28 September 2006
Bahrain's largest food processing and supplies company General Trading and Food Processing Company (TRAFCO) will be moving to the Metro concept, bringing a unique concept to the Kingdom's retail market.
The Metro store, at a total cost of BD75,000 to BD100, 000, is the first branch of the brand name and is part of the Trafco group, Ebrahim Zainal, Chairman Trafco Company told Bahrain Tribune at the opening of the new store.
"Trafco Company is a public share holding company and with the decision from its board members it has been branded as Metro. As part of its policy to add a new feature to the company all the Trafco stores across the Kingdom will be changed into Metro in the near future.
Zainal said: "This one of the first branches of Metro and we will open a number of other branches following this. The second branch of Metro will be opening by the end of this year in Umm Al Hassam area.
"The idea for this concept is that we want to get into the neighbourhood of populated areas. We are not going to have a hypermarket concept, but instead we will have small stores to serve the families in various areas. We are certainly not stopping our expansion here, we are looking for locations in other areas and by 2007 the company will have other three to four more branches."
He said that they will also upgrade all the five existing Trafco outlets with sophisticated infrastructure and up to the standard of the market. There are five outlets that will be refurbished in Muharraq, Riffa, Bukwara, Mina Salman and the Central Market.
"The brand name Metro has been registered with the authorities as a mini market and therefore we will also label certain products under the brand with next three to six months," added Zainal.
Sundar Rajan, General Manager Trafco said that currently they are studying three areas for the expansion of Metro stores in different locations.
"We wish to have at least 10 more stores across the country and meanwhile all the five Trafco branches will be shifted to the Metro brand name adding a new look."
Bahrain's largest food processing and supplies company General Trading and Food Processing Company (TRAFCO) will be moving to the Metro concept, bringing a unique concept to the Kingdom's retail market.
The Metro store, at a total cost of BD75,000 to BD100, 000, is the first branch of the brand name and is part of the Trafco group, Ebrahim Zainal, Chairman Trafco Company told Bahrain Tribune at the opening of the new store.
"Trafco Company is a public share holding company and with the decision from its board members it has been branded as Metro. As part of its policy to add a new feature to the company all the Trafco stores across the Kingdom will be changed into Metro in the near future.
Zainal said: "This one of the first branches of Metro and we will open a number of other branches following this. The second branch of Metro will be opening by the end of this year in Umm Al Hassam area.
"The idea for this concept is that we want to get into the neighbourhood of populated areas. We are not going to have a hypermarket concept, but instead we will have small stores to serve the families in various areas. We are certainly not stopping our expansion here, we are looking for locations in other areas and by 2007 the company will have other three to four more branches."
He said that they will also upgrade all the five existing Trafco outlets with sophisticated infrastructure and up to the standard of the market. There are five outlets that will be refurbished in Muharraq, Riffa, Bukwara, Mina Salman and the Central Market.
"The brand name Metro has been registered with the authorities as a mini market and therefore we will also label certain products under the brand with next three to six months," added Zainal.
Sundar Rajan, General Manager Trafco said that currently they are studying three areas for the expansion of Metro stores in different locations.
"We wish to have at least 10 more stores across the country and meanwhile all the five Trafco branches will be shifted to the Metro brand name adding a new look."
© Bahrain Tribune 2006
