Cara completes takeover of St. Hubert

A St-Hubert restaurant is seen in Montreal Thursday, March 31, 2016. (Peter McCabe / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

VAUGHAN, Ont. -- The St. Hubert restaurant and food-manufacturing business is now part of the Cara group, which sees the $537-million acquisition as a strategic move that dramatically increases its presence in Quebec.

Founded in 1951 by the Leger family, St. Hubert is well-known in Quebec for its rotisserie chicken and its trademark symbol -- a smiling red-plumed rooster on a bright yellow background.

It's also considered an innovator in Quebec's restaurant and food-manufacturing sector, as an early adopter of home-delivery as well as a producer of food products from its own manufacturing and distribution centres.

Cara Operations Ltd. of Vaughan, Ont., says the "historic alliance" will provide St. Hubert with opportunities to grow within its home province and other parts of Canada.

The Toronto-area company will improve its market penetration in Quebec to one restaurant per 49,000 people, from one per 140,000 prior to the St. Hubert acquisition.

In Cara's home province, it has about one restaurant per 21,000 people under a wide range of banners that includes the Swiss Chalet rotisserie chicken business, Harvey's hamburgers and several casual-dining chains.