The Government of the Moscow Region, METRO Cash and Carry and Sberbank signed an agreement on cooperation in the implementation of the joint pilot project to support small and medium-sized business in the Moscow Region. About 600 owners of retail shops, 30 suppliers and 10 restaurants that were selected during the competition will participate in the project.

      600 shops of Fasol franchising programme will be opened or re-equipped in the Moscow Region through 2020 as part of events to support small retail business. METRO will invest in the establishment of two logistics platforms in the region to ensure efficient supplies to these points of sales. Participants of the project will receive assistance in the preparation for certification under standards of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) as part of measures to support producers and suppliers. The GFSI international certification will allow suppliers to deliver food products to retail chains in Russia and overseas. 30 small and medium-sized suppliers of food products from the Moscow Region are expected to participate in the programme that will be carried out on the basis of the quality and food security system of METRO Cash and Carry, the programme will last for 7-9 months.