In rural areas of Quebec, it is sometimes necessary to travel many kilometers to buy groceries free of over-packaging. Entrepreneurs from the big city are however mobilizing to allow their new fellow citizens to eat in an eco-responsible and affordable way, to the delight of local elected officials.
This summer, a zero-waste grocery store drove directly to meet residents of five villages in the regional county municipality (RCM) of Maskinongé, in Mauricie. It is a grocery truck offering bulk products and organic foods. On board was Amélie Poirier-Aubry, grocer-accordionist and founder of Vroum Vrac.
“I was born in Montreal, where I tried to have a maximum zero waste consumption, says Amélie Poirier-Aubry. When I arrived in Saint-Élie-de-Caxton, I realized that it was difficult, that I had to hit the road. I wanted to make the ecological transition accessible to citizens. Being close to them makes it possible to change their consumption habits. »
The grocer affirms that the clientele was quickly at the rendezvous. It believes it can offer affordable prices, particularly since it reduces its operating costs by not having to pay commercial rent.
As his business on wheels is not suitable for winter conditions, Mme Poirier-Aubry has decided to open its Saint-Élie-de-Caxton warehouse to the public this winter. About 80% of its summer customers have continued to shop at home, she estimates.
Cassandra Letarte is happy to no longer have to go to Shawinigan, about thirty kilometers from her home, to make bulk purchases. The Vroum Vrac service encourages the resident of Saint-Élie-de-Caxton to consume more regularly in this way.
“It makes a big difference in my life. It’s in the heart of the village, it only takes me five minutes to get there,” says the single mother, who has a ten-year-old daughter.
In another MRC in Mauricie, citizens have the option of having their groceries delivered to their homes in bulk within a 70 km radius from Grano-Vrac & Délices, located in the village of Sainte-Thècle. It was Stéphanie Marineau, a mother from Laval, who founded the grocery store in 2017 and added an online store due to the pandemic.
“Either we pack the products in paper bags, which people can reuse or recycle, or we work on a weekly basis. That means that one week we pick up the customer’s containers, which he leaves at the door with the information on what he wants in them, and the next week, we fill his containers and we take them to him. reporter,” explains the businesswoman, who points out that she broke sales records in 2020.
Mme Marineau says buying in bulk isn’t necessarily more expensive. She says she makes sure to offer prices that are always a little lower than for bagged equivalents at Metro and Avril, even if she cannot compete with Maxi or Costco.
“Last year, we donated $5,000 in food to customers who are experiencing financial difficulties,” adds the woman who regularly helps entrepreneurs launch their own zero-waste grocery store in the region.
A solidarity cooperative
In Saint-Jean-de-Matha, in Lanaudière, a group of citizens believes in the solidarity cooperative model to meet the needs of as many people as possible. Vie et Cie was thus opened in January 2020, and includes a bulk grocery store, fresh products and frozen products, to which were annexed a bakery, a bistro and a creamery.
“I came from Montreal, where there is a wealth of choice [de commerces zéro déchet], to realize that, if I want to continue to have these values in my daily life, it is complicated in the region. For example, you have to travel a lot of kilometers to find food products in one village, then travel to another for household products. A place like ours, which brings together all these services, is precious,” reports Laetitia Baconnais, member of the board of directors of Vie et Cie.
Unfortunately, the cooperative had to temporarily close its doors less than a month ago, the pandemic having notably damaged the sales of its businesses. The members of the board of directors are now working to get the project back on track this summer, by focusing on the involvement of user members and on education about the advantages of bulk.
I came from Montreal, where there is a wealth of choice [de commerces zéro déchet]to realize that, if I want to continue to have these values in my daily life, it’s complicated in the regions
“Many families move to the regions and are happy to find models they know. There, our challenge is to make ourselves known to people who have lived here for a long time and who are less used to consuming in this way,” admits Ms.me Baconnais.
For Catherine Rixhon, a customer of Vie et Cie since its inception, the closing of the grocery store is “a disaster”. “All my cleaning products, I take them to Vie et Cie. I tell myself that I’m going to have to go to Montreal, and I’m not tempted,” testifies this owner of an ecological lodge.
A craze in Gaspésie
The Le Vraquier grocery store in Carleton-sur-Mer, in Gaspésie, has had the wind in its sails since its opening in June 2020. Its vegetarian prepared meal counter helps to attract people to the area, believes the owner, Guillaume Damini.
Some regular customers come from as far away as Percé, 190 kilometers away, according to Mr. Damini. It is currently the only grocery store entirely dedicated to bulk in the region, but there is a similar project in Gaspé, which should open soon.
“We may have opened the eyes of other companies to the fact that the green shift can be taken and that it is still profitable,” said the businessman from Gatineau.
The prefect of the MRC d’Avignon, also mayor of Carleton-sur-Mer, is very enthusiastic about the Vraquier. According to Mathieu Lapointe, the high traffic shows that it meets a need of citizens.
The project also benefited from personalized support from the MRC for its start-up, through a business support program.
“We have thousands of people who frequent this business, who reduce packaging. It also encourages people to become aware of the waste they generate. So, certainly, it has an impact on the management of residual materials,” underlines Mr. Lapointe.
The MRC de Maskinongé, where Saint-Élie-de-Caxton is located, is also proud of its citizens’ projects, such as Vroum Vrac, “which aim to make eco-responsible food and a zero-waste lifestyle accessible,” said indicated by email the communications coordinator, Pier-Olivier Gagnon. The MRC offers assistance for the realization of these projects.