METRO Jinjiang Cash & Carry Co Ltd, a joint venture involving the world's third largest retailer METRO Group, opened a store in Zhengzhou recently in an attempt to begin its penetration of Central China's market.

Located in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province, the outlet is the 26th METRO store in China. This move reinforces the Fortune 500 company's commitment to accelerate expansion in the world's fastest-growing market.

The firm has opened outlets in Nantong and Shenzhen this year and plans to add six to 10 stores annually for the next three to five years.

The 26,640-square-metre store in Zhengzhou provides more than 21,000 products for professional customers, such as hotel and restaurant owners, small traders and government institutions.

"For the first time, Zhengzhou businesses can take advantage of the METRO logistics network, benefiting from the world's foremost model of self-service wholesale distribution," said Jean-Luc Tuzes, president of METRO China.

With a population of more than 100 million, Henan Province is one of the most important markets in China, Tuzes said.

"Our unique cash & carry business model has proved successful in China over the past few years. We look forward to bringing a wider range of products to our customers in Zhengzhou, and we hope to work with them to expand our business throughout central China," he said.

The new store directly employs 230 people and creates 800 to 1,000 jobs indirectly. At least 90 per cent of the products in METRO Jinjiang cash & carry stores are sourced in China, according to company statistics.

China Daily