GPA bet on minicentros distribution and delivery apps

Promoting e-commerce, test new store formats and betting on digital means of payment are on the agenda of the GPA for 2019. The President of the company, Peter Estermann, said the goal is to stay in the lead of the online sale of food. "In e-commerce, the business has to be viable. The bottom line (profit) has to be positive, "he said, pointing out the logistical cost Brazilian main challenge. To reduce costs, the company started to deliver e-commerce applications using goods from shops close to home consumers. The model works currently in 70 shops and the goal is to expand, reaching 150 units. Also to evade the logistical challenge, the GPA decided to test the transformation of one of its hypermarkets in a mini-entertainment center of distribution. The pilot project in the region of Morumbi, in São Paulo, can serve to help the company to expand the e-commerce and facilitate the advancement of markets. The small stores, opened with the flags and mini market Minute Sugarloaf, need frequent supply. At the same time, the company approaches startups and search to increase the use of applications. In December, the GPA bought the application of deliveries James Delivery, targeting have your own "super app". The expression made famous by the success in China as We Chat application, able to solve various types of consumers ' need, of ordering the call a cab or make payments. The efforts in the digital world include the intention to launch a platform payment itself. In Via retail, there are plans to launch a digital portfolio until the end of this year, a project that has been developed in partnership with the fintech AirFox. In addition, the company accelerated the testing of new store formats. Currently in pilot phase a combination of grocery store with drugstore. The first store is located in the neighborhood of Mooca in São Paulo.