Last week, IKEA Canada opened its latest Distribution Centre and Customer Distribution Centre in Canada. The state-of-the-art 1.2-million square foot Beauharnois Distribution Centre and Customer Distribution Centre is at 1001 Urgel-Charrette in the Beauharnois community, part of the greater Montreal area, in Southwestern Quebec. The new Beauharnois location was awarded LEED Silver certification and is equipped with 20 electric vehicle chargers for its over 380-co-workers and guests. The retailer will install 15 electric vehicle chargers for commercial fleets, in December 2023, supporting IKEA Canada’s ambition to provide zero emission home deliveries by 2025. (IKEA Canada – www.ikea.ca)……..
As part of the legal process led by PwC as the monitor overseeing the restructuring of Groupe Sélection, on August 30 the Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ concluded the transaction to acquire Groupe Sélection’s full interest in the redevelopment project of the former Molson Brewery site in Montréal. Following that transaction, the Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ sold a portion of its stake to Montoni, thus re-establishing their equal joint ownership of the property. The redevelopment of one of Montréal’s most important heritage sites and strategic properties is now being led by two partners committed to creating a transformative, sustainable project that will form a complete neighbourhood of which Montrealers can be proud. With potential for almost six-million square feet of space on the 1.1-million square foot parcel, the proposed mixed-use development would consist of nearly 5000 residential units, an economic and business hub mainly centred on innovation, a civic hub, 200,000 square feet for retail, a school, a central park, tourist attractions, museum, etc. Work to dismantle the beer tanks, which began in 2022, has been completed and work to clear the industrial buildings’ interiors is ongoing. This portion of the site will be home to the future Montréal offices of Molson Coors and the Molson Family Foundation, as well as a space for culture, history and entertainment. (Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ – www.fondsftq.com) & (Groupe Montoni – www.groupemontoni.com)………
Pet Valu Holdings Ltd. opened its state-of-the-art 670,000 square foot distribution centre in Brampton in Ontario last week. Representing a key milestone in the company’s nationwide $110-million supply chain transformation, the GTA distribution centre will bring unprecedented scale and automation to Canada’s pet sector as the largest distribution centre and robotics automation installation dedicated to serving the pet specialty industry. Built by Orlando Corp., the GTA DC is approximately the size of eleven football fields and will bring up to 500 skilled jobs to Brampton. Highlights include a café, nursing room, prayer rooms, training room, driver’s lounge and open concept office space. The Facility also employs advanced health and safety features, such as ergonomically designed workstations and equipment. Starting in the first half of 2024, Pet Valu plans to introduce automation capabilities into the GTA DC, with the installation of Canada’s largest goods-to-person robotics installation dedicated to pet specialty products. The design will have the capability to process orders on the same day, while improving pick productivity by more than 50 percent and reducing the overall footprint compared to a traditional manual picking solution. A leading retailer of pet food and pet-related supplies, Pet Valu has over 750 corporate-owned or franchised locations across the country, each offering over 7,000 products, including a broad assortment of premium, super premium, holistic and proprietary brands. (Pet Valu Holdings Ltd. – www.petvalu.ca)……….
Calgary-based SNDL Inc. the public company and the largest private-sector liquor and cannabis retailer in Canada with retail banners that include Ace Liquor, Wine and Beyond, Liquor Depot, Value Buds, Spiritleaf, and Firesale Cannabis, has launched a new eCommerce platform for its destination liquor retail banner, Wine and Beyond. The platform aims to enhance accessibility and reach for the banner’s expansive product selection, featuring rare spirits, local and international beers, and distinctive wines. Wine and Beyond’s online catalogue features nearly 9,000 offerings, with fresh additions and new deals added weekly. The company has eleven Wine and Beyond locations in Alberta and one in British Columbia, with plans to expand into Saskatchewan by 2024. (Wine and Beyond – www.wineandbeyond.ca)………
The Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada has released key findings from its first-of-its-kind report, ‘The Value of Specialty Pharmacy Services to the Healthcare System.’ The report defines, describes and quantifies the value of specialty pharmacy services to patient care and the overall healthcare system. Developed in partnership with IQVIA Canada, the report explores six different categories of specialty services in-depth to illustrate the value of pharmacy’s contributions to patient care and the healthcare system. In so doing, the report demonstrates how pharmacies are filling gaps through the provision of specialty services that would otherwise have to be somehow provided, and funded, through public healthcare system. (Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada – www.neighbourhoodpharmacies.ca)……….
International multi-protein food business, Hilton Food Group plc reports that it has reached a long-term supply agreement with Walmart Canada Corp. and will open a new manufacturing facility in Eastern Canada to supply Walmart’s Supercentres with a range of protein products, starting with beef, lamb, pork, seafood and moving into some added-value products. The new Hilton Foods facility will provide robot-ized store order picking into Walmart’s distribution centres. Hilton Foods intends to lease the production facility and its newly formed subsidiary Hilton Foods Canada Inc. targets production commencement for 2026. Huntingdon, UK-based Hilton Foods is an international operation with 24 technologically advanced food processing, packing and logistics facilities across 19 markets in Europe, Asia Pacific and North America. (Hilton Food Group plc – www.hiltonfoods.com) & (Walmart Canada Corp – www.Walmart.ca)………
On Friday, Fire & Flower Holdings Corp. announced, that, in connection with its creditor protection proceedings under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act and its previously announced sale and investment solicitation process, the company completed the transaction contemplated by that certain subscription agreement dated August 17, 2023, with 2759054 Ontario Inc., operating as FIKA Cannabis. FIKA is a lifestyle brand that currently operates twenty-two licensed cannabis stores across Ontario, including flagship locations in Toronto’s Union Station and Distillery District. (FIKA Cannabis – www.fikasupply.com)……
Don’t forget, the ICSC@Canada is only days away. I hope your ‘dance card’ is filled. Have a great week………..