Companhia Brasileira de Distribuicao

Companhia Brasileira de Distribuição, doing business as GPA (formerly as Grupo Pão de Açúcar), is the biggest Brazilian company engaged in business retailing of food, general merchandise, electronic goods, home appliances and other products from its supermarkets, hypermarkets and home appliance stores owned by the French conglomerate retail group Casino. Its headquarters are in São Paulo city.[4]

The company is the second biggest retail company in Latin America by revenue and the second largest online retailer in Brazil. The company operates its e-commerce through Cnova Brasil, a subsidiary of its subsidiary Viavarejo.

For 2013, the company planned to open more than 150 stores, targeting northeast and mid-west regions.[5]

In September 2013, Abílio Diniz, the son of the company’s founder, has stepped down as chairman of the company.[6]

Companhia Brasileira de Distribuição engages in the retail of food, clothing, home appliances and other products through its chain of hypermarkets and supermarkets. It operates though Food Retail, Self Service Wholesale, Home Appliances and E-commerce segments. The Food Retail segment consists of sales of food and non food products to individual consumers. The Self Service Wholesale segment includes sales of food and some non food products to resellers, intermediate consumers and retail customers through the Assaí banner.

 The Home Appliances segment engages in the sales of durable goods, which includes electronics, home appliances, furniture and other items for the home, and the provision of products and services, such as specialized and convenient sales and after sales service through Casas Bahia and Pontofrio stores. The E-commerce segment offers e-commerce operations through the websites, including Extra.com.br, PontoFrio.com.br, CasasBahia.com.br, Barateiro.com.br, PartiuViagens.com.br and E-Hub. The company was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil.