Major restaurant players in Quebec have taken advantage of the last few months to make acquisitions, while other groups opted for a merger instead and others unveiled their expansion plans. No, it's not the pandemic that stops them... or it's the pandemic that forces them to use strategies to survive!

First, Sportscene, the entity that managed La Cage – Brasserie Sportive, merged with Restos Plaisirs, which oversees the operations of Le Cochon Dingue, among others, to form the new Grandio group. The restaurants Chez Lionel, Crémy Pâtisserie and Moishes are also part of the new group. This decision will make it easier for restaurants that first set up shop in Quebec City to set up in Montreal and Moishes to go to Ottawa. The ultimate goal, however, is the unification of forces and resources to keep these restaurants under Quebec ownership.

Second, the Ashton Group, which has now been owned by Jean-Christophe Lirette and Émily Adam for several months, unveiled its growth plans which mention a breakthrough in new markets in the province and even elsewhere in Canada. “Our dream is for Ashton to be truly national. We have requests everywhere in Canada, we have requests in the United States. We believe that the brand is quite strong...,” Ms. Adam told TVA Nouvelles recently. They plan to first focus on the new branches that should open shortly in the Quebec City region. Then, they can shift into second gear on their ambitious expansion project.

Third, Lafleur restaurants, a well-known fast food chain in the metropolitan area, is moving to the next generation of the Papagiannis family and wants to double the number of establishments. Within five years, the number of corporate branches could increase from 15 to 30, while other franchises will also emerge. The northern crown of Montreal is currently targeted, as it is totally absent from the map with the exception of Repentigny. There are also projects for Ontario and the Maritimes.

Finally, the MTY Food Group made another acquisition in the past few days, acquiring American company BBQ Holdings for $275 million. This entity already operates approximately nine brands, for a total of one hundred restaurants in Canada, the United States and the United Arab Emirates. According to the Journal de Québec, the size of the MTY network has increased from 6,660 establishments in Canada and the United States to 7,000, including more than 3,900 in the United States.