Giant of supermarkets in Brazil, with 282 stores in 9 states, opens a new pharmaceutical unit after closing 28 operations and laying off 6,600 employees; strategy approved by Cade reveals a billion-dollar bet on a market that continues to grow.

Written by Alisson Ficher

Published on 19/06/2026 at 15:58

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Movement of Grupo Mateus in the pharmaceutical sector occurs after internal restructuring, store closures, and reduction in staff, while the company expands its operations in new retail fronts in the North and Northeast.

Grupo Mateus is preparing to open a unit of Mix Toureiro Farma in São Luís (MA), marking its advance in pharmaceutical retail after a phase of internal adjustments, store closures, and staff reduction.

Scheduled for June 26, the new operation will be located on Avenida São Marçal, in the João Paulo neighborhood, and is expected to sell medications, hygiene products, and supplements, expanding the group’s presence in a sector different from food retail.

Grupo Mateus advances in pharmaceutical retail

The pharmacy will result from the joint venture between Armazém Mateus, a subsidiary of Grupo Mateus, and AS&J Holding, linked to Grupo Toureiro, in a partnership approved by the General Superintendence of Cade on March 30, 2026.

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Restructuring closed stores and reduced staff

The more structured entry into the pharmaceutical sector occurs in parallel with significant internal adjustments, after Grupo Mateus closed 28 stores in the quarter and reduced its staff by 6,673 employees, from 47.9 thousand to 41.2 thousand workers.

According to data released along with the first-quarter balance of 2026, the reduction in personnel represented a drop of more than 13% in the number of employees, with cuts in operations in six states as part of an expense control strategy.

Despite the downsizing, the company maintained openings in food retail in cities like Belém, Paço do Lumiar, Teresina, Arapiraca, and Caxias, in addition to the new front linked to the pharmaceutical market in São Luís.

New pharmacy in São Luís strengthens expansion

In the case of Mix Toureiro Farma, the chosen location indicates the utilization of areas where the group already has a commercial presence, and the unit in João Paulo is expected to function as an initial showcase of the partnership in São Luís.

Besides expanding Mateus’s operations beyond supermarkets, wholesale, and distribution businesses, the movement follows the competition of food retail chains for space in drugstores and complementary services in Brazil.

By opening this revenue front amid a pressured quarter, the company attempts to balance selective expansion and operational efficiency measures, maintaining presence in new areas without abandoning expense adjustments.

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Giant of supermarkets in Brazil, with 282 stores in 9 states, opens a new pharmaceutical unit after closing 28 operations and laying off 6,600 employees; strategy approved by Cade reveals a billion-dollar bet on a market that continues to grow.

Movement of Grupo Mateus in the pharmaceutical sector occurs after internal restructuring, store closures, and reduction in staff, while the company expands its operations in new retail fronts in the North and Northeast.

Grupo Mateus advances in pharmaceutical retail

Restructuring closed stores and reduced staff

New pharmacy in São Luís strengthens expansion

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Giant of supermarkets in Brazil, with 282 stores in 9 states, opens a new pharmaceutical unit after closing 28 operations and laying off 6,600 employees; strategy approved by Cade reveals a billion-dollar bet on a market that continues to grow.

Movement of Grupo Mateus in the pharmaceutical sector occurs after internal restructuring, store closures, and reduction in staff, while the company expands its operations in new retail fronts in the North and Northeast.

Grupo Mateus advances in pharmaceutical retail

Restructuring closed stores and reduced staff

New pharmacy in São Luís strengthens expansion

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