This Hidden Montreal Grocery Store Has Sweet Deals, Costco-Like Sizes & A Huge Cheese Section

Aubut might just be Montreal's best grocery store.

Though it's easily overlooked. Its single Montreal location sits tucked between CN tracks and rue Saint-Ambroise in one of the last underdeveloped pockets of gentrifying Saint-Henri. The area's towering heritage industrial towers literally overshadow the squat warehouse. And it's uninviting; pedestrians have to brave a walk through a sidewalkless parking lot past loading docks and windowless brick walls just to get to the nondescript entrance.

But those who do are rewarded. The interior is a labyrinthine warehouse of commercial-grade goods and bulk items: torso-size bags of pasta, tubs of Nutella and ice cream, and refrigerators full of cheese.

The company has been quietly supplying Montreal restaurants since 1971. But it's also open to the general public.

"It's a well-kept secret among restaurateurs," Aubut Marketing & Business Development Project Manager Charles Gagnon-Mathieu told MTL Blog in an interview. "You can find anything that a chef would need."

"You can find rare and specialty products but you can also just stock up your pantry with larger quantities."

Here's what you need to know about Distribution alimentaire Aubut.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

What is Aubut and how does it work?

An aisle in Aubut Montreal. Right: Tubs of floor cleaning fluid.Thomas MacDonald | MTL Blog

First, despite its name, it doesn't do much distribution.

It operates on the "cash and carry" concept, whereby customers pay on-site and transport their purchases themselves, Gagnon-Mathieu explained.

Anyone can walk in; members of the public don't need a membership. That makes it somewhat of a cross between a Costco and a regular grocery store.

Though Aubut primarily serves Montreal-area restaurants. Gagnon-Mathieu described the company as a "local partner for local businesses."

While the location of the Montreal store might seem odd to passersby, he claimed it's actually a key advantage in that mission. While competitors are limited to industrial sites outside the city core, Aubut's proximity to Montreal's central boroughs — and their high density of restaurants — means restaurateurs can frequently stop by to pick up supplies and that smaller restaurants don't have to take up their limited square footage with storage space.

Kitchen supplies for sale in Aubut Montreal.Thomas MacDonald | MTL Blog

"That's a big part of why we have such a good clientele and we've survived," Gagnon-Mathieu said.

Aubut's location away from coveted high-traffic areas is also ostensibly one reason why the store is often able to offer a better value on many products compared to bigger stores or traditional grocery chains. Lower overhead, such as cheaper rent, means Aubut can invest the difference into its prices.

What are the best bargains at Aubut?

Condiments and spices for sale in Aubut Montreal.Thomas MacDonald | MTL Blog

The best savings at Aubut might be found in essential dried ingredients: flour, rice, canned foods, condiments, oils, spices, nuts, dried fruit, etc., all of which are available in larger quantities than in other grocery stores.

Condiments for sale in Aubut Montreal.Thomas MacDonald | MTL Blog

Condiments for sale in Aubut Montreal.Thomas MacDonald | MTL Blog

Gagnon-Mathieu gave a further shoutout to the extensive cheese selection, which occupies an entire corner of the Montreal store. Customers can find choice wheels and wedges — many of them cheaper than comparable products at other stores — as well as huge containers of feta and sacks of shredded cheese.

Cheeses for sale in Aubut Montreal.Thomas MacDonald | MTL Blog

Cheeses for sale in Aubut Montreal.Thomas MacDonald | MTL Blog

Aubut also has a produce section. But unlike the pretty showroom fruits and vegetables on display in traditional grocery chains, this produce is often ugly. It's just as good, just sometimes misshapen or scarred. Aubut snags these rejects and sells them at often lower prices and in bigger quantities.

The second kind of produce shoppers will find at Aubut is the already or soon-to-be ripe, which are also cheaper but have shorter shelf lives.

Produce for sale in Aubut Montreal.Thomas MacDonald | MTL Blog

There are plenty more bargains to be found and even more fun stuff to behold, like those tubs of Nutella.

Nutella and peanut butter for sale in Aubut Montreal.Thomas MacDonald | MTL Blog

Tubs of ice cream for sale in Aubut Montreal.Thomas MacDonald | MTL Blog

Tubs of KitKat and Coffee Crisp spread in Aubut Montreal.Thomas MacDonald | MTL Blog

"Sometimes when I'm on the sales floor, it's obvious that people are newcomers," Gagnon-Mathieu said. "You see them just taking the tub of Nutella and taking a picture. They're amazed by the size of it."

What's next for Aubut?

Aubut has remained a humble enterprise since its founder and namesake, Yves Aubut, began the business over half a century ago. A second location, in Laval, opened in 2017. That's also when Aubut's daughters, Julie and Isabelle, took the reins of the company (though Yves is said to still don his special black Aubut cap and pop into the stores from time to time).

The second generation of Aubuts have managed to "keep the soul and the familiar, family spirit but on a bigger scale," Gagnon-Mathieu affirmed.

They launched an Aubut website and modern online shopping platform in 2022.

The Aubut logo outside its Montreal location.Thomas MacDonald | MTL Blog

There are no immediate plans for further expansion. Instead, Gagnon-Mathieu says the "main focus in the next years is to try to invest more in local partnerships and be more present in the Quebec food scene." That could include sharing more information about market forecasts so clients know when to expect price changes and stock up accordingly.

"Since we're a small family-run business it's something we'd like to improve to be more present for our clients, including many small businesses. Sharing that kind of information can be vital."

So, for now, Aubut will remain, in Gagnon-Mathieu's words, a "local family-run business that tries to compete with the giants."

Aubut Montreal is located at 3975, rue Saint-Ambroise. Aubut Laval is at 3975, boulevard St-Elzéar O.