In barely a year, Kazyon has established itself as the hard-discount leader in Morocco, with nearly 120 stores opening at a surprising speed. At the heart of this success: a seasoned CEO, with more than two decades of experience, who knows the market perfectly. According to Mohamed Benmezouara, the strength of the group also lies in the potential of Moroccan human resources. In this interview, he reveals the brand’s recipe for success and the group’s future ambitions. Details.
Challenge: You opened 116 stores in record time. What was the secret to this rapid growth?
Mohamed Benmezouara : There are no big secrets to Kazyon’s rapid expansion. Above all, I have the chance to work with a local, dynamic and motivated team, the majority of whom have extensive experience in the development of local stores. We have implemented a rigorous and well-optimized operational model, which allows us to reduce lead times and ensure consistent quality at each point of sale.
Our centralized supply chain has been optimized to support this rapid expansion. By working closely with our suppliers and streamlining our logistics processes, we ensure available, quality products in every store, even during periods of strong growth.
By combining these elements, KAZYON was able to deploy its stores quickly and efficiently, while maintaining our level of operational excellence.
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Challenge: In this sense, what is Kazyon’s vision for the Moroccan market?
M.B. : Kazyon’s vision for the Moroccan market is to become a major player in the discount distribution sector. Our goal is to make essential products accessible to everyone, maintaining attractive prices without compromising quality. We are also committed to supporting local suppliers and creating employment opportunities in the regions where we operate. You should know that the investment planned for the first 4 years is 144 million dollars.
Challenge: What sets Kazyon apart from other hard-discount brands on the Moroccan market?
M.B. : We have our way of operating to better serve our customers. Our rapid growth demonstrates our commitment to making our products accessible to as many people as possible.
Our project remains 100% bearer of the Moroccan identity, intended for all Moroccans, through 100% Moroccan young skills and with local partners and suppliers.
We have a larger permanent assortment, we will soon start producing and marketing our own brands and have started our loyalty program to reward our customers.
Kazyon stands out for its rapid expansion, a strong commitment to the local economy, a competitive pricing strategy and a capacity for constant innovation, making us a unique player in the Moroccan hard-discount market.
Challenge: What, in your opinion, are the main challenges facing the hard-discount sector in Morocco?
M.B. : I was lucky to launch a similar project in 2008, and can tell you that the difference compared to 2024 is enormous on a set of aspects:
The industry, mainly agri-food, has developed incredibly and the number of suppliers by category is multiple.
The infrastructure is constantly improving across the country, the logistics sector is booming and offers increased opportunities.
The law governing rental has facilitated, reassured and accelerated commercial leases
Population growth, following the latest census, encourages investment in urban and semi-urban areas which offer increased population density and commercial potential.
The development of the middle class remains the dynamo of all commercial activity in the long term, ensuring a continuous supply of purchasing power. This is a virtuous circle enriching the country’s industrial capabilities, and favoring the emergence of more middle class.
With rising raw material costs and economic fluctuations, keeping prices low becomes a constant challenge. In hard-discounting, where margins are already reduced, managing this inflation while remaining competitive is a constant priority. By reducing our structural costs and adopting an approach to avoid all unnecessary charges, we manage to generate respectable income by being the most interesting destination on the market for our customers.
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Challenge: How do you see the evolution of the distribution sector in general and hard-discounting more specifically in Morocco in the coming years?
M.B. : The distribution sector in Morocco is evolving towards greater digitalization, an expansion of new local stores and modernization of old ones, increased competition and adaptation to local preferences, while integrating sustainable practices. These trends are expected to strengthen in the years to come, offering Moroccan consumers diversified purchasing options adapted to their needs.
Challenge: What are your medium and long term expansion plans for Kazyon? And how many stores do you plan to open in 2025?
M.B. : In the long term, we plan to strengthen our presence in all regions of Morocco, with a focus on urban and high-density areas, in order to make our products accessible to as many people as possible. We also plan to introduce technological innovations to improve customer experience and optimize our operations.
At the same time, we will continue to support local suppliers and create employment opportunities, thus contributing positively to the Moroccan economy. Our commitment is to provide quality products at competitive prices, while meeting the specific needs of Moroccan consumers.
A discount training academy will be created and I will be very proud to see the Moroccan teams actively participate in the international development of Kazyon. Moreover, for the second year of our presence on the Moroccan market, we plan to open, inshaallah, 150 new stores.
His journey
Mohamed Benmezouara is an accomplished business leader with over two decades of international experience in the retail and manufacturing sector. As CEO of Kazyon Maroc since March 2023, he successfully leads the brand’s operations in a competitive market, applying expertise that combines strategic vision, brand development and cost optimization for continued growth.
Before launching the BİM project in Morocco as Country General Manager, Mohamed acquired solid international experience between France and Turkey, where he held various management positions, including Country Production Manager for Decathlon in Turkey. His career is punctuated by transformation initiatives and successful growth programs, reinforced by Executive training at Harvard Business School and an Industrial Engineering degree from the Ecole des Mines de Rabat.
With a unique blend of financial and commercial skills, Mohamed Benmezouara is recognized for his ability to generate strong profitability and lead teams towards ambitious results in complex environments.
His News
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) plans to grant a $30 million loan to Kazyon to support its expansion in Morocco. This financing aims to support the growth strategy of the hard-discounter, which established its presence in the country in 2023 and plans to open 150 new points of sale by 2025.
