Portuguese retail group Jerónimo Martins is aiming to expand its Ara supermarket chain in Colombia to 1,300 stores by the end of 2023 – up from 1,093 last year.
Total sales are expected to reach €2.5 billion in 2023, representing an 8% increase on 2022 and accounting for 8% of the group’s total sales.
Ara is one of the 20 largest companies in Colombia, in terms of sales and number of employees.
The company saw sales increasing to €1.8 billion in 2022, from €21 million in 2013, while the number of employees rose from 466 to 12,460 in the same period.
Jerónimo Martins hopes that the supermarket chain will account for 20% of its total sales within the next ten years. To achieve this goal, it plans to have between 3,000 and 4,000 Ara stores, including franchise outlets.
The company also operates 17 distribution centres and small warehouses in Colombia, and the number of distribution centres and small warehouses is not expected to change in 2023.
First-Half Performance
In the first half of 2023, Ara reported sales of €1.1 billion – a year-on-year increase of 31.6% – and an EBITDA of €18 million – down from €26 million in the comparable period.
Jerónimo Martins noted that the Ara format is very well received in all regions and neighbourhoods, and that traditional retailers continue to lead the market.
The Portuguese group entered the Colombian market in 2013, when it opened its first Ara supermarket.
In July, Jerónimo Martins reported a 36% increase in first-half net profit, as high inflation boosted sales, especially in Poland, where it operates the Biedronka chain.
The company reported a net profit of €356 million in the period between January and June, with consolidated sales rising by 22%, to €14.5 billion.
