Metro to open ten outlets in Mumbai

"To service a metropolis with 20 million people, we would eventually need 8-10 distribution centres (stores) in Greater Mumbai," said Scott. The Mumbai outlet opens tomorrow in the Bhandup suburb, servicing hotels, restaurants and small retailers.

With a wide assortment of exotic vegetables, cheeses and fishes and meats, the Mumbai outlet plans to target five-star hotels in the area, besides specialised restaurants and small retailers across the city.

Metro's next store will open in Kolkata, followed by a few in Punjab. Metro is targetting 36 cities in India with more than one million population, indicated Metro's regional operating director James Scott.

The initial focus would be on metros, such as New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Pune. It already has two centres in Bangalore and one in Hyderabad.

The Mumbai store opened 18 months after the last store in Hyderabad opened in November 2006.

Metro's Mumbai outlet has multiple levels, the first time the company has gone for a multi-level store in India due to scarcity of space. Spread over 70,000 square feet, the store will sell over 18,000 products.

Metro Cash & Carry is present in 29 countries and achieved sales of euro 31.7 billion in 2007, with nearly 80 per cent of its sales coming from outside Germany.