METRO Cash & Carry India launches Vijayawada wholesale distribution centre

Vijayawada, November 08, 2012: METRO Cash & Carry, the global leader in self-service business-to-business wholesale, today announced the opening of its Vijayawada wholesale distribution centre in the heart of the City at Mogalrajpuram, from November 08, 2012. This is METRO Cash & Carry India’s thirteenth wholesale distribution centre in the country, and its third in Andhra Pradesh, after two in Hyderabad at Moosapet and Uppal.

With an investment of close to INR 60 crores, this METRO wholesale outlet is spread across 56,000 square feet and will cater to a wide customer base that includes small and large kirana stores, entrepreneurs, small businesses, offices, companies and institutions, as well as hotels, restaurants and caterers.

Registered business customers of METRO can enjoy the benefits of a vast assortment of high quality food and non-food products, tailored to their specific needs. Customers can expect to find everything from fresh produce, exotics and dry grocery, to FMCG products, electronics, apparel, furnishings, household appliances, white goods and branded items – all under one roof and priced attractively at low wholesale rates. In addition to the wide range of its assortment, METRO Cash & Carry promises innovative and customized product solutions and services, as well as special loyalty benefits and privileges tailored to meet the specific business needs of each customer group. The centre will be open from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm every day.

Mr. Rajeev Bakshi, Managing Director, METRO Cash and Carry India expressed his confidence in METRO’s ability to address the varied needs of business customers in Vijayawada. “METRO Cash & Carry has forged a special relationship with many business customers in Andhra Pradesh, and we hope to deepen this bond further with our offerings in Vijayawada. We want to ensure that Vijayawada’s business customers maximize their profits with our low wholesale prices on a wide and high quality assortment, a host of convenient and customized services, and the unparalleled experience of buying at METRO”, said Mr. Bakshi.

“We are set to expand our network of local suppliers and drive benefits to the overall economy by increased employment generation, local procurement and training of customers and suppliers on various aspects impacting their business”, he added.

METRO also offers close to 2000 food and non-food products under its private labels, which are comparable in quality to the best branded products, but are priced much lower to help customers get the best value for their money. Recently expanded to include an exciting new line of food and non-food products, METRO’s exclusive Own Brands include labels such as Aro, Fine Food, Sigma, Authentic, Horeca Select and Tarrington House, which are targeted towards offering customers a sharper assortment of high quality products across a broad price range.

METRO’s drive towards customer-centricity focuses on building deep and productive customer relationships. The METRO Super Trader programme is a unique training and support programme for traders, committed to revitalising the traditional kirana and trader communities to help them remain current and competitive in a challenging economic environment. Many traders in Hyderabad have already benefited from this program, which addresses crucial issues that impact their day-to-day business - such as planning and redesigning their assortment, managing stocks efficiently and becoming more customer-friendly. Similar programs will also be conducted in Vijayawada.

METRO Cash & Carry India has also engaged deeply with farmers and suppliers in Andhra Pradesh. METRO’s Farmers’ Collection Centre in Vantimamidi allows farmers to provide fresh fruits and vegetables directly to METRO, at transparent prices and with the assurance of on-time electronic payments made within 24 hours. Farmers also have the opportunity to be trained by agricultural experts on sustainable quality crop production. In collaboration with the State Department of Animal Husbandry, METRO has also provided customized training to nearly 30,000 sheep farmers of Andhra Pradesh and organized a free vaccination drive to ensure the health and quality of their flocks. Close to 1200 fishing crews in the State have also been trained by METRO in modern fishing and processing techniques, in association with the State Department of Fisheries.

Contributing to the growth of the local economy, METRO has created 300 local jobs (150 direct and 150 indirect) with this centre. The Vijayawada workforce has undergone in-depth and rigorous on-the-job training in the various operational aspects of the wholesale business at METRO wholesale across the country, and is set to serve the demands of business clientele in Andhra Pradesh as well. 

About METRO Cash & Carry

METRO Cash & Carry is represented in 29 countries with around 700 self-service wholesale centres. With more than 100,000 employees worldwide, the company achieved sales of about € 31 billion in 2011. METRO Cash & Carry is a sales division of the METRO GROUP. METRO Cash & Carry entered the Indian market in 2003. The company currently operates twelve wholesale distribution centres including two each in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai, and one each in New Delhi, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Zirakpur and Jaipur. The Vijayawada centre will be the company’s thirteenth in the country

For media queries, contact: press@metro.co.in