Fresh fish at wholesale: METRO answers frequent customer questions
2 minSeptember 2023
Hello METRO, how do you guarantee ultra-fresh fish?
Fresh fish from local suppliers
The specialised Trading Office in France and the procurement experts from the local Category Management department obtain the goods from suppliers on
location – preferably from fishermen with small boats who are always on the water for only a day at a time.
Fast transport routes
After being purchased in local fish auctions, the goods are transported by specially equipped lorries to one of METRO’s ultra-fresh platforms, for example
to Groß-Gerau in the German state of Hesse. The products never stay here for more than twelve hours – what arrives in the morning departs later the same day.
Quality assurance at the logistics centre
At the logistics centre in Groß-Gerau, around 80 employees ensure the observance of strict quality and hygiene standards for fish and meat. The centre handles a volume of about 8,000 tonnes of goods annually.
Maintaining the cold chain
A prerequisite for ultra-freshness: adherence to an uninterrupted cold chain. For fresh fish, that means a constant temperature of 0°C to 2°C. Throughout
the entire supply chain, the fish are kept in water and melting ice. This protects them from drying out and preserves their skin’s protective film. The fish boxes have holes that allow excess water to run off.
Fresh fish in the METRO stores
METRO stores take delivery of the ultra-fresh seafood no later than 4.00 a.m. This procurement efficiency brings a fresh sea bass, for example, from the ocean to the plate of a restaurant guest in less than 72 hours.
Traceability via Pro Trace App
We pass along our knowledge of the catch conditions: for example, customers and restaurant guests can use the METRO app Pro Trace to find out the
origin of the specific fish on their plates.
