Outmuscling Wal-Mart

摘要

It's a wednesday morning in a ritzy neighborhood in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and at the Pao de Acucar supermar-ket trim housewives in trendy workout gear pore over a rich selection of imported Camembert and Gorgonzola cheeses. Twenty minutes away, in a grittier part of town, working-class shoppers at CompreBem Barateiro grab specials like an 11-pound bag of rice for $3.40 and two frozen fish for 68 cents. Though the two chains cater to opposite ends of Brazil's economy, both are operated by the country's largest retailer, Companhia Brasileira de Distribuicao (CBD). Controlled by Brazil's billionaire Diniz family, CBD has weathered many a storm since its founding in 1948, from the perpetually turbulent Brazilian economy to divisive internal squabbling. Today CBD faces an even bigger challenge: Wal-Mart, which in March suddenly expanded its presence/in Brazil fivefold with the $300 million acquisition of 118 stores in the Northeast region.