Supermarket giant closes 28 stores in Brazil and lays off 6,600 employees after halting accelerated expansion in the North and Northeast.

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 21/05/2026 at 19:49

Updated on 21/05/2026 at 19:50

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After closing 28 stores and reducing about 6.6 thousand jobs, Grupo Mateus changes strategy, slows rapid expansion, and begins to prioritize profitability in already open units in the North and Northeast

Grupo Mateus closed 28 stores and laid off approximately 6.6 thousand employees between 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, in a restructuring process concentrated in six states in the North and Northeast. The network, one of the largest retailers in Brazil, began to prioritize profitability after years of accelerated territorial expansion.

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Network reduces operation after cycle of accelerated growth

The change in course comes after a period of strong geographical expansion of the company, mainly driven after the initial public offering on the Stock Exchange. The strategy now focuses on the maturation of units already in operation and the preservation of financial margins.

According to data released to the market in May, the cuts particularly affected stores considered unprofitable. The decision led to the closure of 28 units and reduced the number of employees at the retailer from 47.9 thousand to about 41.2 thousand people.

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Employee layoffs affected six states in the North and Northeast

The layoffs and store closures were concentrated in the company’s main operational bases. The states most affected by the downsizing were Maranhão, Pará, Piauí, Ceará, Sergipe, and Bahia.

The restructuring occurs in a scenario of pressure on the Brazilian supermarket segment. The sector faces tighter consumption, increased logistical costs, high interest rates, and strong competition from other large national wholesale networks.

The ND Mais portal sought the company for comments on the results. The material does not report a response from the company regarding the cuts, store closures, or the next steps in the restructuring.

Grupo Mateus closes stores and lays off employees in restructuring plan – Photo: Disclosure

Grupo Mateus: Billion-dollar revenue indicates adjustment focused on profitability

Despite the reduction in the workforce and the number of active stores, the data presented does not indicate a revenue crisis. Grupo Mateus recorded a gross revenue of R$ 43.5 billion in the consolidated 2025.

In the first quarter of 2026, the initial balances indicated a profit above R$ 2 billion. These numbers help explain the nature of the adjustment: the company is not just downsizing, but reviewing which operations deliver financial returns.

The brand’s expansion was not definitively canceled. The growth schedule is now analyzed more rigorously before new investments, in line with the priority of protecting margins and improving the performance of existing units.

Network includes wholesale, supermarkets, premium stores, and B2B operation

Grupo Mateus operates with different business formats. Among the brands are Mix Mateus, aimed at large-scale wholesale for end consumers and merchants, and Mateus Supermarkets, with traditional supermarket and hypermarket stores.

The network also operates Camiño Supermarkets, neighborhood-focused, Spazio, with a premium profile, and Eletro Mateus, focused on appliances, electronics, and furniture. In wholesale delivery, the company maintains Armazém Mateus.

In addition to the stores, the group includes Bumba Meu Pão, its own bakery industry, and Food Service Mateus, an internal division for food transformation for the network’s stores and restaurants.

This article was prepared based on information from the material provided about Grupo Mateus and the ND Mais portal, with data, numbers, and statements preserved as per the consulted material.

This article includes data from the ND Mais portal and other sources were also consulted.

Supermarket giant closes 28 stores in Brazil and lays off 6,600 employees after halting accelerated expansion in the North and Northeast.

After closing 28 stores and reducing about 6.6 thousand jobs, Grupo Mateus changes strategy, slows rapid expansion, and begins to prioritize profitability in already open units in the North and Northeast

Network reduces operation after cycle of accelerated growth

Employee layoffs affected six states in the North and Northeast

Grupo Mateus: Billion-dollar revenue indicates adjustment focused on profitability

Network includes wholesale, supermarkets, premium stores, and B2B operation

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Supermarket giant closes 28 stores in Brazil and lays off 6,600 employees after halting accelerated expansion in the North and Northeast.

After closing 28 stores and reducing about 6.6 thousand jobs, Grupo Mateus changes strategy, slows rapid expansion, and begins to prioritize profitability in already open units in the North and Northeast

Network reduces operation after cycle of accelerated growth

Employee layoffs affected six states in the North and Northeast

Grupo Mateus: Billion-dollar revenue indicates adjustment focused on profitability

Network includes wholesale, supermarkets, premium stores, and B2B operation

While an average building in London or New York takes three years to be completed, in China a 26-story tower went up in five days with about 100 workers, and the global modular construction market already moves US$ 95 billion per year.

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