Colabor

Colabor

Colabor began in 1962 as a cooperative. It converted to a corporation in 2009, then executed nine acquisitions between 2011 and 2026, including Norref, Lauzon, Maturin, Beaudry & Cadrin, Alimplus, and Tout-Prêt (per the firm's website). In 2026, Financière Outremont acquired substantially all of Groupe Colabor's assets, transitioning the firm into a family-office-controlled entity. The company distributes over 10,000 food and non-food products across categories including groceries, proteins, fruits and vegetables, seafood, dairy, bakery, beverages, and ready-to-serve items. Its clients span independent and chain restaurants, hotels, institutions, independent distributors, and convenience stores. Colabor operates distribution centers in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Lévis, Rimouski, and Chicoutimi, along with a seafood subsidiary, Pêcheries Norref, in Montreal. Its exclusive brands include Lesters and Bridor. The firm holds SmartWay certification from Natural Resources Canada for fleet efficiency. In 2025, it acquired Tout-Prêt inc. (per the firm). Colabor's eight-person leadership team is led by Kelly Shipway (President and CEO), a 25-year food industry veteran with prior roles at Danone, Keurig, and Nutrinor. Other executives bring experience from Intact Canada, Bombardier Transport, ZIM Canada, Agropur, Quebecor, and Saputo. The firm maintains five distribution centers and a seafood processing plant. Its recent acquisition by Financière Outremont marks a structural shift from a cooperative-founded corporation to a family-office-backed enterprise. Colabor's structural differentiator is its concentration on Quebec and northern New Brunswick — a regional focus that allows deep supply-chain integration and local sourcing relationships. The ownership transition to Financière Outremont in 2026 gives the firm access to family-office capital for further acquisitions and consolidation in a fragmented market.