Großhandel: Metro gibt Kasachstan-Geschäft auf

Düsseldorf - The German food wholesaler Metro is pulling out of Kazakhstan after nearly two decades, according to the company's announcement in Düsseldorf. The company stated that it will wind down the business in the Central Asian state by the end of March 2027, closing six large supermarkets and the supply business, affecting around 650 employees.

The decision comes after a review of long-term prospects, as the establishment of a sustainable growth base in Kazakhstan was deemed challenging. Metro entered the Kazakh market in 2009, generating 143 million euros in revenue during the 2024/25 fiscal year, which constituted 0.4% of the company's total revenue of 32.4 billion euros.

A Metro spokeswoman, Christiane Giesen, expressed regret for the decision, stating that it results from a thorough assessment of the business's long-term prospects and does not question the commitment and performance of their team in Kazakhstan. In neighboring Russia, Metro has also decided to dissolve its business, with President Vladimir Putin recently placing the company under compulsory administration.

Metro was active in Russia since 2001, closing 91 wholesale stores and employing around 9,000 people. Nationwide, Metro had 84,000 employees as of the end of September 2025. The German company confirmed that it no longer has operational control over Metro Russia, but the ownership remains formally with Metro AG. The company also mentioned a "temporary compulsory administration."

A company spokesperson clarified that there is no connection between the development in Russia and the decision for Kazakhstan, attributing the temporal proximity to chance.