Caprabo continues to grow in Catalonia. The supermarket chain –50% owned by Eroski and the Czech group EP– has billed 743.6 million euros in 2022, which represents an increase of 3.6% compared to 2021.
Company sources explain that the growth is due to the opening of stores, as well as the inflation that has affected the sector as a whole. Founded in 1959, the Barcelona firm claims its commitment to the Catalan market, where it has invested 100 million euros over the last four years.
“We are going to meet the objectives that we set for ourselves in the strategic plan from 2019 to 2023,” say sources from the company, directed by Edorta Juaristi and made up of a workforce of 6,000 workers. The investment plan has entailed the disbursement of some 60 million euros in the reform of the 301 stores that it has in the community. Another 20 million euros have been allocated to new openings. Specifically, 80 supermarkets have been opened, adding their own establishments (the largest) and franchised ones (with a smaller area and focused on convenience products). Among the most recent openings, those of Sitges, Sant Joan Despí and Barcelona stand out. On the sidelines is the investment in the remodeling of the flagship supermarket of the L’Illa Diagonal shopping center.
In addition, the company has invested 20 million euros in the transformation of its logistics operations. In 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, Caprabo built a new exclusive distribution platform to manage fresh produce. The new distribution warehouse has a surface area of ??24,600m2 and is located in the ZAL Port, in El Prat. The logistics complex also includes online sales processes and the company’s headquarters. In logistics, Caprabo has also invested in renovating the center it has in the municipality of Abrera. “This project, which has separated the fresh product from the rest, has made it possible to greatly improve operations,” these sources say. Regarding the penetration of online sales –channeled through the Capraboacasa portal–, the chain has managed to achieve a share of 2.6% of total sales. Despite being a low percentage, the company ensures that it is above the Spanish average. The firm has more than 20 years of experience in electronic commerce and recognizes that it is a very complex operation to manage due to the demands of fresh produce.
At the moment, Caprabo prefers not to specify the investment plans from 2024 to 2028.
