Guararapes is the largest fashion group in Brazil and the parent company of the Lojas Riachuelo retail chain, with 315 stores nationwide.

An analysis of the retail textile market in the developed countries shows that large companies account for around 30% to 40% of the total, whereas in Brazil the biggest firms jointly represent only around 10% of the total. The substantial competitive edge of the smaller companies lies in the unregistered nature of their operations.

Nevertheless, the market of the leading chains has grown due to scale gains, investment in product quality, their positioning as sellers of fashion and more rapid inventory turnover, all of which allows these companies to adapt quickly to seasonal trends. Riachuelo has not only adopted the fast-fashion concept but has also developed partnerships with renowned national designers and fashion celebrities, including Cris Barros, Oskar Metsavaht (Osklen), Pedro Lourenço, Thais Gusmão, André Lima, Huis Clos, Juliana Jabour, Maria Garcia, Martha Medeiros, Matheus Massafera, Lethicia Bronstein, Camila Coutinho, Helô Rocha, Cláudia Leitte, Dudu Bertholini, Thássia Naves, Raphael Falci, Adriana Degreas, Robert Forrest, Fernanda Motta, Gabriela Pugliesi, Isolda and Lala Rudge, as well as exclusive collections with luxury brands, such as Daslu, Versace and Karl Lagerfeld.

In the last few years, Guararapes has invested strongly in its operations through the modernization of its industrial facilities and distribution centers in Natal and São Paulo, and the implementation of information technology for the operational and financial management of its businesses.

Integration between manufacturing (Guararapes), retail (Riachuelo) and financing (Midway), a successfully proven model worldwide, is the Group’s great advantage, since it allows the Company to respond rapidly to market changes.

Sustainability and responsibility are other pillars of the Company’s business model. With an integrated management which generates around 40,000 legally registered jobs, the Company pursues efficiency and competitiveness gains, prioritizing product development and manufacturing through eco-friendly processes and raw materials.