In anticipation of Carulla's 120th anniversary, the group is carrying out a renewal process that seeks to bring the brand closer to Colombians.
Grupo Éxito announced on Tuesday that the company will have an investment of close to US$100 million in 2025, as part of its plan to unify its brands. It is worth remembering that, after the acquisition by Grupo Calleja, Éxito is implementing a series of changes, including positioning Carulla as the “supermarket of Colombia”, as well as unifying its five retail brands in Colombia under Éxito and Carulla.
The change brings with it a process of renovation with new concepts, savings strategies and locations. That money will be used for IT, real estate, logistics, maintenance, store remodelling and social investment.
In addition, next year the Carulla brand will celebrate 120 years, a date that will be marked by an evolution that seeks to bring the brand closer to Colombians through greater variety and a pricing strategy to compete with the retail market.
The process began this year with the recent conversion of Carulla Gran Vía, in Medellín, and Carulla Galerías, in Bogotá. “We want Carulla to become the supermarket of every home in Colombia. This is a brand with nearly 120 years of history, which has won the hearts of thousands of Colombians for its superior quality, excellent customer service and constant innovation. This is a process that we will develop gradually and slowly. Our philosophy is that we all deserve the best close to home, regardless of where we live,” said Carlos Calleja, CEO of Grupo Éxito.
Thus, while Carulla is strengthening its position as a supermarket chain, Éxito intends to continue as the “leading hypermarket of its format in Colombia and the destination for Colombians to purchase food, clothing, household products, appliances and technology,” added Carlos Calleja.
Among the savings strategies of Éxito and Carulla, the “Unbeatable Price” and “Theme Days” stand out. “The first offers the best prices on the market in terms of price – quality on more than 1,000 products, most of them from the basic family basket. The second offers special discount days every week,” said the brand.
To date, a total of 27 stores have been converted out of the 30 planned for 2024 and it is expected that the total adjustment of the stores will be achieved in approximately four years.
It is worth mentioning that Grupo Éxito generates 34 thousand direct jobs in the country, the largest private employer in Colombia. “We are working tirelessly to ensure the sustainability of Grupo Éxito today, in 50 and in 100 years. We will continue to advance in all the initiatives that lead us to this, in the short, medium and long term,” said Carlos Calleja, CEO of Grupo Éxito.
