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Unicomer Group ( es, Grupo Unicomer), is a multinational retailing and consumer finance group headquartered in
The Unicomer Group was founded in 2000.
In 2014, Unicomer Group obtained international credit ratings from Fitch Ratings and from Standard and Poors for its consolidated holding company, which at that time was named Regal Forest Holding Co. Ltd.
15 April 2015, Unicomer Group acquired the exclusive rights to the RadioShack brands, intellectual property and contracts of existing
In 2000, the Unicomer Group was formed when it acquired the dutch multinational CETECO's retail operations in Central America, including the chains La Curaçao and Almacenes Tropigas.
Operations were strengthened by the acquisition in countries like Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and later in the Dominican Republic. In 2004, the Unicomer Group opened two stores under the name of UNICOMER in Houston, Texas, in the United States.
In October 2005, La Curaçao expands its services introducing Opticas La Curaçao in Guatemala, selling ophthalmological products. Opticas La Curaçao supplies lenses and frames for eye- and sunglasses, as well as ocular medical consultations using advanced diagnostic equipment.
In February 2006, Opticas La Curaçao is introduced in El Salvador and later in Nicaragua in October of the same year, and later Honduras.
La Curaçao opened its e-commerce website in 2003, "www.lacuracaoonline.com".
La Curaçao also opened a concept store named La Curaçao Cash, providing preferential customers cash loans to be repaid in instalments. This concept begins in Guatemala in 2013 and is now present in Honduras totalling 15 cash stores. Later on, the cash loans concept was added in the normal La Curacao stores. They also provides instant credit, delivery, warranties, and maintenance service for products.
As of 2017, La Curaçao branched out to more than 200 stores.
Gollo was founded in 1974 in Costa Rica with four employees, operates in retailing technology, furniture and home appliances in the Costa Rican market.
In 2000, Gollo introduced its mascot with the same name.
In 2005, the slogan "Solo Bueno" was introduced.
In 2012, Gollo was acquired by Unicomer Group.
In February 2014, Gollo launches its e-commerce site, "www.gollo.com".
In 2014 also, Gollo Optical is launched providing lenses and frames for eye and sunglasses, ocular medical consultations with technology just as its sister stores, La Curaçao and Courts.
Today the store chain comprises more than 120 stores with more than 700,000 square feet area and 1,600 employees.
Following this, the company changed its name to Artefacta.
In 2002, Artefacta decided to extend its product line to motorcycles and cellular phones, making it one of the first chains that opened a different sales channel for these products.
In 2004, Artefacta began selling desktops and laptops, which has been one of the fastest growing lines of the company.
In 2008, Artefacta changed its advertising concept strategy, adopting the image "Family of appliances", incorporated into all the advertising of the company.
In 2009, Artefacta was the first store in Ecuador to venture into mass insurance market, providing insurance packages for life, accident and unemployment.
At the end of 2011, Unicomer Group acquired Artefacta with its 98 stores.
Almacenes Tropigas, backed up by La Curaçao, carried out strategies allowing them to cover a larger share of the market, positioning itself as second in the electric appliance market.
In 2000, Unicomer Group bought the CETECO group. At that time, Almacenes Tropigas had reached a significant portion in the Central American region.
Early 2001, Almacenes Tropigas implemented the door-to-door sales system, starting in El Salvador and rolling out to the rest of the Central American countries in October of the same year.
In 2007, Almacenes Tropigas started operations in Belize.
In 2015, it reaches a total of 130 stores distributed through El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Belize. Like its sister chain La Curaçao, TropiCash was launched, providing cash loans with installments.
In January 1998, Unicomer Group's shareholders initially acquired a
San Salvador, El Salvador
San Salvador (; ) is the capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its eponymous department. It is the country's political, cultural, educational and financial center. The Metropolitan Area of San Salvador, which comprises the capital ...
with regional offices in Miami, Trinidad, Jamaica, Costa Rica. It operates several chains of retail brands in the consumer durables
In economics, a durable good or a hard good or consumer durable is a good that does not quickly wear out or, more specifically, one that yields utility over time rather than being completely consumed in one use. Items like bricks could be consid ...
sector, specializing in furniture
Furniture refers to movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (e.g., stools, chairs, and sofas), eating (tables), storing items, eating and/or working with an item, and sleeping (e.g., beds and hammocks). Fu ...
, audio & video, appliances, and electronics in Central America
Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...
, the Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
, South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
and United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.History
The Unicomer Group was founded in 2000.
In 2014, Unicomer Group obtained international credit ratings from Fitch Ratings and from Standard and Poors for its consolidated holding company, which at that time was named Regal Forest Holding Co. Ltd.
15 April 2015, Unicomer Group acquired the exclusive rights to the RadioShack brands, intellectual property and contracts of existing RadioShack
RadioShack, formerly RadioShack Corporation, is an American retailer founded in 1921.
At its peak in 1999, RadioShack operated over 8,000 worldwide stores named RadioShack or Tandy Electronics in the United States, Mexico, United Kingdom, Austra ...
franchisees throughout Central America
Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...
, South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
and the Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
.
In February 2017, the Group's holding company changed its name to Grupo Unicomer Holding Co. Ltd.
