After my recent rant on Makro Pakistan, it has came to my knowledge that Pakistan operations of Makro (or Makro Habib) have been acquired by Metro Cash and Carry, with effect from January 2012.
In July 2011, Express Tribune reported that Makro Habib and Metro Cash and Carry were engaged in merger talks. Later it was reported that the deal has been finalized and the merger will roll in early 2012.
Before the merger, the Germany-based Metro Cash and Carry had five wholesale outlets in Pakistan, two in Lahore and one each in Karachi, Islamabad and Faisalabad and has been operating since 2007. Makro Habib Pakistan – a joint venture between the Dutch wholesale giant Makro and the Pakistani conglomerate House of Habib – also has five stores, three in Karachi and two in Lahore and began operations in 2005.
Is the merger of Makro and Metro good for consumers? Will this merger pose any threat to HyperStar, Naheed and Imtiaz stores? Maybe or maybe not. But they are surely going to reduce the staff headcount, as happen usually after mergers and acquisitions.
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