| Monoprix | |
| Founded: | , in Rouen, France |
| Founder: | Max Heilbronn |
| Type: | Subsidiary |
| Industry: | Retail |
| Hq Location City: | Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine |
| Hq Location Country: | France |
| Num Locations: | 736 (2024) |
| Area Served: | France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Qatar, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates |
| Key People: | Jean-Charles Naouri (CEO) |
| Parent: | Groupe Casino |
Monoprix S.A. (pronounced as /fr/) is a major French retail chain with its headquarters in Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France, near Paris.[1] The company's stores combine food retailing with fashion, beauty and home products.
The company was founded in 1932 in Rouen by Max Heilbronn, a son-in-law of Theophile Bader, the founder of Galeries Lafayette.[2]
In 1991, Monoprix acquired the Uniprix brand after Galeries Lafayette took over Nouvelles Galeries, the parent of Uniprix.
In 1997, the chain merged with French retailer Prisunic, in a deal that saw Casino Group acquire a 21% stake in the merged company.[3]
In 2000, Galeries Lafayette, entered into an agreement to sell a 50% interest in Monoprix. Casino Group provided Galeries Lafayette with a put option to sell the remaining 50%. In 2012, after legal wrangling over the value of the put option, the shareholders of both firms agreed on a sale price of $1.6 billion (€1.2 billion).[4] The French: [[Autorité de la concurrence]], France's competition regulatory body, approved the transaction in 2013, with the condition that the merged group sell 58 stores. This allowed the deal to close, making Monoprix a wholly-owned subsidiary of Casino Group.[5]
In 2023, Monoprix's parent Casino announced that they have completed a deal to avoid bankruptcy. This restructuring procedure would allow for the company to cut high debt and improve recent losses to other rival supermarket corporations.[6] In 2024, Casino USA filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy.[7]
Monoprix currently has more than 700 shops in total: most under the Monoprix brand, but also smaller Monop', Monop' Daily, Monop' Station, Monop' Beauty, and Naturalia formats.[8] It has a presence in over 250 towns and cities in France and employs around 21,000 people.
In 1933 Monoprix opened in Tunisia (Monoprix Tunisia).[9] In the country there are 85 stores operated under a management contract.[10]
Stores in Morocco had previously operated in the 20th Century.
Monoprix acquired Prisunic's stores in Mauritius in 1975. However in 2019 Monoprix exited the country.[11] Monoprix will return to Mauritius in early 2025.[12]
Monoprix entered Lebanon in 1999 however at the end of 2019 the stores in Lebanon closed, in early 2024 it was announced that Monoprix would return to Lebanon in the same year.[13] However it is currently uncertain if the store will open due to the 2024 Israeli invasion of Lebanon.
Stores were opened in Andorra in 2009.[14] They have since closed.
In 2013 Monoprix opened a store in Doha, Qatar. A store was also opened in Libya, however it later closed.
Monoprix opened in Luxembourg in 2014.[15]
Intentions to expand to Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Scandinavia and Spain were announced in late 2020.[16]
They expanded to the UAE in 2022 with the opening of a store in Abu Dhabi.[17]
In Spring 2024 Monoprix opened its first Belgian store.[18]
In 1966, in the song "Les Élucubrations d'Antoine", the singer Antoine sings the lyrics "Put the pill on sale in the Monoprix."[19]
In 1979, Alain Bashung performed "Y'a un yeti", whose lyrics, written by Boris Bergman, included: "Y'a un yeti dans l'Monoprix".[20]
In the Sparks song "You Were Meant For Me" from 2023, the narrator becomes attracted to a fellow shopper: "At the Monoprix, you stood out so to me".[21]
In Michel Houellebecq's book "The Elementary Particles", the line "He ate a Monoprix TV dinner--monkfish in parsley sauce" appears.[22]