Welcome to this new edition of Fast Delivery, where three different topics are on the menu today. And we promise not to talk about the pandemic... or almost. No, we will rather talk about the development plan of Pizza Salvatoré in New Brunswick, the privatization of La Cage and finally the controversial outcome of the trial for the kidnapping of the president of the Cora restaurants.

Pizza Salvatore

So let's start with the very nice announcement that Pizza Salvatoré made a few weeks ago. Indeed, the restaurant chain, which has had the wind in its sails since 2018, is now setting out to conquer New Brunswick. A new restaurant will be open in a few weeks in Quispamsis.

Quite a challenge awaits the management because it is one of the first times that the market will be completely English-speaking. In addition, the team will have to find new, more local suppliers to ensure the freshness that makes their reputation.

Does the Abbatiello family consider that they have already conquered Quebec? It's possible, because since 2018, 27 new Pizza Salvatoré restaurants have opened in Quebec, for a total of 40 addresses. And it's not finished. By 2023, a total of 100 Pizza Salvatoré should be in operation.

Moreover, the Ottawa region is in their sights to start another conquest, that of Ontario.

La Cage – Sports brasserie

The Sportscene group, headed by Jean Bédard and which, among other things, oversees the chain La Cage – Brasserie sportive, made a remarkable exit from the stock market. For competitive reasons first, while all the results and strategies become public, Jean Bédard had the company's capital closed and now takes control with a group of Quebec investors.

With a simpler corporate structure, Bédard has many plans for the company. Thus, the entire food side, with products sold in grocery stores, will be responsible for nearly 50% of revenues.

At least two new Cage branches are expected to open soon and Moishes, a restaurant owned by Sportscene since 2018, will reopen in downtown Montreal. In all, the new group aims to double its revenues within five years.

The Cora trial

Finally, the famous trial on the kidnapping and kidnapping of the president of the Cora breakfast restaurant chain, Nicholas Tsouflidis, in March 2017, as well as extortion for a ransom demand of $ 11 million from the latter's mother , Cora Tsouflidou, ended abruptly at the Laval courthouse.

It is that the jury was unable to agree, forcing the abortion of the trial, because a unanimous verdict is impossible. The case before the courts presented imposing and complex evidence.

Paul Zaidan, 52, an ex-franchisee of the Cora group, was the accused. The latter, however, is not out of the woods. A new trial should take place, unless the Crown waives it.