Carmen Fortino Honoured with Canadian Grand Prix Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Service to Canada's Grocery Sector Français
TORONTO, May 8, 2025 /CNW/ - Retail Council of Canada (RCC) is proud to recognize Carmen Fortino, Executive Vice President, National Supply Chain and Procurement for METRO Inc., with the Canadian Grand Prix Lifetime Achievement Award, in honour of his remarkable contributions, leadership, and lifelong dedication to the grocery retail sector in Canada.
The Canadian Grand Prix Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes individuals or families who have demonstrated outstanding service and dedication to the Canadian retail and grocery industries. Recipients reflect the industry's spirit of community and trust. They have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to their companies' growth and innovation, to the communities they serve, and to philanthropy.
Since joining METRO in 2014 as Senior Vice President and Metro Ontario Division Head, Carmen has held several senior roles. In 2016, he was named Executive Vice President, Metro Ontario Division Head, and in 2019, his responsibilities expanded to include national supply chain operations. Since 2022, he has led both national supply chain and procurement for METRO Inc., bringing a comprehensive approach to product flow, merchandising, and vendor partnerships across the country.
Carmen Fortino's leadership at METRO is grounded in decades of experience across Canadian grocery and international health and wellness sectors. He began his career in his family's grocery business, building a deep understanding of Ontario's retail landscape, and later held senior leadership roles with another major national retailer before joining the METRO team.
Mr. Fortino's achievements have also been recognized industry wide. In 2022, he was honoured with the Golden Pencil Award and named one of Canada's Best Executives by Report on Business.
"Carmen Fortino has been a constant in a rapidly changing industry. What sets him apart is his ability to evolve—bringing decades of experience, starting in a family business in 1985, into bold, forward-thinking leadership," said Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO of Retail Council of Canada. "This Lifetime Achievement award is a tribute to the vision and the impact he's had across every level of grocery retail in Canada."
Mr. Fortino joins a distinguished list of past Lifetime Achievement and Trailblazer recipients from across Canada that include Longo's President and CEO Anthony Longo and the Longo Family, Cindy and Tina Lee of T&T Supermarkets, Burnbrae Farms' President & CEO, Margaret Hudson, Pattison Food Group's President, Darrell Jones, Morrison Lamothe Inc & Club Coffee L.P. CEO, John Pigott, Metro Inc.'s Former Senior Vice President Procurement & Corporate Brands, Serge Boulanger, Kruger Products CEO Dino Bianco, and Sobeys Inc. President and CEO Michael Medline.
The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Carmen Fortino at Retail Council of Canada's Canadian Grand Prix Awards Gala on June 4, 2025, at the Toronto Congress Centre.
Capping off RCCSTORE25, Canada's premier retail conference, the Canadian Grand Prix Awards Gala will celebrate innovation in food, non-food, CPG and private-label categories. Taking place June 3–4, 2025, RCCSTORE25 will feature 75+ expert speakers and draw retail leaders from across North America and beyond.
Media are invited to attend this prestigious event celebrating Jenn Harper and other esteemed award recipients.
About Retail Council of Canada
Retail is Canada's largest private-sector employer with over 2.3 million Canadians working in our industry. This sector is a major economic contributor, generating more than $93 billion annually in wages and employee benefits. In 2024, core retail sales (excluding vehicles and gasoline) exceeded $507 billion. Retail Council of Canada (RCC) members account for more than two-thirds of these core retail sales and 95 per cent of the grocery market. Our membership extends across the country, embracing over 54,000 storefronts in diverse formats such as department, grocery, specialty, discount, independent retailers, online merchants, and quick service restaurants. As the Voice of Retail™ in Canada, RCC, a not-for-profit, industry-funded association, proudly represents retail businesses of all sizes, from small independents to large national chains, in communities nationwide. retailcouncil.org.
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