- Business
- Profarma Distribuidora de Produtos Farmacêuticos S.A. Profarma Distribuidora de Produtos Farmacêuticos S.A. engages in the distribution and retail of pharmaceutical products throughout Brazil. Founded in 1961 and headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, the company operates through three primary segments: wholesale pharmaceutical distribution, specialties, and retail pharmacy; it distributes prescription drugs, over-the-counter generics, personal hygiene articles, cosmetics, vaccines, dermatological products, and hospital pharmaceuticals to drugstores, hospitals, and clinics via 15 distribution centers across strategic regions including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Northeast Brazil, and the Midwest. In its retail division, under the d1000 varejo farma banner, it manages over 200 stores operating as Drogasmil, Farmalife, Drogarias Tamoio, and Drogaria Rosário brands, offering medicines, personal care items, and exclusive private-label products such as Nº 21, GOnutri, Bem Básico, Bonnevi, Dfresh, Mini Moon, Mise, Polimix, and Wissen to consumers nationwide. The company expanded into retail in 2013 through acquisitions of Drogasmil, Farmalife, and Tamoio chains, followed by Rede Rosário in 2016; it formed a specialties joint venture with AmerisourceBergen Corporation in 2014, which culminated in the 2021 sale of its equity interest in the specialties segment to CM Hospitalar S.A., and completed the divestiture of Profarma Specialty S.A. in 2022 for gross proceeds of R$84.6 million from its minority stake. Recent developments include the 2023 launch of Próton, its innovation hub to foster health ecosystem partnerships with entrepreneurs and universities; the 2024 opening of a new distribution center in Mato Grosso to enhance Midwest operations; and ongoing recognition of Rede d1000 as Brazil's most efficient retail pharmacy chain per the IBEVAR ranking for two consecutive years through 2024, alongside the 2020 IPO of d1000 retail farma that raised R$400 million.