Assaí Scales Back Openings and Cuts Jobs as It Kicks Off Mercado Livre Tie-Up

Overview

• Management cut 2026 store openings to five from ten and is reviewing its 312 locations for potential sales or closures, with any shutdowns to be disclosed this quarter.
• The company confirmed workforce reductions, saying it ended last year with about 92,000 employees but now has a substantially smaller headcount.
• A new partnership with Mercado Livre will start in the second quarter in the Southeast and expand nationwide by late 2026, using a fulfillment model in which Assaí supplies distribution centers and Mercado Livre handles storage, picking, packing and delivery.
• The initial online assortment totals roughly 400 non‑perishable SKUs in categories such as dry grocery, cleaning and beverages, stored in three Mercado Livre facilities in São Paulo, and Assaí’s stores will also use the marketplace to buy operational supplies.
• Assaí is keeping R$700 million in 2026 Capex with funds reallocated to technology and in‑store initiatives including a pharmacy pilot in 93 units, while planning progressive monetization of about R$1.5 billion in PIS/Cofins tax credits as food‑commodity deflation weighs on results.