Walmart Canada is a broad-line mass retailer with a large grocery business; competes directly with Metro's discount and mainstream banners while operating a wider general-merchandise portfolio.
- Costco Wholesale Canada: Costco is a membership warehouse club that competes for household grocery spend across Canada; relevant given Metro's discount banners and bulk-oriented shoppers in Quebec and Ontario.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Metro social profiles
Digital presenceMetro financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Metro leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Metro subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries11 records
Metro funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Metro M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Metro
What does Metro do?
Metro is a Canadian food and pharmacy retailer headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. The company operates approximately 1,000 food stores and 640 pharmacies under multiple banners across Quebec, Ontario, and other provinces. Metro also supplies independent grocers through its wholesale network and offers an e-commerce platform in partnership with Shopify Plus.
Is Metro a public or private company?
Metro is a public company. It is currently operating.
When was Metro founded?
Metro was founded in -1. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Metro based?
Metro is headquartered in Montreal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Metro make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Food Retail is the primary driver. The others are pharmacy Operations, distribution Services, franchise Fees and eCommerce.
Who are Metro's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Loblaw Companies, Empire Company (Sobeys), Alimentation Couche-Tard, Rexall Pharmacy Group and Shoppers Drug Mart (Loblaw subsidiary). Emerging players are Longo's and T&T Supermarket. Save-On-Foods is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Walmart Canada and Costco Wholesale Canada.
Does Metro have an API?
No public API is recorded for Metro.