COLUMBUS CAFÉ & CO. ANNOUNCES CANADIAN EXPANSION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH INDIGO

French multinational coffee shop chain, Columbus Café & Co, is set to open Toronto flagship store and in select Indigo locations across Canada, beginning in Ontario and Quebec this fall

TORONTO, Oct. 17, 2023 /CNW/ - French multinational coffee shop chain, Columbus Café & Co, is set to expand their Canadian presence with a Toronto flagship location opening October 17th, 2023 at 283 Adelaide West. With this opening comes the announcement of a partnership with Indigo Books & Music Inc. Columbus Café & Co will bring the authentic Parisian café experience to 11 Indigo and Chapters locations across Ontario and Quebec, with six cafes opening in 2023.

With eleven locations in Quebec, the flagship Toronto cafe marks the brand's first Ontario location. Looking ahead to further Canada-wide expansion, Nicolas Riché, CEO of Wagram Finances shares that "Canada is an important market for us, offering strong opportunities for growth. We opened our first branch in Montreal in 2020, with the aim of establishing ourselves first in Quebec, and following suit nationwide." In celebration of the official opening of the flagship Toronto location, Columbus Café & Co will be giving away free muffins in-store on October 17th.

Indigo aims to bring new life to its existing cafe spaces through this partnership. "We are excited to join forces with Columbus Café & Co Canada to bring this amazing Parisian café experience to the Indigo community," said Jim McLellan, VP Real Estate, Indigo. "I am confident that Columbus Cafe & Co's gourmet food and drink will further elevate our customers' experience as they shop for their next great read or gift for a friend or loved one."

The partnership with Indigo will help introduce Columbus Café & Co to new audiences nationwide. 'We're delighted to partner with Indigo, a beloved Canadian company that shares the same values as we do," said Maxime Mayant, President of Columbus Café & Co Canada. "We are excited to create a new experience and further elevate the shopping experience at Indigo."

Columbus Café & Co will be opening at the following Indigo and Chapters locations:

• Indigo Cambridge (Ontario)

• Indigo Barrie (Ontario)

• Indigo Toronto Eaton Centre (Ontario)

• Indigo Brossard (Quebec)

• Chapters Vega (Ontario)

• Indigo Erin Mills (Ontario)

• Indigo Thunder Bay (Ontario, 2024)

• Indigo Kanata (Ontario, 2024)

• Indigo Heritage Greene – Stoney Creek (Ontario, 2024)

• Chapters Newmarket (Ontario, 2024)

• Chapters Belleville (Ontario, 2024)

About Indigo Books & Music Inc.

Indigo is a publicly traded Canadian company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (IDG). Indigo is Canada's leading book and lifestyle retailer, offering a curated assortment of books, gifts, home, wellness, fashion, paper, baby and kids products, that support customers by simplifying their journey to Living with Intention. The Company operates retail stores in all ten provinces and one territory in Canada, and also has retail operations in the United States through a wholly owned subsidiary, operating one retail store in Short Hills, New Jersey. Retail operations are seamlessly integrated with the Company's digital channels, including the www.indigo.ca website and the mobile applications, which are extensions of the physical stores and offer customers an expanded assortment of book titles, along with a meaningfully curated assortment of general merchandise. Indigo believes in real books, in living life fully and generously, in being kind to each other and that stories – big and little – connect us.

About Columbus Café & Co

Founded in 1994, Columbus Café & Co became the first coffee shop chain to set up in France. Each location cultivates the spirit of the French neighbourhood café, the love of good taste, human connections, and authenticity. Today, its network has 250 locations in France, Canada, Belgium, Luxembourg, French Polynesia and Bahrain. In 2020, Columbus Café & Co expanded across the ocean for the first time and made Montréal the location for their North American Head Office. Since then, they have opened 11 locations and counting across Québec. Columbus Café & Co are committed to working with local suppliers in order to promote employment, local know-how and community engagement. In addition to their commitment to make a difference in favour of the environment by offering a sustainable mode of consumption, reduces waste, and embrace sustainable initiatives.

SOURCE Columbus Café & Co