With approximately 40 million customers visiting its stores every month, Assaí is preparing to open a new chapter in a history of pioneering and innovation spanning more than half a century.

The largest and most prominent Brazilian food retail company has decided to expand its product range, investing in new business areas that combine products, services, and convenience, aimed at both small retailers and end consumers.

The movement is based on three pillars: the development of private label brands, entry into the pharmaceutical segment, and the expansion of a financial services ecosystem under the Assaí Pay brand. To coordinate the first two initiatives, the company created, last November, the Executive Directorate of New Businesses & Innovation, headed by Sérgio Leite, with teams dedicated exclusively to each project.

“We pay close attention to the customer and, historically, we have anticipated their needs and led the way in proposing innovations in the sector. This was the case with store formats and the inclusion of services (butcher shop and bakeries, for example). Continuous evolution is part of our culture, and therefore we understand that it is time to transform ourselves again and bring these new features to our customers,” explains Leite.

The move also respects a central principle of the group. "We are always concerned with maintaining a low-cost operation so as not to lose focus on our value proposition, which is low price," says the executive.

The first axis of this new phase is the focus on private label brands, a model consolidated in global retail and which tends to gain relevance during periods of greater pressure on consumer budgets. The company will operate with the Assaí brand, aimed at the end consumer, and Assaí Chef to serve the corporate market.

The project begins in São Paulo, in 115 stores, and prioritizes local suppliers. "You can't launch the same product in São Paulo and simply transfer it to Recife," says Leite. "As we approve regional suppliers, we will expand the project."

The executive says that care goes beyond cost: consumption habits and preferences vary from region to region. "The taste of ketchup that people in São Paulo are used to, for example, is different from that in Rio de Janeiro," he states.

Leite emphasizes that the goal is to position the products as offering the best cost-benefit ratio on each shelf, balancing quality with price. The launch is scheduled for the end of the first quarter, with gradual expansion into new categories and regions.

Sergio Leite leads the Executive Directorate of New Business & Innovation.

The second pillar is entry into the pharmaceutical segment, which will integrate the Mundo Saúde initiative. The project stems from the growing demand for solutions related to health and well-being and begins with pharmacies installed in selected shopping malls, in accordance with current legislation.

If Bill 2.158/2023 – which authorizes the sale of medicines in supermarkets – is approved, the model could be expanded to the interior of the stores, always in segregated areas. “Regardless of the bill's approval, we have already started the project within the current rules,” says Leite. The text has already passed the Senate and is awaiting a vote in the Chamber of Deputies.

The product range will be broad, including prescription medications, over-the-counter products, dermocosmetics, and perfumes.

In this case, the idea is to offer a complete service that goes beyond a one-off sale. The strategy begins again in São Paulo, where about a third of the store network is located, and should expand nationally later on.

The decision also takes into account the strong performance of the digital channel in the pharmaceutical sector, especially the already well-established click-and-collect model.

The expansion of financial services completes the set of announcements. The company will create an integrated ecosystem with solutions aimed at small and medium-sized businesses. The strategy includes the launch of its own point-of-sale terminal for business clients, expanding the presence of this audience in the company's digital ecosystem through a new app, "Meu Negócio Assaí" (My Assaí Business), which will be entirely focused on the needs of business clients, as well as expanding the financial portfolio with a digital account.

With 312 stores across the country's five regions and approximately 90,000 employees, Assaí believes that the future of the sector lies in creating an integrated ecosystem of solutions, where buying food is just the starting point for an even closer relationship with its customers.