Carrefour Brasil has sold 11 Nacional supermarkets in Brazil to the Rio Grande do Sul-based Osmar Nicolini Comércio group.
The deal is valued at less than R$50 million (€7.8 million), according to Brazilian business daily Valor Economico. It marks a significant step in Carrefour's divestment strategy, following the acquisition of Grupo Big in 2021.
The stores sold are located in the cities of Alegrete, Bagé, Camaquã, Dom Pedrito, Pelotas, Rosário do Sul, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Santa Rosa and São Borja.
The Osmar Nicolini group, with 17 stores across eight cities, is one of the hundred largest supermarket chains in Brazil.
The transaction is subject to approval by Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) and lease negotiations.
Divestiture
This sale follows Carrefour's announcement to divest all 64 Nacional and Bompreço stores in South and Northeast Brazil by mid-2025, aiming for a total value of approximately R$400 million (€63 million).
Earlier in December, Carrefour sold eight Nacional stores in Curitiba to the Paraná-based groups Muffato and Festval.
This move aligns with Carrefour's strategy to streamline its operations and focus on its core business.
The French-owned company aims to simplify its operations and focus on its core business of large-format stores like Atacadão and Sam's Club.
The divestment strategy seeks to improve profitability, as these stores generated a negative EBITDA of R$42 million (€6.7 million) in the past year.
Carrefour Brasil stated in a recent filing that it will retain 21 profitable Carrefour Bairro supermarkets in strategic locations upon completion of the divestment plan in the first half of 2025.
