Quebec Restaurants Take Over the Frozen Food Aisle

How Quebec restaurants and chefs turned grocery freezers into a new dining experience

• Quebec restaurants now dominate the frozen food aisle, replacing legacy brands with restaurant-branded meals, sauces, and comfort foods designed for at-home dining.
• Economic pressure is driving innovation, pushing Quebec restaurant chains and chefs to diversify revenue and extend their brands into grocery store freezers.
• Shoppers get restaurant-quality meals at home, with frozen products from St-Hubert, Mikes, La Cage, Ricardo, Stefano Faita, and more available at major grocers.
• A strong Quebec frozen food ecosystem supports this shift, powered by local producers, distributors, and restaurant groups that keep local flavors accessible and competitive.

Not long ago, the frozen food aisle was dominated by a handful of legacy brands, with Swanson leading the way. Today, Quebec grocery store freezers tell a far richer and more localized story. Walk through the frozen section now and you will find a lineup of familiar restaurant names, each offering their signature dishes and crowd favorites designed for home kitchens. This shift is not just about convenience or time-saving meals. It reflects the growing economic pressure on Quebec restaurants and their need to adapt, diversify, and survive in an increasingly competitive market.

In many ways, the frozen food aisle has become a curated collection of local dining experiences. Cruising past the freezer doors can feel like browsing a condensed version of Quebec’s restaurant scene, with sauces, meals, and comfort foods from beloved chains all within arm’s reach. Instead of ordering out, consumers can thaw, bake, and plate their favorites at home, mixing and matching brands to create a personalized restaurant-style experience. What was once a simple convenience category has evolved into a powerful extension of Quebec’s dining culture, bringing local flavors directly from the restaurant to the freezer to the table.

For many independent and regional restaurant chains in Quebec, stability is never guaranteed. Competition is fierce and often unbalanced, especially when small or artisanal operators are forced to compete with national brands that have vast marketing budgets and sophisticated distribution networks. To remain viable, restaurant owners have had to think creatively, finding new ways to diversify income and keep their brands visible. Expanding into grocery store freezers has become one of the most effective strategies.

As a result, Quebec grocery stores are now filled with restaurant-branded sauces, ready-made meals, and frozen comfort foods designed to replicate the dining experience at home. These products allow restaurants to maintain a connection with customers who may dine out less often but still crave familiar, trusted flavors.

Popular Quebec Restaurant Brands and Their Frozen Products

St-Hubert
A cornerstone of Quebec food culture, St-Hubert has one of the strongest retail footprints.
Common products include:

• Poutine gravy and rotisserie chicken gravy
• BBQ and wing sauces
• Chicken wings
• Tourtières and meat pies
• Soups and cooking creams

Mikes (Toujours Mikes)
Known for Italian-American comfort food, Mike’s focuses on family-friendly frozen meals.
Common products include:

• Frozen pizzas
• Meat lasagna
• Chicken Alfredo penne with broccoli
• Pizza crusts with signature sauce

La Cage aux Sports
This sports bar chain has translated its game-night appeal into freezer-ready options.
Common products include:

• Seasoned chicken wings

Bâton Rouge
Best known for ribs and grilled meats, Bâton Rouge emphasizes sauces and cooking bases.
Common products include:

• Rib sauce
• Au Jus sauce mix
• Demi-glace sauce mix

Scores
Another rotisserie chicken staple in Quebec, with more limited retail presence.
Common products may include:

• Select sauces or frozen chicken items, depending on retailer availability

Lafleur
A classic casse-croûte institution that has successfully moved into retail.
Common products include:

• Frozen hot dogs
• Sausages
• Smoked and cured meats

Montana’s
Focused on barbecue flavors and hearty portions.
Common products include:

• Texas-style BBQ pork back ribs
• Angus beef burgers

The Keg
A steakhouse brand extending its experience into home dining.
Common products include:

• Frozen steaks
• Side dishes and sauces designed for at-home preparation

Together, these brands show how Quebec restaurants are responding to shifting consumer habits and rising costs. By entering the frozen food market, they gain stability, broader exposure, and a second life beyond their dining rooms, while consumers gain easier access to the flavors they love.

Popular Quebec Chefs and Brands in the Frozen Food Aisle

The frozen food section has also become a natural extension of chef-driven brands, giving popular Québécois chefs a way to bring their cooking to a wider audience. For chefs with strong followings, frozen and prepared meals allow their recipes, flavors, and culinary identity to live beyond restaurants, cookbooks, and television. These products appeal to shoppers who want chef-quality meals with the convenience of grocery-store pricing and preparation.

Today, many well-known Quebec chefs and food companies have established a strong presence in the frozen and prepared foods sections of major grocery chains such as IGA, Maxi, and Sobeys. Here are some of the most recognizable names and the types of products they offer:

RICARDO (Ricardo Larrivée)
One of Canada’s most recognizable culinary personalities, Ricardo has built a major retail food brand.
Common products include:

• Individual frozen meals
• Frozen pizzas
• Side dishes inspired by Café RICARDO
• Prepared sauces and sides

Chef Jonathan Garnier
Known for accessible, comforting cuisine, Chef Jonathan Garnier has partnered with Maxi to create a large ready-to-eat lineup.
Common products include:

• Butter chicken
• Cabbage rolls
• Beef bourguignon
• Fresh and frozen ready-to-savour meals
  This range includes more than 40 items and focuses on everyday convenience.

Stefano Faita
The Montreal chef behind Impasto and Gema has built a strong grocery brand.
Common products include:

• Frozen Neapolitan-style pizzas
• Italian sauces and specialty items

Jérôme Ferrer
A respected Montreal chef known for refined cuisine, Jérôme Ferrer has developed a premium prepared food line.
Common products include:

• Gourmet prepared meals
• High-end frozen dishes using local ingredients
  These products are typically found at Sobeys and IGA locations and are positioned at a higher price point.

Together, these chef-led brands show how the frozen aisle has evolved into a showcase for culinary talent. What was once dominated by generic convenience meals is now a space where Quebec chefs can extend their reach, maintain creative control, and connect with consumers who want trusted names, local flavors, and restaurant-inspired meals without leaving home.

The Quebec Frozen Food Ecosystem Behind the Brands

Supporting this expansion is a robust network of producers, distributors, and restaurant groups that make large-scale frozen food production possible in Quebec.

Specialty Producers
Companies like Gastronomia specialize in premium frozen items for professionals.
Typical products include:

• Pastries and croissants
• Desserts
• Crepes and baked goods for foodservice

Major Distributors
Distributors such as Ideal Food Service Corp. and Mayrand connect producers with restaurants and consumers.
Typical offerings include:

• Frozen proteins
• Prepared meals
• Sauces, vegetables, and desserts
• Restaurant-branded retail products

Restaurant Groups and Brand Operators
Large groups like MTY Food Group depend on frozen supply chains to maintain consistency across locations.
Common frozen categories include:

• Pre-portioned proteins
• Sauces and bases
• Ready-to-cook menu components

Together, these producers, distributors, and restaurant groups form the backbone of Quebec’s frozen food economy. Their collaboration allows restaurants, from iconic chains to independent kitchens, to stay competitive, diversify revenue, and remain part of everyday life. Today’s freezer aisle is no longer just about convenience. It has become an extension of Quebec’s restaurant culture itself.