Metro steps up expansion in Romania, with 500 “La Doi Pasi” neighborhood shops

Metro Cash&Carry Romania has recently announced that it now holds a network of 500 “La Doi Pasi” (Two Steps Away) neighborhood shops, a franchise concept launched in March this year and designed to support the opening of small grocery stores. The retailer aimed to provide small shop managers with training and consultancy on product range choices, price monitoring and on marketing activities, while also offering them some degree of independence. “Different from regular franchise models, the “La Doi Pasi” model allows store owners to maintain their financial and operational independence over the collaboration period”, read a Metro press release issued at the time. The launch of the Metro franchise concept followed shortly after the demise of a similar project financed by businessman Dinu Patriciu, the Mic.ro chain of convenience stores. The “La Doi Pasi” franchise concept appeared as a natural step in the Metro initiative to create a support program for its resellers back in 2008, which resulted in 2,000 small shops being remodeled. Metro Cash & Carry Romaniais part of the Metro Cash & Carry International group and its official launch in Romania was in October 1996, when a first distribution center opened in Bucharest. The local Metro network now includes 32 stores in 24 cities. Metro also held 24 Real hypermarkets in Romania. Real hypermarkets in Central and Eastern Europe were taken over by French group Auchan at the end of November this year, in a deal with an estimated total value of EUR 1.1 billion. Auchan only took over 20 of the Romanian Real hypermarkets in Metro’s portfolio, which put approximately EUR 250 million into the latter’s pockets. The deal is to be effectively completed in 2013, pending a decision of the Romanian Competition Council. Ioana Jelea, ioana.jelea@romania-insider.com (photo source: the company)