Carlos Calleja Becomes First Non-Colombian Head of Grupo Éxito
El Salvador-based supermarket chain Grupo Calleja – which has now completed a buyout of nearly all of the stock of Medellin-based supermarket giant Grupo Éxito – announced March 21 that Carlos Calleja (see photo, above) will replace Carlos Mario Giraldo as head of Grupo Éxito.
Nevertheless, Giraldo will remain as general manager of the Colombian operations of Grupo Éxito, although Calleja takes over as CEO of all four national corporate divisions of the expanded group — including El Salvador, Colombia, Uruguay and Argentina.
It’s the first-time-ever that a non-Colombian will head-up one of Latin America’s biggest supermarket chains, originally founded here in 1949 by visionary Medellin empresario Gustavo Toro Quintero, who at first sold only textiles and scraps at a single outlet.
But in future years, Grupo Éxito eventually grew not only to become Colombia’s largest supermarket/dry-goods retailer, but also became a multinational, South American supermarket colossus, which eventually sparked a 2007 takeover bid by France-based Grupo Casino – but 16 years later triggered Casino’s decision to sell-out its Grupo Éxito holdings to Grupo Calleja.
“With great enthusiasm, faith and hope in Colombia and in Colombians, Grupo Calleja joins the great family of Grupo Éxito, and the family of Grupo Éxito joins the family of Grupo Calleja to continue generating value and contributing to the dignity of citizens,” Carlos Calleja stated in the press announcement.
“We have a long-term vision to work as a large distribution platform in Latin America, serving clients in El Salvador, Colombia, Uruguay and Argentina.
“Éxito — the brand that gave life to Grupo Éxito — is celebrating its first 75 years, while [affiliated brand] Carulla is 119 years old, and at the Calleja Group we are already working to ensure that these brands so loved by Colombians remain here and increasingly stronger for another 75 or 119 years,” Calleja added.
In all, the Calleja group now includes the “Super Selectos” chain in El Salvador, the “Éxito” brands in Colombia, the “Grupo Disco” stores in Uruguay and the “Libertad” stores in Argentina.
