Almacenes Éxito led the commerce sector in the report of the 1,000 largest companies of the country delivered by the Superintendence of Companies. The company closed 2023 with net profits of $125,000 million, a variation of 27.18% compared to the previous year. Regarding operating income, there was a variation of 2.44% compared to 2022.
For its part, the Calleja Group, headed by Salvadoran Juan Carlos Calleja, acquired the company in mid-January of this year. By March 2024, at the shareholders’ meeting, Calleja, former presidential candidate of El Salvador, was chosen to take over as the new president of Grupo Éxito.
Among the objectives of the holding company is to convert 40 Surtimax, Super Inter and Supermayorista stores to the Éxito and Carulla brands.chains belonging to the company and with which it seeks to compete in the low-cost segments and institutional clients, respectively.
“With the Calleja Group we have done extremely well. It is a group with great knowledge in retail supermarkets, absolute leaders in El Salvador,” said Carlos Mario Giraldo, general manager of Éxito Colombia.
According to what was reported, they closed 2023 with 522 establishments that were dedicated to commercial activity. As for the stores focused on the low-cost segment, 80 of those were from Surtimax, 59 from Super Inter and 64 from Surtimayorista.
Between April and May, Almacenes Éxito had already transformed two Surtimax stores, with positive results for them.
Giraldo explained that they have now converted eight stores, and that they are going to “reconvert three more this weekend.” Regarding the response of users to this process, Grupo Éxito indicated that they have had good acceptance from consumers.
Likewise, they explained that “Sales have multiplied by two or three times depending on the store”. Thus demonstrating acceptance by Colombians. They also indicated that with this reconversion they also seek to continue strengthening and enhancing having a good assortment designed for customers. “The consumer must find a good product at a good price”, they mentioned from the company. And they added that they continue to think about being a company focused on how the Colombian consumer can find a good portfolio “where they can do the marketing action completely.”
Another objective they have with the conversion of the Surtimax, Supermayorista and Super Inter stores into Éxito and Carulla stores is to make them more pleasant. In addition, they assured that they are currently redesigning the store layouts.
Giraldo clarified that the growth, in addition to being positive, “is very encouraging to continue with this gradual process, because it will take time to reconvert the brands into Éxito and Carulla.” The manager assured that this reconversion will still take time.
