Germany-based Metro Cash & Carry, the largest wholesale store chain with 700 stores in 29 countries, is looking at setting up shop in Chennai.
The company, which had commenced operations in India in 2003, currently has 16 operational stores in 9 states.
Vishal Seghal, head, corporate relations, Metro Cash & Carry India, said the company was in search of a suitable land parcel in Chennai to set shop. “We need at least 2 to 3 acres to build our own store near the city which was not readily available at this point of time. So, it may take a bit longer, but we will be getting into the Chennai market where we already have significant suppliers,” Seghal said.
The company had in last May had announced its plans to grow its stores to 50 from the existing 16 by 2020. “We are working on that plan, and opening a store with stringent structural and quality parameters would naturally take its own time. First, we have to identify a land and have to build the store with facility to offload commodites from big-sized trucks,” he said.
Metro Cash & Carry India operates 16 wholesale distribution centres, including three in Bengaluru, two each in Hyderabad and Mumbai, and one each in New Delhi, Kolkata, Ludhiana, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Zirakpur, Amritsar, Vijayawada and Indore.