KaleMart24 is sharing plans to open its first retail store at a 450 sq. ft. location inside the Jarry Metro station in Montreal.
READ: KaleMart24 aims to be the Whole Foods of Canadian convenience
Earlier this year, entrepreneur Oussama (Sam) Saoudi, who is CEO, director and founder of the growth-focused concept, shared with CSNC his plan to roll out what he calls, “Whole Foods of convenience stores.”
Saoudi plans to have five locations in Montreal within the next 12 months, and “to reach over 30 locations by the end of 2025” in major markets, including Vancouver and Toronto. His vision is to disrupt the increasingly outdated idea "of c-stores being associated with junk food by offering healthier choices that cater to a mobile-savvy younger generation” that's looking for good food on the go.
Jarry, a Montreal Metro station in the borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension, is operated by the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) and serves the Orange Line.
A mezzanine near the north end is connected to an entrance integrated into the ground floor of an apartment building, which makes it an ideal fit for busy commuters on their way home from work and school.
KaleMart24 will be open 24/7, and include multiple payment options, including self checkout, contactless and mobile.
Categories range from food and beverage to personal care and even organic pet food, however the plan is also to have a made-to-eat area for pick-up of warm and/or fresh, nutritious meals. The company also has a nutritionist on the team to help source the best natural and organic food products available.
Saoudi is already a successful entrepreneur, as CEO of Toro Beverages Inc., a brand of sugar-fee matcha-based energy beverages he launched in 2019. It is currently expanding distribution from Canada into the U.S.
- with files from Chris Daniels