Cuba implements new wholesale markets and franchise potential

Cuba is implementing new commercial measures to support economic actors, including the establishment of wholesale supply markets. The province of Sancti Spíritus will become the first in the country to host two such markets, located in Sancti Spíritus and Trinidad. These facilities, managed by Comercializadora ITH del turismo, are designed to provide SMEs and self-employed workers with easier access to necessary products and improved commercial coordination.

In a broader context of economic reform, an advisor to the Ministry of Domestic Trade (MINCIN) noted that Cuba has the potential to develop domestic commercial franchises, citing the historical DiTú café chain as a model. These developments are part of a series of 176 reforms and are supported by Decree 167, which authorizes the creation of retail and restaurant chains, recognizes e-commerce, and formalizes sales in both Cuban pesos and foreign currencies.