Grupo Ramos promises to open 118 stores in next five years

[Dolores]

Iván Mejía / El Día

Once the dominant supermarket and megastore chain, the Grupo Ramos of La Sirena and former Pola fame, now operates 82 Multicentros, Multiplazas, Sirena Markets and Aprezio stores nationwide. Just recently, the new executive president of the group, Ivan Mejia announced that the chain will have 200 stores nationwide by 2030. That means that more of the Grupo Ramos’ Multicentro, Multiplaza, Sirena Market and Aprezio branded stores will be opening in smaller towns and nearer to where you live. He said the company will be investing upwards of US$200 million in the expansion.

The company also continues to renovate stores in prime locations, such as the Multicentro Churchill on Av. Winston Churchill in front of Blue Mall.

The chain has been in operation for 60 years. It employs more than 8,000, mostly young people.

The announcement comes at a time...

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[JD Jones]

A logistics challenge, to be sure. And in less than 5 years? I dun tink so.

I doubt they'll reach 18, let alone 118.

 

[Manuel01]

It's more like a threat than a promise LOL.

 

[cavok]

It takes well over a year to build one here so, I don't think so. Plus, there's not 118 population centers big enough to support 118 supermarkets.

 

[M4kintosh]

It takes well over a year to build one here so, I don't think so. Plus, there's not 118 population centers big enough to support 118 supermarkets.

Remember, they operate Aprezio (low income, low cost warehourses) Sirena Market (for small upscale middle class environments) and Sirena (major big store) and if you notice, there's plenty of space in regions like the South and the East.

If you sum that, it might be reaching on the numbers they're saying.

Cities like San Juan will have a Sirena for the first time in history and cities like El Seibo, Salcedo or Hato Mayor (which are satellite cities) don't have stores of this kind.

 

[cavok]

Remember, they operate Aprezio (low income, low cost warehourses) Sirena Market (for small upscale middle class environments) and Sirena (major big store) and if you notice, there's plenty of space in regions like the South and the East.

If you sum that, it might be reaching on the numbers they're saying.

Cities like San Juan will have a Sirena for the first time in history and cities like El Seibo, Salcedo or Hato Mayor (which are satellite cities) don't have stores of this kind.

I don't see anywhere in the DR where there are population centers big enough to support 118 more supermarkets. Try naming even 20. Plus, it took well over a year just to renovate Pola in Sosua into a Sirena Supermarket.

 

[JD Jones]

In their defense, Ivan Mejia is new and grabbing the bull by the horns.

He has to have projects running simultaneously all over the country to have a chance.

He'll surely utilize one of the big construction companies with a proven track record like CODELPA to handle multiple projects.

And where will the funding come from?

 

[josh2203]

A logistics challenge, to be sure.

I don't know if they have trouble keeping the Sirena in POP stocked, but that has been going downhill the recent years. So I wish they'd keep good care of the existing ones first. 4-5 cash registers have been removed, including the fast lanes and now they are very ugly storage spaces. Very often, and I'm comparing the 3 other supermarkets in POP, where this is not the case, very many shelves empty and price stickers just an ugly mess, if there are price stickers.

As said, this has nothing to do with the fact that it's a "Dominican company", as so are Jose Luis and Jumbo, but they do take good care of their markets. Problem has been Sirena for years now.

We go to Sirena mainly as they have a nice cosmetic department, where my wife gets her things and the aisles are much wider (I hate the ones in Jumbo and Jose Luis), but they often have a horrible selection.

 

[josh2203]

And where will the funding come from?

Anyone happen to have insight for the margins/profit structure of these supermarkets? I know the employees are not paid that well (or are they?), I don't know the wholesale prices of things in the DR, but I do know that retail prices are obviously sky high here... So they should be making some money unless it all goes to the suppliers? Maybe I'm wrong...

I used manage a few grocery stores in my early 20s back in my country, so I know more or less where the money there goes, but the main difference would be the salaries paid there and here...

 

[M4kintosh]

I don't know if they have trouble keeping the Sirena in POP stocked, but that has been going downhill the recent years. So I wish they'd keep good care of the existing ones first. 4-5 cash registers have been removed, including the fast lanes and now they are very ugly storage spaces. Very often, and I'm comparing the 3 other supermarkets in POP, where this is not the case, very many shelves empty and price stickers just an ugly mess, if there are price stickers.

As said, this has nothing to do with the fact that it's a "Dominican company", as so are Jose Luis and Jumbo, but they do take good care of their markets. Problem has been Sirena for years now.

We go to Sirena mainly as they have a nice cosmetic department, where my wife gets her things and the aisles are much wider (I hate the ones in Jumbo and Jose Luis), but they often have a horrible selection.

That's a huge problem for Sirena: consistency among all their stores. The ones in Santiago are great, but not so in POP. But when you go to the new revamped Sirena Market in Sosua (old Super Pola) it's the type of experience you get in high density urban areas of DR.

 

[M4kintosh]

Anyone happen to have insight for the margins/profit structure of these supermarkets? I know the employees are not paid that well (or are they?), I don't know the wholesale prices of things in the DR, but I do know that retail prices are obviously sky high here... So they should be making some money unless it all goes to the suppliers? Maybe I'm wrong...

I used manage a few grocery stores in my early 20s back in my country, so I know more or less where the money there goes, but the main difference would be the salaries paid there and here...

No public insight on this. Those numbers are managed privately between them. Retail business hasn't been transparent like in US or the rest of LATAM to publicly share that kind of information. No even at the Associations or Chamber of Commerces nationwide.

 

[josh2203]

That's a huge problem for Sirena: consistency among all their stores. The ones in Santiago are great, but not so in POP. But when you go to the new revamped Sirena Market in Sosua (old Super Pola) it's the type of experience you get in high density urban areas of DR.

That would mean that they have a huge problem in central management, either they have placed an incompetent management team in the POP store or the central management is clueless what's going on.

 

[M4kintosh]

I don't see anywhere in the DR where there are population centers big enough to support 118 more supermarkets. Try naming even 20. Plus, it took well over a year just to renovate Pola in Sosua into a Sirena Supermarket.

Nobody predicted having a massive increase population in the South region 5 years ago. Yet that's where majority of brands are moving:

- Bravo in Bani, San Cristobal
- Sirena in Barahona, San Juan, Azua

In those cities, no big box store was available and yet to have to drive to Santo Domingo or Haina to buy groceries in bulk. Only small players in each city.

And let's talk about Salcedo, Hato Mayor, Mao or Montecristi, where no big box stores of the ones I mention are available. Yet the population there wants them.

 

[cavok]

In their defense, Ivan Mejia is new and grabbing the bull by the horns.

I think it's more like blowing bull from a horn.

 

[cavok]

Nobody predicted having a massive increase population in the South region 5 years ago. Yet that's where majority of brands are moving:

- Bravo in Bani, San Cristobal
- Sirena in Barahona, San Juan, Azua

In those cities, no big box store was available and yet to have to drive to Santo Domingo or Haina to buy groceries in bulk. Only small players in each city.

And let's talk about Salcedo, Hato Mayor, Mao or Montecristi, where no big box stores of the ones I mention are available. Yet the population there wants them.

In all these years they've only built 80 but in 5 years they're going to build 118 more? The thing is, they're not the only game in town and other big players have expansion plans, too. Small players, also. For example, they got beat to the punch in Sabaneta by Marinero and Janet's just finished another supermarket in Cabarete.

 

[cavok]

That's a huge problem for Sirena: consistency among all their stores. The ones in Santiago are great, but not so in POP. But when you go to the new revamped Sirena Market in Sosua (old Super Pola) it's the type of experience you get in high density urban areas of DR.

Not sure if that is meant as good or bad, but I'm not impressed with the new Sirena Market.

 

[CristoRey]

118?
Wishful thinking.
Who's gonna build them?
Not the Haitians being deported in mass and Dominicans work very slow.
El Canto carries many of the same items at 25 to 30% less. I only shop at La Sirena if when I have to, which is rare.

 

[M4kintosh]

Not sure if that is meant as good or bad, but I'm not impressed with the new Sirena Market.

Compared to the old Pola, it's an improvement. Similar experience from the ones Sirena Market in Santo Domingo. IMO.

 

[JD Jones]

I don't know if they have trouble keeping the Sirena in POP stocked, but that has been going downhill the recent years. So I wish they'd keep good care of the existing ones first. 4-5 cash registers have been removed, including the fast lanes and now they are very ugly storage spaces. Very often, and I'm comparing the 3 other supermarkets in POP, where this is not the case, very many shelves empty and price stickers just an ugly mess, if there are price stickers.

As said, this has nothing to do with the fact that it's a "Dominican company", as so are Jose Luis and Jumbo, but they do take good care of their markets. Problem has been Sirena for years now.

We go to Sirena mainly as they have a nice cosmetic department, where my wife gets her things and the aisles are much wider (I hate the ones in Jumbo and Jose Luis), but they often have a horrible selection.

Same happens with Sirena here in SD and in SC.

I'm sure it's computerized, but their restocking seems like they use EXCEL spreadsheets. Or they're waiting for specials. Who knows?

Jumbo and Nacional are no different. It's maddening for something to run out and you don't see it on the shelves again for months.