Metro fridge issue halts ops at Toronto frozen DC

Executive Summary

• Metro Ontario Inc. has suspended operations at its frozen distribution centre in Toronto due to a refrigeration system failure, with the exact cause currently under investigation.
• The company has activated a contingency plan to maintain supply to all Metro and Food Basics stores, which remain open and stocked.
• Metro anticipates non-recurring costs associated with this disruption will be incurred in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025 (ending Sept. 27, 2025) and the first quarter of fiscal 2026, with no current estimate for the return to full operations.

Key Details

• Incident: Operations at the Metro Ontario frozen distribution centre in Toronto stopped on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025.
• Cause: An issue with the refrigeration system; the exact cause is under investigation.
• Operational Impact: The frozen distribution centre is not in full operation. The timeline for restoration is undetermined.
• Mitigation: A contingency plan was activated to ensure continued supply of frozen products to stores.
• Store Status: All Metro and Food Basics stores remain open and stocked.
• Financial Impact: The implementation of the contingency plan will generate non-recurring costs in the fourth quarter ending Sept. 27, 2025, and in the first quarter of fiscal 2026.

Notable Quotes

• "While the company is making progress in reducing the impact of this disruption, at this time, it is unable to determine when its frozen distribution centre will be back in full operation."