Metro and Feed Ontario open second Shared Kitchen in Orillia, Ont.

Who: Metro Inc.

What: The grocer, in collaboration with Feed Ontario, has announced the second kitchen in the Metro Shared Kitchen network at The Sharing Place Food Centre in Orillia, Ont. 

The Shared Kitchen initiative helped to renovate The Sharing Place Food Centre into a commercial-grade facility, which was originally built in. It received upgraded kitchen equipment, expanded storage capacities and an upgraded refrigeration infrastructure. 

The Sharing Place Food Centre also expanded its culinary programming and community outreach, including increasing the production and distribution of pre-cooked meals throughout the community. 

Metro allocated nearly $245,000 toward the renovations. The funds come from a $900,000 investment over four years towards launching the first phase of its Shared Kitchens network. This investment supports infrastructure upgrades, equipment purchases, and staffing to ensure long-term sustainability and impact.

READ: Metro and Feed Ontario launch Shared Kitchens network in Ontario

“Our goal was to develop a program that enables us to respond to local needs in a meaningful way. We are very proud of our collaboration with Feed Ontario in creating a tangible project for their food banks, allowing us to establish a lasting impact in the communities where we operate. This initiative brings to life METRO’s purpose to nourish the health and well‐being of our communities,” says Marie‐Claude Bacon, vice president, public affairs and communications, Metro.

The call for applications for the second edition will go out to Feed Ontario member food banks in early 2026.