It was on December 24 that the case was recorded. : the large Intermarché of Chaumont has a new pilot. It arrived in the supermarket this Monday, December 30. He is a well-known member of the Mousquetaires group, renowned for having “reassembled” the Intermarché in the Vert-Bois district, in Saint-Dizier.
“I signed on December 24 what looks like a sales agreement.” If Alexandre de Moura “has the means to buy” the large Intermarché building on Avenue de la République, the prize of the Musketeers group in Casino, he is not yet the owner. On purpose. He preferred to prepare for it. “I have a business plan, which is complicated, but viable.” Now, he is asking banks to finance the acquisition of the building and the work to be carried out there, which in his eyes are inseparable. Following the advancement schedule he envisions, Alexandre de Moura should become general manager on 1is March, and “truly owner” at the end of the 1is semester 2025.
Refocusing operation
Alexandre de Moura has projects to re-boost a supermarket “Géant Casino”, which, since its passage under the flag of the Mousquetaires group, has struggled to find its rhythm, “without the staff being involved, at all “. The new pilot intends to refocus the supermarket on food products, and bring back the one dedicated to sales to 2,900m2. The allocation of the released share to two brands is already well advanced, if not formalized. On the other hand, for the moment, the restart of a cafeteria, at least a catering area instead, is not on the program. It is because the times are no longer, to tell the truth, for “cafètes” – if Chaumontais repeat over and over again that they regret the one they knew, they could well show nostalgia… and their emotion the evocation of the good memories of yesterday would say nothing at all about their current dispositions. At this stage, Alexandre de Moura “imagines the rental of 2e floor “.
Current insufficient turnover
“We're not going to lie, today, we have a four-point gap between the basic rules and the reality of Chaumont.” Translation: the large Intermarché is performing significantly below what could be hoped for. Now, the new pilot has “two readings”: turnover and personnel costs. The challenge is clear; “if I develop turnover, I keep the staff”, who are currently overstaffed. If Alexandre de Moura “goes there”, it is because he is determined to boost revenues. Depending on the achievement of this objective, he may have to make “adjustments”. However, he believes he can expect “natural departures, like when the store changed brands”. Above all, he has in mind that “twelve retirements within four years” are planned. “When I took over the Vert-Bois store, two employees left… but ten were going to come back! “.
Already, a director has officially been in office at the Intermarché du Vert-Bois since December 28. “And I have a director for the Chaumont one.” Initially, Alexandre de Moura will devote “two thirds” of his time to the Chaumont supermarket.
“There’s room for two”
“There’s room for two.” Alexandre de Moura went to meet the members who are at the head of the “small” Intermarché. Yes, their store “works with the fire of God”, he confirms, praising the fact that “they work”, and describing them as “very good members”. Yes also, the Competition Authority had given the green light to the opening of a “large” Intermarché less than a kilometer from the “small” one. This is because the institution reasons “by zones, and not by proximity”, knowing together that “there is less competition in Chaumont”.
“I did everything to ensure that it was Alexandre de Moura,” comments the regional director of the food branch of the Mousquetaires group Caroline Nickler.
Fabienne Ausserre
