METRO Cash & Carry is the largest managing company of cash & carry international business format (self-service wholesale trade) within METRO GROUP Trading Holding. METRO Cash & Carry is present in Russia since 2000, when the company registered its first central office in Moscow. One year later, in November 2001, the first two METRO Cash & Carry wholesale stores were opened in the capital city of Russia. By today the Russian division of METRO Cash & Carry has launched 88 stores in 49 regions of the country (to include the REAL hypermarket in Kotelniki city). We employ nearly 20,000 people. METRO Cash & Carry customers are small and medium-size business owners – legal entities and individual entrepreneurs – that buy products to subsequently use them in their professional activities. The customer database of METRO stores lists over 6 million of customers; the majority of them are representatives of HoReCa (hotels, restaurants and catering) segment, small retailers (convenience stores / corner stores), as well as other commercial and governmental institutions.