ASSAÍ PRESENTS NEW GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR 2026
Private labels are among the new initiatives for 2026 (Assaí/Press Release)
SÃO PAULO, Nov. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Assaí Atacadista, Brazil's largest food retail company, held an investor event this Tuesday (18) in São Paulo, where it presented initiatives to sustain the Company's next phase of growth starting in 2026. Among them is the creation of the Executive Directorate of New Business & Innovation.
Three central movements were announced. The first is the creation of a private label strategy, seen as an opportunity to offer quality items at more affordable prices and strengthen customer loyalty. Two brands will be launched: "Assaí," focused on the final consumer, and "Chef," aimed at merchants. The pilot project will begin in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, prioritizing local suppliers.
The second pillar is the entry into the pharmaceutical segment with the "Mundo Saúde" (Health World) project. Initially, pharmacies will be created in the retail strips (galleries) of selected units, which may be expanded to other formats in the future.
The third pillar is the expansion of financial services, culminating in the integrated Assaí Pay ecosystem. The solutions aim to serve small and medium-sized merchants with the launch of a proprietary card machine and the "Meu Negócio Assaí" (My Assaí Business) application, in addition to offering the general public features such as a digital account, debit card, and cashback to increase retention and purchase frequency. Belmiro Gomes, Assaí CEO, reinforced that "these movements stem from the Company's unique understanding of the customer and mark the continuous evolution and leadership in innovation in the segment."
On the ESG front, through the Assaí Institute, the company will have a new cycle (2026–2030) focused on strengthening initiatives that support food security. Furthermore, the Company highlighted important milestones during the event, such as having over 90,000 employees, with 45.7% of high leadership composed of Black people and 25.3% by women.
Regarding financial discipline, the company chose to postpone expansion projects to focus on reducing leverage. The forecast for 2026 is to open about ten stores, with a reduction in investment to approximately R$ 700 million. The first deliveries of these new initiatives are expected to occur between the first and second quarters of 2026.
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