METRO Inc. Joins InComm Canada's Retail Network

Partnership brings in-store and digital prepaid product offerings to more than 1,119 METRO and Jean Coutu stores across Canada

InComm, a leading payments technology company, today announced that one of Canada’s leading food and pharmacy retailers, METRO Inc. (“METRO”), is joining its retail network. Through the partnership, this summer the companies will launch a prepaid product and payments program within METRO’s Ontario and Quebec banners.

The agreement is an expansion of InComm’s 14-year partnership with the Jean Coutu Group, one of the most trusted names in Canadian pharmacy retailing, which was acquired by METRO in 2018 Through the acquisition, Jean Coutu Group and METRO became a new leader in food, pharmacy, health and beauty. In addition to the 415 Jean Coutu stores InComm currently serves, the payments technology company will work with METRO’s 704 retail stores and affiliate banners to offer shoppers an inclusive range of open- and closed-loop prepaid products as well as innovative payment solutions.

“The growth in sales and the success of the programs developed in Jean Coutu Group pharmacies over the last few years, combined with the efficiency of its systems, now make InComm the ideal partner to ensure the growth and deployment of innovative payment solution programs for our customers in our grocery stores,” said Serge Boulanger, Senior Vice President, National Procurement and Corporate Brands, METRO.

“Over the course of our partnership with Jean Coutu, we have developed a best in class prepaid program tailored to the Jean Coutu shoppers’ preferences, offering a rich product catalog with ongoing promotional added value offerings,” said Frank Juliano, Senior Vice President of International at InComm. “We look forward to expanding our partnership to METRO and its many banners, creating a program specific to their consumer needs and preferences”.

In addition to products, InComm will provide METRO stores with a comprehensive suite of services to ensure the prepaid program is seamlessly executed across all channels. From the last-minute shopper to the tech-savvy to the budget-conscious, all customers will be able to conveniently find great gifting options, reliable financial services products, and prepaid payments options to fund their preferred accounts.

“We are delighted to have been selected as METRO’s exclusive prepaid and payments provider, expanding upon our long standing and successful partnership with Jean Coutu” said Stefan Happ, President at InComm.

The rollout of the prepaid mall program will occur in all METRO stores and affiliate banners over the course of the summer of 2020.

About InComm
By building more value into every transaction through innovative payment technologies, InComm creates seamless and valuable commerce experiences. InComm’s unique products and services – which range from gift card malls to enhanced payment platforms – connect companies across a wide range of industries including retail, healthcare, tolling & transit, incentives and financial services to an ever-expanding consumer base. With more than 25 years of experience, over 500,000 points of distribution, 386 global patents and a presence in more than 30 countries, InComm leads the payments industry from its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Learn more at www.InComm.com.

About Metro Inc.
With annual sales of more than $16 billion, METRO INC. is a food and pharmacy leader in Québec and Ontario. As a retailer, franchisor, distributor, and manufacturer, the company operates or services a network of some 950 food stores under several banners including Metro, Metro Plus, Super C and Food Basics, as well as some 650 drugstores primarily under the Jean Coutu, Brunet, Metro Pharmacy and Food Basics Pharmacy banners, providing employment to almost 90,000 people. For more details, visit corpo.metro.ca.