What METRO does

METRO France is a B2B wholesale distributor serving the French CHR (cafés, hôtels, restaurants) sector, operating as the wholly-owned French subsidiary of Metro AG, a German multinational wholesaler publicly listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker B0R). The company sources and distributes food, beverages, and professional equipment to professional customers through three integrated channels: (1) physical Halles cash-and-carry stores where customers self-select and pick up products in-store, (2) a subscription-based delivery service with a €400 minimum order offering 7,000+ food SKUs and multi-temperature logistics (fresh, frozen, and ambient products delivered in a single shipment, supported 24/7), and (3) the METRO Marketplace, an online platform operated by sister entity METRO Markets GmbH that hosts third-party merchants alongside METRO's own listings for professional CHR equipment and non-food supplies.

The company's product stack is built around a multi-channel commerce platform combining physical stores, an e-commerce website, the mCompanion mobile application, and the marketplace. The core technology supports online ordering, store-level inventory visibility, multi-temperature delivery routing, and digital payment through the METRO Reflexe card, which offers immediate, deferred, or three-installment interest-free payment terms. A private-label portfolio (METRO Chef for premium culinary products, aro for value essentials, METRO Professional for equipment, plus SIGMA and Tarrington House) supplements third-party assortment and supports margin capture. Adjacent digital services under the DISH brand extend into hospitality operating tools — website creation, reservation management, and click-and-collect — positioning METRO beyond pure procurement into the operator's daily workflow.

The business model combines transaction-based wholesale revenue from physical and online sales, recurring delivery subscriptions, and marketplace commissions. GTM is sales-led and account-based, targeting professionals via commercial representatives, telesales, and field drivers, supplemented by catalog-driven and digital marketing (e-commerce, mCompanion app, social channels, newsletters). Customers are segmented vertically across restaurants and F&B operators, hotels and hospitality, artisan food producers, and food-trade professionals (métiers de bouche), each addressed through tailored use cases from daily ingredient supply to specialty sourcing and equipment procurement. Operations are entirely domestic, with no disclosed geographic expansion outside France.

Name

METRO

Legal name

METRO France

Website

https://metro.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

METRO France is a B2B wholesale distributor serving the French CHR (cafés, hôtels, restaurants) sector through cash-and-carry Halles stores, a subscription delivery service with 7,000+ SKUs, and the METRO Marketplace for professional equipment. It operates as a subsidiary of Metro AG.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Food and Equipment Wholesale

SIC

Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Foodservice / Restaurant Supply Distribution Centers (TLALAEAJ)

Keywords

• Professional food wholesale
• Cash and carry
• Food service distribution
• Hospitality equipment supply
• Wholesale food delivery

Headquarters

HQ city

Nanterre

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Food Sales (Physical Stores): METRO generates primary revenue through wholesale food and beverage sales to professional customers at cash-and-carry Halles locations. Customers pay for products at the time of purchase, with volume-based pricing and promotional discounts available. The model is transaction-based with no membership fee for basic access.
2. Delivery Subscription Service: METRO offers a delivery service for regular professional customers with a minimum order threshold of 400€ per order. Revenue is generated through product sales plus delivery fees. The service operates 24/7 with multi-temperature logistics capability to deliver fresh, frozen, and ambient products in a single shipment.
3. Marketplace (METRO Markets): METRO operates a marketplace (METRO Markets GmbH) for professional equipment and supplies. Third-party merchants sell non-food CHR equipment through the platform. METRO earns commissions on marketplace transactions, offering both B2C-style pricing and bulk professional pricing.
4. Private Label Products: METRO generates revenue through proprietary brands including METRO Chef (culinary quality), aro (value), and METRO Professional (equipment). Private label products offer higher margins than third-party brands and strengthen customer loyalty.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

METRO France is a B2B wholesale distributor serving professional food service operators (restaurants, hotels, caterers, hospitality businesses) through a network of cash-and-carry Halles stores, a subscription-based delivery service offering over 7,000 food SKUs with multi-temperature logistics, and an online marketplace (METRO Markets GmbH) for professional CHR equipment. The offering is supported by private label brands (METRO Chef, aro, METRO Professional), a flexible payment card (METRO Reflexe), a mobile app (mCompanion), and digital services (DISH) for hospitality businesses.

