METRO strengthens its position in Austria - taking over of REWE Group wholesale markets cartel legally approved

26 April 2022

The Higher Regional Court in Vienna, acting as the Cartel Court, has approved the takeover of AGM wholesale stores including the company headquarters in Salzburg by METRO Austria subject to conditions.

METRO Cash & Carry Logo on a store front

METRO Austria will thus initially grow to 21 stationary wholesale stores and take over the associated delivery business. Following the recent acquisitions of the delivery specialists Aviludo (Portugal) and Pro a Pro (Spain), the takeover of the AGM stores is a further step to further expand the market presence in the wholesale sector in Western Europe and to broaden the range of services for customers from the HoReCa sector. The acquisition pays towards the goals of the "sCore" growth strategy, which is to strengthen the multi-channel offering including stores, delivery and digital, and to significantly strengthen delivery sales by 2030.

METRO Austria takes over AGM with 9 wholesale stores as well as the delivery business belonging to the operating locations and the company headquarters in Salzburg with a total of more than 15,000 customers. The Cartel Court in Vienna has cleared the transaction by METRO Austria subject to conditions. Part of the takeover agreement with ADEG Österreich Handelsaktiengesellschaft (part of Rewe International AG) are the AGM locations in Graz, Hartberg, Spittal/Drau, Liezen, Neusiedl/See, Wiener Neustadt, St. Pölten, Bludenz and Klagenfurt. The approximately 430 employees of the above-mentioned locations and the head office in Salzburg will be taken over. Two of the locations, Klagenfurt and Bludenz, are subject to certain court orders that still must be implemented.

The AGM stores will complement the stationary wholesale network and the Food Service Delivery (FSD) business of METRO Austria very well. With its increased market presence, METRO offers existing and new customers real added value in terms of products and services and deepens its expertise in the Austrian food service wholesale sector with a focus on the hotel, catering and catering industries.