OREANDA-NEWS. November 09, 2009. The first wholesale trade center in Kazakhstan and Central Asia of well-known international trade network “METRO Cash & Carry” was opened in Astana.

The Center was visited by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan a few hours before the opening. Company executives, CEO Frans Muller and General Director Steven Krieger demonstrated trade center area, which occupies 6880 sq. m, the adjacent territory with parking for 353 parking spaces, described the potential of the center, the prospects for its development and its multiplier effect on the economy of Astana.

The Groundbraking ceremony of the stone laying to the construction of the METRO Center was held on July 15, 2009. The contractor of construction was “Alaman Kurylys.” The investments, giving to the construction are over 3 billion tenge. The realization of the project created 250 new jobs.

The METRO wholesale trade center offers a wide range of high quality products from 13 thousand items of food and 12 thousand of non-food stuff. Hotels, restaurants, catering companies, entrepreneurs of SME businesses are the main clients of the center. In contrast to the traditional wholesale with delivery, METRO offers its customers to choose the goods in the wholesale trade center, to pay cash and take away their own goods by themselves.

The activity of METRO Company in Kazakhstan opens up new prospects for domestic producers. The supplier companies can produce products under their own brands METRO, so that they will be able to implement it at the regional, national or even international level. Thus, “Aro” offers a wide range of basic food and non-food products for every day. “HoReCa Select” - is a professional product for customers in the catering, hotel and restaurant business, “Rioba” – products for the restaurant business, specializing in the segment of cafes and bars. “Fine Foods” includes high-quality products according to competitive prices, making for small and medium businesses.

For the clients’ convenience METRO is opened from 7 a.m. till 23 p.m.

METRO Cash & Carry operates 659 wholesale centers in 31 countries and is a division of the German METRO Group, which is a member of the largest international commercial brands.

The opening of branch of such major corporation is an evidence of a significant economic potential of Astana city and country as a whole and will enhance the investment attractiveness of the capital, both for Kazakh and foreign investors.

The number of METRO Cash & Carry Company’s stuff is more than 100 thousand people, and its sales totaled 33.1 billion Euros last year.

METRO Group includes Real, Media Market and Saturn hypermarkets and Galeria Kaufhof stores. METRO Group sales reached 68 billion Euros in 2008 year.