As its 70th-anniversary celebrations get underway, St-Hubert has announced that its delivery service is now carbon neutral. As a symbol of its 70 years of evolution and innovation, the famous rotisserie chain unveiled today a completely revamped and electrified 1967 Volkswagen Beetle.
Investing in the environment
Over the next five years, St-Hubert will invest more than $200,000 to purchase carbon credits, ensuring that its delivery service is carbon neutral. In addition to this investment, St-Hubert and its franchisees will continue their work to increase the number of electric and hybrid vehicles under its banner. To date, more than 20% of St-Hubert’s delivery fleet of over 400 vehicles are electric or hybrid. The carbon neutrality of the company’s delivery service is part of its sustainable development plan. This new initiative is in line with environmental actions taken in the past, such as the implementation of composting by the rotisserie, the replacement of its packaging with recyclable materials and its involvement as a founding member of the Circuit électrique driven by Hydro-Québec. In the last few years, St-Hubert has invested more than 2 million dollars in the environment. With this new announcement, the company continues to play a pioneering role in its industry.
Purchase of Quebec carbon credits
To make good on its commitment to carbon neutrality of its delivery service, St-Hubert turned to WILL Solutions, a Canadian B Corp certified company headquartered in Beloeil, Quebec, Canada. For more than 12 years, the company has been helping many Quebec SMEs reduce their GHG emissions, in particular through its Sustainable Community project. This Verra-certified project is a catalyst for local action, enabling various stakeholders to work together to reduce their GHG emissions. Each carbon credit purchased represents a one (1) tonne reduction in GHG emissions by Quebec SMEs, municipalities and community organizations. All reductions are qualified, measured, externally audited, and registered with the VCS/VERRA voluntary market program.
Ingenext electrifies an icon
The task of electrifying the yellow Beetle was entrusted to Ingenext, a Trois-Rivières-based company specializing in the reuse of EV parts, transportation electrification and automotive technology development. Ingenext used its expertise to create a powerful symbol of St-Hubert’s green initiative. The company swapped the original ’67 Beetle’s engine for a Chevrolet Volt battery and a Tesla Model 3 engine, a tall order considering the retro model’s limited space. A touch screen was also added to the dashboard to display data and control various vehicle functions. After extensive testing, the new electrified Beetle has met the SAAQ’s safety requirements and has been deemed roadworthy. It will hit the roads of Quebec in the coming weeks to mark St-Hubert’s 70th anniversary and its commitment to the carbon neutrality of its delivery service.
St-Hubert, Goodness that Lasts
In 1951, Hélène and René Léger founded the very first St-Hubert Bar-B-Q rotisserie on St-Hubert Street in Montreal, not knowing that their restaurant would one day become one of Quebec’s most popular chains. They grew their business through hard work and dedication, becoming the first restaurant in Canada to offer free delivery in the early 1950s. That’s when the yellow Beetle became an enduring symbol of the company. In the 1960s, St-Hubert started selling its legendary BBQ sauce in grocery stores. Fifty years later, it had 450 products for sale in supermarkets under various brands. In 2012, St-Hubert created the St-Hubert Foundation, which has donated over $7 million to 450 organizations to date. In 2021, St-Hubert is inviting its customers to celebrate 70 years of great taste, comfort and community involvement with contests and surprise activities.
“St-Hubert has always been about daring to innovate and make a real difference for customers and local communities. We’re very proud to offer now a carbon-neutral delivery service and to be making this announcement as we celebrate our 70th anniversary. For 70 years, we’ve made it our mission to constantly innovate while remaining authentic, true to our values and dedicated to our customers. It’ll be a real joy to see our electric Beetle on the road—both our history and our aspirations on full display,” says Richard Scofield, president, St-Hubert Group.
SOURCE Groupe St-Hubert