Supermercados Peruanos to build 10 supermarkets in Peru this year

Peruvian retailer Supermercados Peruanos plans to build 10 supermarkets this year, reports its general manager Norberto Rossi.The supermarkets company plans to start operations in Juliaca (Puno) under the Plaza Vea format, at the new Real Plaza Shopping Mall.
They also will open at another Real Plaza locations, in Lima and in provinces as well, livinginperu.com reported.
Supermercados Peruanos opened its first Plaza Vea in Chimbote (Ancash) last Friday, a supermarket that required an investment of informó que Plaza Vea Chimbote les ha demandado una inversión de US $ 7.2 million dollars and has generated 210 regular jobs.
Supermercados Peruanos is a company with 100% Peruvian capitals, and the only one in Latin America that has an international HACCP certification, which guarantess the safety of its fresh foods.

Publication: Andina - English Newswire
Provider: Andina
Date: January 11, 2010

Ripley, Falabella and Mall Plaza to open Arequipa mall in December 2010

It has been reported that the new shopping centre being built by the Chilean retail giants Ripley and Falabella and Peruvian shopping centre company Mall Plaza will open in Arequipa in December 2010. Construction of the mall was due to begin in January 2009 but the project was put on hold as a result of the global economic crisis. The mall will occupy an area of 100,000 m2 and will require an investment of USD 40mn (EUR 26.65mn). This is the third shopping mall that the three companies have developed in Peru and they plan to open a fourth one in the Lima district of San Anita in the first half of 2011.

Publication: Esmerk - News monitoring
Provider: Esmerk
November 27, 2009

Supermercados Peruanos opens its 39th Plaza Vea supermarket

Supermercados Peruanos (SPSA) on Thursday opened its new Plaza Vea Alameda Sur supermarket located in the district of Chorrillos with an investment of US$2.8 million, becoming its 39th store in the country.
The company explained that Plaza Vea Alameda Sur has an area of 3,200 square meters, which is part of a shopping center that has 110 parking spaces exclusively for clients.

The supermarket offers products in several categories, including groceries, fruits, vegetables, meat, cold cuts, apparel and household appliances.

Plaza Vea Alameda Sur also has an Inkafarma drugstore, an Econolentes optical, Spa Mint Saloon, Sweet Garden cake shop, Miraflores Express laundry and a Fantasy Park for children.

SPSA General Manager Norberto Rossi noted that the new supermarket has generated 680 new formal jobs, 170 direct and 510 indirect, for all people living in this district.

Publication: Andina - English Newswire
Provider: Andina
September 25, 2009

Torvisco hard at work

Grupo Torvisco of Peru is busy as a bee right now. It plans to construct three malls in Lima; the Anpay Peru brewery is 98% finished just two kilometres from the Anypsa paint plant it owns; a new mall, Imperio, is 25% built in Puente Piedra; said mall will feature the Torvisco supermarket chain Uniko; the group already owns another three sites in Lima that could be used for shopping centres too, notes Nemecio Torvisco Palomino, financial director of the holding company. The brewery was meant to have been built two years ago but a lack of liquidity was not overcome. Soft drinks and waters will also be launched during 2009 using the brands Top Kola and Gaviota.

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
Date: August 18, 2008

Wong Administracion y Servicios invests in Plaza Norte mall

WAS (W. Administracion y Servicios), the new firm set up by Erasmo Wong (the former main shareholder in Wong Supermercados), is to invest over Soles$180mil in the first stage of the Plaza Norte mall project. This first stage will be inaugurated for Christmas 2008, featuring an Hipermercado Metro, a Maestro Home Center and other smaller operations. Overall, the project will boast six anchor stores, three of which are already on board via leasing contracts signed with WAS. A bus terminal and a hotel will go up nearby soon.

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
Date: August 8, 2008

After the failure of their merger with Falabella, D&S would arrive at Peru

Last Monday, D&S, leader in supermarkets in Chile, and the Falabella group announced the decision to cancel their merger in Chile, after the refusal of the authorities that argued abuse of dominion position.

This alliance was an opportunity so that D&S could arrive to Andean countries, where Falabella already has a strong presence. The Ibanez family (owners of D&S) has no retail business outside Chile and Argentina.

The arrival to the region of giants like Wal-Mart, Carrefour and Casino is expected soon and the Chileans have not remained of crossed hands. Already Ripley, Falabella and Cencosud have arrived and extended their operations in Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Brazil. Will be decided the Ibanez to follow the steps to them? Let us see.

Last July, during the forum "Internationalization of the Chilean retail", held in Santiago, we asked Alfredo Moreno, director of Falabella, and to Silvio Rostagno, corporative manager of D&S, what the regional operators would have to do to restrain the attack of the world-wide giants of the retail. They agreed in answering: To grow internationally. The one that arrives first gets market share and better locations. As well, D&S spokesmen have indicated its interest in Peru as part of its internationalization, by three arguments: proximity, its political-economic stability and, above, its good growth prospects.

