Metro Pakistan shares expansion plans with BOI

• The company’s upcoming store in Multan will be its 10th wholesale retail facility in Pakistan and the first in South Punjab

ISLAMABAD: A delegation of Metro Cash and Carry Pakistan (MCCPK) on Monday met Board of Investment Chairman Haroon Sharif to discuss its expansion and investment plans for Pakistan, especially for Punjab, with a new store opening in Multan along with the expansion of its e-commerce and franchise business.

The MCCPK delegation comprised Managing Director Marek Minkiewicz, Corporate Affairs Director Pervaiz Akhtar, Finance Director Asim Isar and Ambassador of Germany to Pakistan Martin Kobler.

The meeting was apprised that MCCPK currently operates nine wholesale retail stores in Pakistan; four in Lahore, three in Karachi and one each in Islamabad and Faisalabad.

“The Metro online non-food business is already serving the entire Pakistani market while its food business would now be expanded to Faisalabad, previously serving Lahore and Islamabad markets,” it was informed. “On the other hand, 11 new franchise stores (Freshly by Metro) would also be seen within a span of four months, in addition to four existing in Lahore.”

It was informed that the Multan store would be the company’s 10th wholesale retail facility in Pakistan and the first one in South Punjab, a much economically-deprived belt of the province.

The BOI chairman was apprised that Metro Pakistan has always supported the local economy by not only being an important exchequer collector in shape of sales tax and income tax in the wholesale/retail sector, but also by promoting modern, locally sourced trade infrastructure by offering local businesses like small retailers and restaurants a reliable supply source of up to 90pc locally procured goods as well as services to increase their competitiveness.

Metro also implements a modern agricultural supply chain through e.g. collection centres where local farmers can sell their produce directly at a fair market price. Through efficient post-harvest handling methods introduced by Metro, there has been a 95pc improvement in availability and quality.

Increased investment and expansion from Metro Pakistan mean more job for people, supplier development, more choices for customers and consumers and most importantly increased government revenue in the shape of sales tax collection.