2023-09-28 14:34:06
Last week, Grupo Libertad inaugurated its first Libertad FANa new format with which it seeks to generate a transformation to its hypermarket format, betting on a shopping experience that combines a space for new products, as well as savings proposals and a strong commitment to fresh products.
The first of the Libertad FAN is already operating on Paseo Libertad de Rivera Indarte, in Córdoba. In that location, Punto a Punto spoke exclusively with Ramón Quagliata, the CEO from our city that commands a group with businesses in retail, the real east, digital businesses and that seeks to continue adding presence in financial services, among other sectors.
-In such a complex year for consumption, how is business measured?
-We look at the volume partially because it is difficult to follow the even supply, with many different packages and presentations. We look at two variables: the number of tickets and we have visit counters. We are growing in number of visits and clients. In visits we are 10% up, that for the rides and inside the hyper, number of tickets. There we are 4% more than last year. We have more visits, but if we are behind inflation in sales volume, the business has complications.
-And what do you see there?
-This year we are running behind inflation, despite having more tickets. If there are more customers who buy less or they are the same ones who come more times or it is a combination of the two things. Then what do we do? Well, the current hypermarket is not enough for us, we have to transform it. With the transformation we did in Paseo Rivera with the Libertad FAN, we are reaching inflation. In the other hypermarkets that did not make the transformation, they are still running several points behind.
-5 years ago the previous CEO, Jean-Christophe Tijeras told us that managing a hypercar in Argentina is like driving a Formula 1. Inflation was 2% monthly. What is it like today?
-Today we have more formats, 30 thousand references in the hyper market, 10 thousand in a supermarket, 2 thousand in a mini wholesaler, 3 thousand in the proximity format, 15 thousand in a digital one and 1,100 tenants in shopping centers. This diversity has to do with the fact that we were always seen as hyper. It’s great when hyper is a new and winning format. But when it is a format from the ’90s and we are in 2020, it is demodé. Mass consumption existed, exists and will exist, what we did was convert Híper Libertad into Grupo Libertad, a multi-business group of retail, real estate, digital, financial, services. We have all those opportunities, for different groups of clients.
-And in that context, if before it was a Formula 1, what would it be today?
-It would be more like driving a 4×4, an all-terrain vehicle. When you have a stable scenario, you dedicate yourself to being more efficient in one thing. When there are such complex, volatile contexts, if you play one thing it is all or nothing. So, we need to be more open and navigate that complexity and diversity.
-Is this going to be a year with profitability, balance or red numbers?
-We have to sell to more customers to be able to beat inflation, that’s why we venture into other formats. The wholesaler already has 11 branches, the supermarket 1. We opened 12 branches in 12 months with a different proposal than the one we had. By adding digital plus new formats and businesses, we are going to beat inflation this year. The result will be positive, but less than last year, because this year’s cost inflation has been impressive. With such accelerated cost inflation, profitability deteriorates. It is a complex year. If next year we have to make adjustments in the macro, that might cause us difficulty. Other years that has implied recession in consumption, that is why we are doing optimization, austerity, efficiency, minimal debts, as neat as possible because it is a complex year.
-What regarding the version that they wanted to buy them in Argentina?
-That’s like when Casino was interested in La Anónima for many years. And the Brauns acknowledged that there were contacts, but they were not interested. We cannot assure that there has been a conversation between a group from Argentina with a group from Colombia or France. Nothing else.
1695911880
#Quagliata #Managing #hyper #Argentina #driving #4×4