In that sense, and after the decision taken this week, it is clear that D&S already must determine to grow outside, specifically in Peru, with two feasible alternatives today: to ally with Falabella or to make it alone.

In the first case, he could carry out here the merger denied in Chile. Their agreement would give Tottus more financial muscle to face a heavy weight supermarket like Cencosud (that will harness to the Group of Supermarkets Wong with more of US$100 million this year). D&S would face a practically virgin market (the penetration of the modern retail in Peru does not arrive at 28%) and with a spending power every greater time. Revamp Tottus? Launch new formats? Acquire small chains? Everything fits within the plans of this duet.

In the case of not reaching an agreement with Falabella to merge in Peru, would dare the Ibanez to enter Peru alone? Yes, for the reasons explained above. It will be more difficult, sure because the best locations already were taken by Peruvian Wong, Supermercados Peruanos (SP) and Falabella. In addition, SP already said that it will not sell. Although Wong said the same months ago, the fact of being part of a solid group as Interbank gives an endorsement them like believing to them. That is the possibility of acquiring to another great company of he himself heading is not very realistic at the moment. The ideal vehicle to enter an international market like Peru would be with a minority local partner, but Enrique Ostale, general manager of D&S, would not hesitate to enter without a partner if that is the case.

Whatever outside the decision that takes the Ibanez, the certain thing is that they do not face any capital shortage. D&S today has an investment of accounts receivable in their financial business, on the US$700 million, which can be used to obtain financing. The other source is to sell some properties, indicated Ostale recently. The Peruvian market bond as much effort? Chile is already developed and Peru has a huge potential. When will come? The maximum date drawn up by the company is 2010.

Publication: El Comercio
Provider: El Comercio
Date: March 5, 2008

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This translation has been prepared using machine translation software, which has been enhanced with a specialized dictionary.

Cencosud reveals details of Wong-inspired share issue

Cencosud yesterday announced the issuing of a set of shares in Santiago de Chile with which to finance the acquisition of Peru's Grupo de Supermercados Wong and to allow the Wongs into the Cencosud set-up. The part of the operation that involves the Wong family mist be wrapped up by January 31, 2008, whilst the part relating to purchasing the Wong operation must be completed by December 31. The shares being issued are those left over from a capital increase carried out by Chile's retail giant in January 2005 (when it bought department-store chain Almacenes Paris). The shares cost US$4 apiece and thus the issue should raise US$580mil. Of the total, 49,750,000 shares will be acquired by the family Wong, the Peruvians thereby taking up a 2.5% stake in Cencosud, the third largest individual stake behind the family Paulmann and the impresario Jorge Galmez. Another 75 million shares will be sold on the Chilean exchange where the latter two plan to acquire a third. Another package of 20 million shares is to be aimed at a compensation plan for Cencosud executives.

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
Date: December 29, 2007

Falabella keen to get best locations for itself in Peru

Chile's Grupo Falabella has expanded fast enough in Peru but now the retail group will try to speed up said expansion in light of the arrival locally of its Chilean rival Cencosud (which has purchased Grupo Wong, the local supermarkets leader).

Falabella has sent out the command from Chile that the best possible locations in the leading Peruvian cities must be bought up for future store developments. To get the ball rolling, this week Malls Peru, the local property wing of the Chilean group, acquired a plot of land in Cusco, measuring 10,000 square metres (a size that will permit the installation of two of the group's three big formats - Saga Falabella, Tottus and Sodimac); the project has already been dubbed Open Plaza Cusco. Meanwhile work has begun on what is expected to be a new Sodimac outlet on Avenida Quilca, Bocanegra (El Callao), alongside the recently-opened Tottus hypermarket.

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
Date: December 26, 2007

Chilean Tottus To Invest $60 Mln in Opening up to 15 Hypermarkets in Peru 2008

Chilean hypermarket chain Tottus will invest $60 mln (41.23 mln euro) in the opening of up to 15 hypermarkets in Peru in 2008, the CEO of Tottus, Juan Correa, said on November 6.

Some 50 pct of the hypermarkets will be located in Lima, he added. The remaining will be definitely opened in cities such as Chiclayo, Trujillo and Arequipa, Correa was quoted as saying.

Peru is currently enjoying an economic stability and growth, which is the main reason Tottus wants to expand on the Peruvian market, he commented.

Tottus opened a new hypermarket in Lima's district Chorrillos on November 6. The new hypermarket is the fifth of the company in Peru.

Tottus is owned by the Chilean retail chain Falabella. The total investment plan of Tottus for 2007 stands at $50 mln (34.36 mln euro).

