CHILE | Walmart Chile President and CEO Cristián Barrientos, alongside Walmart International President and CEO Kath McLay, announced a five-year investment plan.
The USD 1.3 billion investment in Walmart Chile included opening 70 new stores across all formats and creating 4,000 new jobs, representing Walmart’s continued commitment to helping Chileans save money and live better.
“This is not just an investment in infrastructure and technology; it is an investment in people, in communities,” said Barrientos.
“We are building a better future for everyone, future generations and our children. We trust in Chile. We trust in its people. We continue exploring together.”
An announcement ceremony was held in Punta Arenas, the location of the southernmost Walmart store in the world.
“This announcement allows us to further enhance our value proposition to customers through low prices on basic products, as well as products and solutions that improve their quality of life,” said McLay.
Due to the complexity of the climate, accessing the southern tip of Chile was challenging. The Walmart store in Punta Arenas, known as Lider, is more than 2,000 miles from the central distribution centre. Weather can be extreme, resulting in road closures and challenging border crossings.
Walmart has created supply chain routes by land, air and sea, or a combination of routes, to reach Punta Arenas’ Lider store and has utilised a reserve storage system called “El Oso” (the bear) to ensure customers can still get the essentials they need.
The Punta Arenas team also created an ecommerce strategy to deliver products via ferry to the 25 residents of Puerto Toro, the southernmost permanently inhabited community on earth.
“Stories like these are what drive us. For this reason, the impact of Walmart Chile is not only in Punta Arenas; our value proposition aims to reach every corner of Chile, from Putre in the far north to Biobío in the central south. And to so many other places whose inhabitants motivate us to continue seeking new ways to approach, listen to and serve them to become their best ally and neighbour,” said Barrientos.
Walmart’s continued investment in Chile will expand into new regions, such as Vallenar, Los Vilos, Pozo Almonte, and more. A ninth distribution centre will be built in southern Chile, promoting omnichannel growth and access nationwide.
This investment also included concrete measures to mitigate climate change and contribute to the restoration and regeneration of nature, supporting Walmart's global commitment to being a regenerative company by 2040.
Solar panels will be incorporated into over 50 stores, meaning more than 80 percent of Walmart Chile’s energy will be renewable. By 2025, 25 new recycling points will be added across the country.
