Bon Preu invoices more than 1,600 million and dismisses the purchase of Caprabo

Bon Preu has decided to terminate and leave "without agreement" the negotiations it maintained with the distribution group Eroski for an eventual total or partial purchase of Caprabo. In a statement, the group owned by Joan Font explained that "the conversations of recent months with Eroski regarding a possible operation have concluded unsuccessfully." According to the supermarket chain, the reasons that led to "dismissing the negotiation" have been "the disparity of criteria on the approach of the operation and the disagreement in economic expectations between the parties."

Formally, Eroski has never admitted the existence of these negotiations, as the group has reiterated on numerous occasions that Caprabo is not for sale. The Basque cooperative did acknowledge that it is evaluating the possibility of bringing in a financial partner in Caprabo in exchange for a minority shareholding. This partner would provide economic resources that would be used to support the strategic plan that Caprabo has underway to transform its network of stores. Recently, Caprabo has moved its corporate headquarters and its fresh produce logistics platform to the ZAL of the Port of Barcelona; this year, the chain plans to grow with the inauguration of a dozen stores.

In addition to ending its approach to Caprabo, Bon Preu has advanced the turnover figure with which it expects to close its fiscal year this February. The Osona chain expects to exceed the 1,600 million euro barrier for the first time, with an estimated figure of 1,620 million. The group thus advances with its strong growth plan, which has set the goal of achieving sales of 3,000 million euros in the medium term. Bon Preu, which operates with the brands Bonpreu and Esclat, now controls more than 10% of the Catalan large distribution market and the challenge it has set itself is to double this share, up to 20%.

Sales of 1,620 million in a fiscal year marked by the pandemic represent an 8.5% growth compared to the 1,492.3 million earned the previous year. If the focus is only placed on Bon Preu's main activity, the commercialization of food products, growth in this last year soars to 20%. A good part of the difference between these two percentages lies in the fact that Bon Preu also sells fuels, a division that has been penalized by the lower movement of the population due to covid-19.

Despite the difficulties caused by the viral crisis, Bon Preu has opened nine establishments during 2020 in towns such as Manlleu, Terrassa, Banyoles, Alcanar, Alpicat, Platja d'Aro and Rubí. It now has a network of 133 Bonpreu supermarkets and 55 Esclat hypermarkets, in addition to 55 EsclatOil gas stations.

Bon Preu employs more than 8,500 people, to whom in the last year it has distributed a bonus of more than thirteen million euros for the fulfillment of the established objectives. In parallel, in recognition of their effort during the pandemic, the company also paid an additional 200 euros to each of its workers.

Since the summer of 2019, 100% of Bon Preu belongs to the businessman born in Torelló, Joan Font, who, after a long dispute, agreed to buy 50% of the shares that were in the hands of his brother, Josep Font, to whom he will pay 300 million euros over a period of eight years.