Casino: who to buy from in hypermarkets?

In recent days, the famous “everyone talks to everyone” is more valid than ever. In fact, Casino has confirmed having received “preliminary expressions of interest with a view to the acquisition” of hypermarkets and supermarkets. These “signals of interest,” Casino explains in a statement, will be “analyzed in the coming weeks by the group and the consortium.” A consortium of buyers led by Daniel Kretinsky, who will take control in March.

The Czech billionaire said he wanted to maintain the integrity of the group in France, but also said he wanted to resolve the distributor’s debt problem. Therefore, this could obviously involve the sale of more hypermarkets.

“You have to cut the branch quickly before the tree rots,” a source recently commented, insisting that “it would probably be better to put these hypermarkets back under another brand” to save them.

Auchan, Carrefour, Système U and why not Les Mousquetaires

According to our information, Auchan, Carrefour and Système U are examining the file and it is also not excluded that Intermarché’s parent company, Groupement Les Mousquetaires, may make a proposal to buy more stores than planned. The agreement with Casino provides for the purchase of 133 stores in two waves (the first occurred at the end of September), with the option of an additional third.

When asked, these distributors do not comment, but from what we know, they are studying what needs to be done, some very cautiously. Without a doubt, in the sector the golden rule is location. In a context of zero artificialization of the land, it takes on even more meaning and the stores in the market have even more value.

But the state of much of the Casino’s supermarkets clearly worries some players. For these, we would, therefore, be more in strategic purchasing projects, at a local level, complementary to those they already have. Nothing is yet known about InVivo’s intentions. The agri-food giant, with the trio of investors Niel-Pigasse-Zouari, long studied the acquisition of Casino, with a major industrial project at stake, before backing out in June. Without failing to say that we are “open to discussion” for the future.