Grupo Mateus closes 28 stores and cuts over 6,000 jobs

Grupo Mateus, one of Brazil's largest supermarket chains, has implemented a significant operational restructuring. Between January and March 2026, the company closed 28 stores and reduced its workforce by 6,673 employees, representing a reduction of over 13% of its total staff.

The closures and layoffs primarily affected operations across several states in the North and Northeast regions of Brazil. This move follows years of accelerated expansion and is part of a strategy to evaluate costs, productivity, and unit performance to focus resources on more profitable business areas.

Despite these cuts, the company remains profitable and has not announced plans to exit the Brazilian market. While 28 stores were closed, the group also inaugurated four new units during the same period. Ilson Mateus Rodrigues, chairman of the board, indicated that while the group intends to continue reducing expenses, no further massive workforce reductions are expected in the immediate future.