- Business
- SMU S.A. (SMU.SN) operates as a leading food retailer in Chile and Peru, managing a multiformat network of supermarkets, cash-and-carry stores, convenience outlets, and e-grocery platforms; it also provides financial services including credit cards for Unimarc customers and sells construction supplies through Construmart and Ferrexperto stores. The company offers groceries, fruits and vegetables, non-food products, and digital shopping solutions under brands such as Unimarc, Alvi, Mayorista 10, Super 10, OK Market, Mayorsa, and Maxi Ahorro, with full geographic coverage across all 16 regions of Chile and operations in Peru's Lima region; its financial services segment supports customer credit, while the construction supplies division retails building materials. Founded in 2007 through the Saieh family's acquisition of the Unimarc chain and headquartered at Cerro el Plomo 5680 in Santiago, Chile, SMU S.A. employs over 24,000 people and maintains subsidiaries including Inversiones SMU SpA, Omicron SpA, and Corp Fidelidad SA. Recent strategic initiatives include accelerating the conversion of 52 Mayorista stores to Super10 banners in 2025 for streamlined operations, opening 20 new stores in 2024 toward a 58-store expansion plan by 2025, advancing private label penetration to 13.6% of sales, launching e-commerce apps for Unimarc and Alvi with partnerships like Mercado Libre and Rappi, expanding logistics capacity by 40% including a new automated distribution center, and pursuing over 50% unregulated energy rates by 2027; additionally, major shareholder Alvaro Saieh increased his stake with purchases exceeding $500 million in early December 2025, and the company sold its Centro de Distribución El Valle logistics facility in 2025.