Product overview

METRO is a B2B wholesale food and equipment distributor operating as a platform-plus-services model. The core offering consists of physical METRO Halles (cash-and-carry stores), a subscription-based Delivery Service (over 7,000 food references), and the METRO Marketplace (online equipment marketplace operated by METRO Markets GmbH). Supporting these are private label brands: METRO Chef (premium culinary), aro (value essentials), METRO Professional (equipment), SIGMA and Tarrington House (equipment brands). Digital services include the mCompanion mobile app, METRO Reflexe payment card, and DISH digital solutions for hospitality businesses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• METRO Chef: Quality culinary products at competitive prices for professionals
• METRO Professional
• METRO Reflexe
• aro
• mCompanion

Products and services

• METRO Halles (Cash-and-Carry Stores) Physical wholesale cash-and-carry stores where professional food service customers (restaurants, hotels, caterers) can browse, select, and purchase food ingredients and equipment on-site with availability checking and immediate pickup.
• METRO Delivery Service Subscription-based delivery service offering over 7,000 food product references delivered to professional customers' establishments, featuring multi-temperature transport and 24/7 ordering capability. Minimum order 400€.
• METRO Marketplace Online marketplace offering professional equipment, supplies, and non-food products for restaurants and hospitality businesses, operated by METRO Markets GmbH. Connects third-party merchant sellers with METRO professional customers.
• METRO Chef Premium private label culinary brand offering high-quality food ingredients and prepared products for professional chefs, including dairy, cheese, meats, and specialty items.
• aro Value-oriented private label brand offering everyday food and non-food essentials at competitive prices for professionals.
• METRO Professional Professional-grade equipment and appliances including refrigeration, cooking equipment, slicers, and kitchen furniture designed for hospitality businesses.
• METRO Reflexe Card Flexible payment solution offering immediate, deferred, or interest-free installment (3x) payment options for METRO professional customers.
• DISH Digital Solutions Digital solutions platform for hospitality businesses including website creation, reservation management, and click-and-collect tools offered through METRO's service ecosystem.
• SIGMA Professional equipment brand available through METRO Marketplace offering kitchen and hospitality supplies.
• Tarrington House Equipment and outdoor furniture brand available through METRO Marketplace for hospitality and catering businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,000+ products available for delivery
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• METRO Markets GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMETRO Markets GmbH is a subsidiary entity of the METRO group that operates the METRO Marketplace platform. The marketplace enables third-party merchants to sell professional CHR equipment and supplies to METRO customers, expanding the product assortment beyond METRO's own inventory.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• US Foods: US Foods is a major North American foodservice distributor offering a comparable mix of fresh, frozen, dry, and non-food products to restaurants and hospitality operators, representing METRO's category at scale in a different geography.
• Brakes Group: Brakes Group is a large UK-based foodservice wholesaler supplying restaurants, hotels, and caterers across multiple European markets, with a comparable mix of delivered and cash-and-carry operations.
• Sysco Corporation: Sysco is the largest global foodservice distributor with a broad portfolio of fresh, frozen, and branded products to restaurants, hotels, and healthcare operators — a broader incumbent that shares METRO's B2B foodservice distribution model at a global scale.

Others

• Metro AG: Metro AG is the publicly listed German parent company of METRO France and operates similar cash-and-carry and delivery formats across more than 20 countries, providing group-level context for METRO France's operating model and strategy.

Direct peers

• Bidfood France: Bidfood France (formerly Brake France) is a delivered foodservice wholesaler serving restaurants, hotels, and caterers, overlapping directly with METRO's delivery subscription service and multi-temperature logistics offering.
• Promocash: Promocash is the cash-and-carry wholesale banner of Les Mousquetaires/Intermarché, serving independent restaurants, caterers, and food retailers in France with overlapping assortment and a similar in-store plus delivery model.
• Transgourmet France: Transgourmet France operates cash-and-carry and delivered foodservice distribution to professional CHR customers across France, directly competing with METRO Halles and delivery in the same product categories and customer segments.
• Auchan Pro: Auchan Pro is the B2B arm of Auchan Retail France, offering professional customers food and non-food supplies through a combination of store pickup and delivery, competing head-to-head with METRO Halles and delivery.
• E.Leclerc Pro: E.Leclerc Pro is the B2B offer of the E.Leclerc cooperative, supplying food and non-food products to French professionals, with overlapping assortment and target customers in the foodservice segment.
• Carrefour Pro: Carrefour Pro serves French professionals (restaurants, small businesses, associations) with food and equipment supplies across store-based and delivered channels, addressing the same CHR customer base as METRO.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/METRO_FR
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/metrocashandcarryfr
• Facebookfacebook.com/metrocashandcarryfrance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/metro-cash-and-carry-france-sas
• Instagraminstagram.com/metro_france
• Pinterestpinterest.com/MetroFrance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about METRO