Settle in and get ready for a dose of good news: after closing all its branches, Juliette & Chocolat is making a big comeback, Italpizza is moving to Quebec to offer its frozen gourmet pizzas and award-winning chefs in the boudin competition.
First, let us remember that in August 2023, Juliette & Chocolat had closed all of its branches. Here is some happy news announcing the reopening of two franchises in Montreal. The first address will be that of Marché Jean-Talon, bought by three former managers of the company specializing in chocolate. The 75-seat restaurant is already welcoming customers.
A second franchise opened shortly after at 1980 rue Sauvé Ouest, with four business partners of Syrian origin. This new place can accommodate up to 100 people and offer Juliette & Chocolat's emblematic chocolate menu.
Juliette Brun, the founder, will support these new franchisees, suggesting the possibility of other reopenings in the form of franchises across the province.
Second, Italpizza, the world's largest pizza producer, is opening its first store in Canada in Quebec, aiming to demonstrate that the combination of frozen and gourmet can offer quality at an affordable price. The store, Italpizza Shop & Eat, stands out by requiring little investment and labor, with only two employees per branch.
Customers choose from four toppings and two types of crust and their frozen pizzas are reheated in minutes for eating in or to go. All pizzas are made in Italy with fresh local ingredients, which owner Andrea Primo Gennari says sets them apart from lower-priced competitors. Italpizza also plans delivery agreements with Uber Eats and Doordash, expanding its reach to the Canadian market.
Finally, on November 12, the Association québécoise du Goûte-Boudin de Boucherville organized the fifth edition of its annual competition for the best boudin in Quebec, with nearly 150 participants and 61 samples submitted to the evaluation of 25 amateur judges and professionals.
The winners were revealed at the banquet, including restaurateurs and caterers such as La Maison du Rôti winning the Délys Or awards for best classic and creative boudin. Other distinctions were awarded to establishments such as Restaurant La Fenouillière, Le Pied bleu, Traiteur Las Olas and Comptoir Espace Gourmand.
Among the finalists were companies like Charcuterie Frick, Boucherie d’Antan, Fermes PB, Fraîcheurs du marche and Le Hobbit restaurant.
The association, created in 2018, aims to promote the quality of Quebec boudin and the work of local artisans, while promoting the cultural and heritage value of boudin. She organizes the annual competition in collaboration with the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Goûte-Boudin de Mortagne-au-Perche, in France.
