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Tag: Metro Group

  • Myanmar distribution platform on way

    Myanmar distribution platform on way

    Singapore-listed Yoma Strategic Holdings has partnered with international wholesale/retail food company Metro Group to establish an integrated wholesale Myanmar distribution platform.

    Metro Wholesale Myanmar aims to address the “evolving needs” of professional customers. Yoma Strategic holds a 15 per cent stake in the business with the remaining 85 per cent taken by the German group.

    “Metro Myanmar will leverage on Metro’s procurement capabilities and Yoma Strategic’s logistics, warehousing and fleet-leasing businesses to fast-track its growth,” the companies say in a joint statement.

    Metro Myanmar is looking at improving the nation’s supply chain. It will be offering more than 3300 food and other items to such customers as hotels, restaurants and independent small retailers.

    As Myanmar retailers need to source products in different ways from distributors and importers, Metro is looking at creating a one-stop wholesale distribution platform.

    “We are confident our partnership with Metro will bring global knowhow in modern wholesale distribution and contribute to bringing reliable and safe food to the people in Myanmar,” says Yoma Strategic CEO Melvyn Pun.

    Metro is active in 35 countries with sales reaching about €37 billion (US$39 billion) in 2015-16. Its B2B wholesale division Metro Cash & Carry serves hotels, restaurants, small retail and catering firms across Europe and Asia.

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  • Metro China changes track

    Metro China changes track

    Surging property costs and a changing consumer landscape have forced German retail giant Metro Group to change its approach to the market in China.

    In the 20 years since it opened its first Metro China wholesale store in Shanghai, the retailer has had a rigid policy of building its Metro Cash & Carry stores rather than renting.

    Now, in Wuhan, the capital of central China’s Hubei province, Metro is trying to redevelop one of its stores into its first shopping complex.

    “We are partly turning to asset-light from asset-heavy,” says expansion director and head of project development for China Geoffrey Guo. Metro Jinjiang Cash & Carry, a JV with Shanghai-based Jinjiang Group, has partnered with a local developer to build the Wuhan project, and has transferred property ownership to the developer. The plan is to expand the outlet into a 167,000 sqm German-themed town comprising a mall, office buildings and apartments.

    The complex will include a smaller cash-and-carry shop, and Metro will buy back the store ownership. Meanwhile, it will participate in running the complex and try to introduce German brands through tenant leasing.

    “Some of our land used to be in remote areas, but after a decade or two it became the city centre,” says Guo, “so we need to negotiate with local governments and change our plan.”

    City plans

    As well as Wuhan, Metro China is considering redeveloping some of its stores in Shanghai and other cities into five-star hotels, office buildings or neighbourhood centres.

    Metro has grown slowly in China compared to its peers, opening 86 stores in 58 cities so far, about two-thirds of them owned by the company. In comparison, US-based Walmart has 423 stores in China.

    With the rise of eCommerce, the German retailer has started renting more stores in the past few years to enable quicker expansion. It also launched its first two My Mart convenience stores in Shanghai this year.

    “The demand for supermarkets is not so strong in places like Shanghai, where convenience stores are thriving,” says Guo.

    My Mart offers Metro’s exclusive imported products, private-label lines and fresh fruits, as well as about 100 ready-to-eat items. Metro plans to roll out the concept to other cities in China through franchise.

    While Guo says Metro’s focus will always be its wholesale stores, the company is seeking to open more stores in western Chinese cities such as Xi’an and Zhengzhou.

    Metro’s sales in China climbed 17.4 per cent to €2.662 billion (US$2.8 billion) in the year to September 2015.

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  • German Retailer Metro to Open its First Two MyMart Stores in Shanghai

    German Retailer Metro to Open its First Two MyMart Stores in Shanghai

    Germany’s Metro Group has opened two My-Mart convenience shops in Shanghai, revealing its new concept.

    My Mart convinient store- Metro Group China 1

    Both stores opened the same day in Putuo district, where Metro China has its headquarters and flagship stores. One is about 110 sqm, near a subway station, and the other about 70 sqm. Both shops offer Metro’s exclusive imported products, private label lines and traceable fresh fruits, as well as about 100 ready-to-eat items.

    My Mart convinient store- Metro Group China 4

    My Mart convinient store- Metro Group China 3

    My Mart convinient store- Metro Group China 2

    Metro China plans to make the My-Mart convenience shops the offline self-pick-up spots for goods ordered at the group’s online shop.

    More My-Marts will open in Shanghai and it is planned to roll out the concept to other cities in China through franchise.

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