MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguayan group buys over major Uruguayan retail business

Business experts project Grupo Vierci to drive accelerated e-commerce growth

Paraguay's Grupo Vierci has signed a binding agreement to acquire 100% of GDN Uruguay's shares, encompassing key retail brands including Supermercados TaTa, Farmacia San Roque, BAS apparel, MultiAhorro Hogar home goods, and wholesale chain Frontoy.

The deal, announced on Friday, represents one of the most significant retail transactions in the Southern Cone in recent years. Completion of the acquisition is pending standard regulatory approvals, including the green light from Uruguay's Commission for the Promotion and Defense of Competition.

If completed, the takeover could result in changes to the everyday life of many Uruguayans, particularly through TaTa, a longstanding chain with over 70 years of operation, more than 200 stores across all 19 departments (provinces), and approximately 5,000 employees, and Farmacia San Roque, one of the country's leading networks, where people can get their medicines.

Industry sources noted that the seller, the Colombian-born Argentine businessman Francisco de Narváez, —GDN's majority shareholder— is divesting Uruguayan operations to redirect capital toward a bid for control of Carrefour in Argentina. The French chain has long announced its intention to leave the South American country. However, the brand remains fully operational to date.

Grupo Vierci, a family-owned conglomerate founded 58 years ago, operates in 10 countries, including the United States, Spain, Brazil, and Chile. In Paraguay, it is the largest private employer with over 18,600 direct jobs.

The group has maintained a presence in Uruguay for more than 20 years, primarily through franchises such as Burger King and Subway, as well as distribution companies like Bliwell, Firstaren, and Marvisa. This acquisition markedly expands Grupo Vierci's regional footprint.

Retail experts project Grupo Vierci to drive accelerated e-commerce growth. The sales channel currently accounts for 3% of Uruguay's retail trading, but the Paraguayan group's bargaining power is feared to represent a challenge to smaller proximity stores.