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Whether it’s Chez Ben’s neon hotdog in Granby, the Big Bagel proudly hanging outside Saint-Simon Bagel, or the giant Guaranteed Pure Milk bottle overlooking Montreal’s rue Lucien L’Allier, Quebec has some genuinely iconic food landmarks.
But when you take away the food, it’s just not the same. The dangling chains of the vanished Saint-Simon Bagel and the empty base for the milk bottle show just how strange it is to see these provincial hallmarks missing their culinary elements.
Saint-Simon Bagel and Montreal’s downtown would be very different without the food. Courtesy of SAQ
Rest assured, these icons haven’t been removed. But, imagining Quebec without them raises an important point about food insecurity in the province, especially as more Quebecers turn to food assistance each year.
From 2022 to 2024, the number of requests for food assistance fulfilled each month increased by 14%, reaching 2.6 million. Over four years, the number of food baskets distributed doubled, reaching 682,000.
To help, SAQ is again supporting Food Banks of Quebec (FBQ) with its annual spring campaign — back for its 17th year of getting behind the services that help Quebecers feed their families when times are tough.
For every Origine Québec product purchased between April 10 and 20, 2025, SAQ will donate two meals to FBQ. If you’re inspired to contribute more, you can make a donation of your own when you check out.
