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Metro re-ups with dunnhumby

Expanded customer data partnership to bring more personalization

Russell Redman

March 5, 2019

2 Min Read

Canadian food and drug retailer Metro Inc. is expanding on a long-term partnership with customer data specialist dunnhumby.

Under a renewed agreement, dunnhumby becomes Metro’s customer data science, loyalty and software partner across its more than 600 grocery stores, which include the Metro, Metro Plus, Super C and Food Basics banners.

Chicago-based duhnhumby also said that, under the deal, the companies are “evolving to a more agile and strategic partnership leveraging customer data science for the changing retail market in Canada.”

“With dunnhumby’s deep insights that are delivered by their customer data science platform, we have gained a better understanding of our customers and their shopping needs. In turn, this has enabled us to provide them with more personalized shopping experiences, helping to drive long-term customer loyalty and growth,” Alain Tadros, vice president of marketing at Montreal-based Metro, said in a statement. “We are looking forward to what the next chapter of our relationship brings with dunnhumby on our shared customer-first journey.”

Metro and dunnhumby began their partnership in November 2009 with the announcement of plans to form a joint venture dubbed Dunnhumby Canada. At the time, Metro Chairman and CEO Eric La Fleche said the retailer’s goal was to improve customer loyalty and targeted marketing efforts through more personalization, with some services also provided to manufacturers.

Related:Metro, Dunnhumby in Canadian Partnership

“We have built a strong partnership with Metro over the past 10 years, and this new agreement reflects both the strength of our relationship as well as the evolving needs of Metro,” Jose Gomes, president of North America for dunnhumby, said in announcing the renewal. “The evolution of our partnership with Metro demonstrates that dunnhumby not only espouses a customer-first approach but also lives it by evolving our working models to support what is best for our partners.”

Besides supermarkets, Metro’s retail network includes more than 650 drugstores under the Jean Coutu, Brunet, Metro Pharmacy and Drug Basics banners. The company completed its $4.5 billion (Canadian) acquisition of Jean Coutu Group in May.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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