Happiness Arrives for Juan Roig and Mercadona: the Most Anticipated Novelty of All

The Portuguese market is increasingly competitive, but Mercadona has long wanted to carve out its space. The struggle between the main supermarket chains has caused significant changes in the sector. In this context, Mercadona has managed to consolidate itself strongly in the neighboring country, as can be seen in the data.

An Unstoppable Rise in the Portuguese Market

In recent years, this company has invested significant resources in its expansion, and its growth has been progressive, with new openings in different cities, according to Expansión. This strategy has allowed it to capture a significant part of the Portuguese market. Additionally, its business model has been able to adapt to the needs of the Portuguese consumer.

Mercadona closed 2024 with a market share of 7%, with notable growth gaining 1.1 points in just one year. This advance positions it as the fourth largest supermarket chain in Portugal. It is only behind Sonae (26.6%), Jerónimo Martins (21.7%), and Lidl (13%).

One of the most important achievements has been surpassing Intermarché, a chain that previously held the fourth position but has been relegated to fifth place. Mercadona has become the company that has increased its share the most in the last year. Its success reflects the trust of Portuguese customers in its business model.

With its growth, the Valencian chain is now part of the group of the four major distributors in Portugal. Among all of them, they concentrate almost 70% of the market share. Its expansion strategy has been key to reaching this privileged position.

More Openings and New Goals in 2025

The company is not content with its current position, and for 2025, it has ambitious growth plans in Portugal. Its goal is to reach 70 stores in the country. To achieve this, it will open ten new supermarkets throughout this year.

One of the most important milestones will be its arrival in Lisbon, as for the first time, Mercadona will open stores in the Portuguese capital. It is expected to inaugurate two establishments in the city. It will also have a new corporate office in the Alta de Lisboa area.

Additionally, it will open stores in other strategic cities such as Loures, Penafiel, Fafe, Leiria, Matosinhos, Palmela, and Porto. The first inauguration of the year will take place in March, in Santa Iria de Azóia. This reinforces its presence in key regions of the country, gradually consolidating itself.

The figures reflect the impact of its growth, such as the 7,000 employees that Mercadona reached last year in Portugal. In the last year alone, it has added 1,700 new workers. The total investment in the country already amounts to 874M euros, making its expansion in the Portuguese market seem unstoppable.