On December 12, 2019 the file for the sale of Grupo Empresarial de Supermercados S.A. was presented. (Gessa), owner of the chains of stores of the formats Peri, Súper Compro and Saretto, to Grupo Empresarial de Retail S.A. (Gersa), which is owned by the family of Chinese origin with the surname Yan, owner of the Kimling Yan group.

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After learning of the request, the Commission to Promote Competition (Coprocom) agreed on March 3 to give free rein to the purchase of the chain, however, the amount of the transaction was not disclosed.

See "What are the Characteristics of the Consumer in Central America?"

Victoria Velásquez, acting secretary of Coprocom, told Nacion.com that "... the new law established new individual thresholds for the size of companies seeking to merge. This made the Kinking Yan group go beyond those requirements, even though Gessa is of a size that required it to report the purchase operation. The law states that the two involved in the transaction must be within the thresholds."

Nacion.com reviews that "... The two groups separately reported that the approximately 1,200 employees of the supermarket chain will remain in their positions. From now on, a transition will take place by means of which Gersa will gradually take over Gessa and its sales points."

This was not the first time that an attempt was made to buy this chain of stores, as in January 2019 it was reported that the local authorities had ratified their ruling against Walmart's request to buy the supermarket chain Gessa, arguing that the transaction presented problems of an eventual concentration.

Source: Nacion.com

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