A press article from the magazine: Linéaires,
published on the 1st of September 2021, written by: Benoit Merlaud

THESE LABELS THAT CASINO WANTS TO FRANCHISE WORLDWIDE

  • In complement to its Latin America’s subsidiaries, Casino Group also has a franchised businesses pool. More precisely, in Africa and in the Middle East.
  • Two labels have great potential: BAO Cash&Carry in Africa and Asia, but also Monoprix in Europe.

Worldwide, Casino is very well-known for its subsidiaries in Latin America: about 3 200 stores which make 46% of turnover.

BAO AND ITS « SATELLITES »

BAO is a young brand, born in Cameroon in 2018. It’s the African version of Assaf, the concept of cash & carry that succeed in Brazil.

Casino’s first opening was a store/warehouse of 2 300 m² in Douala, plus, 3 outlets also called « satellites » from 300 to 500 m². The fourth satellite store is about to open by the end of the year.

BAO cash and carry greet the professionals and public, without a membership card. Assortment around 2400 references in a BAO store/warehouse and 1100 in a compact version. Some products are imported and represent 15% of the offer. Professionals represent only 6% of the customers but they take part in 35% of the turnover with an average basket of 200 euros.

Depending on the store size, each shop registers from 500 to 1500 of the checkout process per day.

All the openings were managed by Casino in an experimental model. They now prepare to launch this label in franchise contracts still in Cameroon but also in the Central African Republic, where they have a partnership with a local operator.

More broadly, Casino hopes to develop BAO in Africa, Middle East, Asia and in French overseas territories.

MONOPRIX LABEL: settle abroad with 108 shops in franchise contracts it represent 18% au the store pool. Nowadays, you will find a Monoprix in Egypt, in Qatar, in Ivory Coast (since June 2021) and also in Dubaï (in September 2021). Europe is still the continent where Casino wants to develop the label, for example: in 2014 they open one in Luxembourg.

Casino searches for opening outlets in other capitals of the continent.