Publication: Business Digest
Provider: AII Data Processing Ltd.
Date: November 7, 2007

Visa Card Transactions in Peru At $1.142 Bln Jan-Aug 2007

The transactions carried out via Visa credit and debit cards in Peru increased to $1.142 bln (806.4 mln euro) in the period from January to August 2007, up 33.5 pct year-on-year, Visanet del Peru, the local unit of U.S. credit card company Visa International, said on October 2, 2007.

The transactions carried out via Visa Electron debit cards rose by 38.5 pct to $441.6 mln (311.8 mln euro), while the transactions via Visa credit cards increased by 30.5 pct to $701.1 mln (495 mln euro).

The Visa cards' transactions marked the biggest rise in the Libertad department, up 66.6 pct, followed by Piura, up 60 pct, Cusco, up 53.5 pct, Lambayeque, up 48.4 pct, and Arequipa, up 45.7 pct.

The average sum of each Visa credit card transaction went up to $42.6 (30 euro) from $39.3 (27.7 euro), while the average transaction of Visa Electron increased to $27.5 (19.4 euro) from $25.6 (18 euro).

[Editor's note: According to data of the Latin America News Digest from January 22, 2007, Visanet del Peru (www.visanet.com.pe) reported $1.559 bln ($2.21 bln euro) in transactions carried out with Visa debit and credit cards in 2006, up 34.1 pct year-on-year.]

(Note: Unless otherwise stated, all figures/comparisons are for Jan-Aug 2007/Jan-Aug 2006.)

Publication: Business Digest
Provider: AII Data Processing Ltd.
Date: October 3, 2007

Is Ace Maestro for Sale?

The conglomerates Ripley and Cencosud, from Chile, affirm that they have talked with the proprietors of Ace Home Center for a possible purchase or merger, whereas this chain denies it sharply.

Most analysts of retail sector consider that Maestro is not on sale... at this very moment. After the recent entrance of the investment group Enfoca, Maestro Ace Home Center, previous injection of capital, aims to become a shopping center developer (in fact already it opened one in Ate) and to open an own financing company. The idea of Enfoca (who represents American real estate group Farallon Capital) is to consolidate the company and soon to sell it to a much greater price in the medium term (not more than five years).

Publication: Dia Uno
Provider: El Comercio
Date: October 1, 2007

The translation of this article has been prepared using machine translation software, which has been enhanced with a specialized dictionary

Wong acquires supermarket chains

Corporacion Wong has acquired four stores of the supermarkets chain Merpisa paying US$7.05mil, and is completing negotiations to acquire the small chains El Centro (5 stores) and El Super (3 stores). Chiappe family, to which belongs El Centro, has received proposals from Supermercados Peruanos and Falabella, but Wong is confident to incorporate it as part of a strategy to reach the Peruvian interior.

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
Date: August 22, 2007

Alfa purchases land to erect mall at Jockey Club Arequipa

Inversiones Alfa, teaming the Chilean retailers Falabella, Ripley and Mall Plaza, have acquired a 100,000 m2 land from Jockey Club de Arequipa paying US$70 per m2. Plans are to erect there a mall hosting stores from Falabella, Ripley, Tottus and Sodimac and also other 70 smaller shops, totalling investments of US$40mil.

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
Date: August 22, 2007

Altas Cumbres expands Jockey Plaza

Jockey Plaza is the largest mall in Lima and should end 2007 with a 15% increase on sales to around US$400mil, estimates general manager Juan Jose Calle, boasting the mall as the top performer in Peru. Owned by the Chilean lessor Altas Cumbres, Jockey Plaza is also investing US$8mil to set up a medical center building and plans expansion in the built area attracting anchor stores as Paris and La+Polar.

Publication: SABI - Business News
Provider: South American Business Information
Date: August 22, 2007

Chilean Ripley To Invest $200 Mln in Expansion in Peru 2008-2009

Chilean department store chain Ripley will double all investments made in Peru until now, allocating $200 mln (145 mln euro) to finance an aggressive expansion plan in the country in the period 2008 to 2009, Ripley executive director for Peru, Sergio Collarte, said on August 5, 2007.

The company has invested a total $89 mln (65 mln euro) in Peru since it entered the country in 1997. In the next two years Ripley will invest in the construction of malls and shops, and the expansion of its financial business in Peru.

Ripley (www.ripley.cl) is specialising in the retail selling of clothes, accessories and home furnishings. It is also involved in the financial business providing consumer credits to customers with its own credit card Ripley and its banking unit Banco Ripley. Banco Ripley offers consumer credits and insurance, as well as the products of U.S. credit card company MasterCard.

Publication: Business Digest
Provider: AII Data Processing Ltd.
Date: August 6, 2007