As if the looming recession weren’t having an impact on its operations, American retail giant Walmart will today open its first new store in Quebec in 10 years.
• Also read: More grocers, a solution to inflation
Located at Marché Central, off Montreal’s Metropolitan Highway, the 13,000 sqm store employing 300 people represents a $20 million investment for this chain, which has continued to outperform its competitors since its inception in 1994 sell seems.
And it’s safe to assume that it’s not the inflationary slump that consumers in the province have been experiencing for more than a year that will change the company’s growth ambitions, Cyrille Ballereau, vice president of Quebec operations.
Fighting inflation is truly in Walmart’s DNA, says Cyrille Ballereau, vice president of Quebec operations at Walmart Canada. Chantal Poirier / JdeM
“We listen to our consumers. And I would tell you that they have called for this new deal, supports Mr Ballereau. Our customers work hard. Some have one or even two jobs. They rely on our low prices and more and more of them visit us. They know fighting inflation is really in our DNA.”
food, more food
This new store in Montreal brings the company’s number of stores in Quebec to 73. Of those, 61 are Supercentre branded, much to the chagrin of Canada’s big traditional food groups (Sobeys, Metro and Loblaw).
In different formats (from 90,000 square meters and more) the supercenters offer their customers not only general goods but also a complete range of groceries. The most recent addition to the Central Market is devoting almost 40% of its space to food products.
Chantal Poirier / JdeM
Walmart promises a new range of reasonably priced groceries for this branch. From chicken to Canadian seafood to Quebec beef and pork. Based in Bentonville, Arkansas, the company says it sources its products from 500 Quebec suppliers and totaled $3.5 billion in 2022.
In addition to products from Quebec, Mr. Ballereau notes the existence of a new “International Food Products” section, which also includes products from East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, the West Indies, Latin America and Italy as kosher products.
A medical clinic and fewer cashiers
In addition to an expanded grocery offering through a branch of the Ghost Kitchen chain, this new branch houses a pharmacy and medical clinic, a first in Quebec.
Self-checkouts dominate the checkout area at the latest Walmart to open in Quebec. Of the 22 checkouts, 18 are self-service checkouts. Chantal Poirier / JdeM
In general, it will hardly be possible for customers of this branch to speak to an employee when paying their bill. Of the 22 checkouts we counted, 18 are self-checkout and only four are traditional.
Walmart’s Quebec boss denies attempting to limit customer service. The company says it uses a ratio of one partner per group of four self-checkouts.