In March 2017, Unicomer Group issued a 144A/RegS international bond in an amount of US$350 Million for a term of 7 years that was listed on the SGX Singapore Exchange.
Later 2017, Latin Finance Magazine awarded Unicomer Group with the Best Capital Markets Strategy Award for the Central America and Caribbean region.
In 2018, Boston Consulting Group included Unicomer Group in its list of the Top 100 Multilatinas companies.
In February 2020, Fitch ratings issued a Spotlight report on Unicomer Group as the most geographically diversified retailer in Latin America and the Caribbean, and the retailer that best adapts to changing environments.
In December 2021, Unicomer Group's international credit ratings were BB-.
In May 2022, Unicomer Group signed an agreement to purchase CrediScotia Financiera, a peruvian financial services company owned by Bank of Nova Scotia of Canada. This acquisition is pending regulatory approvals.
Since 2000, Unicomer Group has grown from operating 4 store chains in Central America, to operating more than 30 brands with over 1,000 stores in 26 countries in Central America, South America, the Caribbean islands and USA, employing over 13,000 associates.
Unicomer Group owns brands such as La Curaçao and Almacenes Tropigas (Central America). Gollo in Costa Rica, Artefacta in Ecuador, and Electro Facil in Paraguay. In the Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
region, Unicomer Group operates mainly through its retail brand Courts. Other brands in the region are Lucky Dollar, OMNI, AMC Unicon, among others. In New York, USA, the group operates Courts Caribbean stores.
Unicomer Group publishes annually its Corporate Responsibiity and Sustainability Report (ESG).
Brands operated by Unicomer Group
About La Curacao
The Central American retail chain La Curaçao was established in 1890 under the name Curaçao Trading Company which dedicated to maritime ports exploitation. By 1911, it was acquired by the Dutch Curaçao Trading Company (CETECO) renovating into selling household and agricultural products. In 1945, it consolidated into the household appliance store as of today.
In 2000, the Unicomer Group was formed when it acquired the dutch multinational CETECO's retail operations in Central America, including the chains La Curaçao and Almacenes Tropigas.
Operations were strengthened by the acquisition in countries like Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and later in the Dominican Republic. In 2004, the Unicomer Group opened two stores under the name of UNICOMER in Houston, Texas, in the United States.
In October 2005, La Curaçao expands its services introducing Opticas La Curaçao in Guatemala, selling ophthalmological products. Opticas La Curaçao supplies lenses and frames for eye- and sunglasses, as well as ocular medical consultations using advanced diagnostic equipment.
In February 2006, Opticas La Curaçao is introduced in El Salvador and later in Nicaragua in October of the same year, and later Honduras.
La Curaçao opened its e-commerce website in 2003, "www.lacuracaoonline.com".
La Curaçao also opened a concept store named La Curaçao Cash, providing preferential customers cash loans to be repaid in instalments. This concept begins in Guatemala in 2013 and is now present in Honduras totalling 15 cash stores. Later on, the cash loans concept was added in the normal La Curacao stores. They also provides instant credit, delivery, warranties, and maintenance service for products.
As of 2017, La Curaçao branched out to more than 200 stores.
About Courts
Courts
A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance ...
was founded in 1850 with one store in England.
The company was established in the Caribbean region since 1959, and is the Caribbean's largest furniture, appliance and electrical retailer. The company has stores across the Caribbean islands: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, and also on the South American continent in Guyana. Courts also has a retail presence in other former British territories in Asia and Africa.
In December 2006, Unicomer Group acquired the Courts operations in the Caribbean. In the process, Unicomer Group realized the first-ever LBO in the Caribbean region by acquiring the publicly traded shares of Courts in Jamaica and Barbados, and by acquiring the remaining operations directly from the holding company, Courts plc, in the UK.
In 2008, Unicomer Group opened its first Courts Caribbean store in New York, USA, in Brooklyn, NY
Brooklyn () is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Kings County is the most populous Administrative divisions of New York (state)#County, county i ...
.
In 2011 Unicomer Group expanded its USA services by opening a store in Queens, catering principally to the Caribbean immigrant communities in the area.
In 2012, just as its sister store La Curaçao, synergy between regions led Courts to open its optical branch, Courts Optical.
In 2014, Courts opens its e-commerce website, "www.shopcourts.com", providing products in the Caribbean and those living outside of the Caribbean wishing to send products back home.
About Gollo
Gollo was founded in 1974 in Costa Rica with four employees, operates in retailing technology, furniture and home appliances in the Costa Rican market.
In 2000, Gollo introduced its mascot with the same name.
In 2005, the slogan "Solo Bueno" was introduced.
In 2012, Gollo was acquired by Unicomer Group.
In February 2014, Gollo launches its e-commerce site, "www.gollo.com".
In 2014 also, Gollo Optical is launched providing lenses and frames for eye and sunglasses, ocular medical consultations with technology just as its sister stores, La Curaçao and Courts.
Today the store chain comprises more than 120 stores with more than 700,000 square feet area and 1,600 employees.
About Artefacta
Founded in 1989 with Peruvian investments, Artefacta began as an electrical goods assembly plant under de name ETELSA. A few years in, the company took a more commercial operation opening two stores in Ecuador: one inQuito
Quito (; qu, Kitu), formally San Francisco de Quito, is the capital and largest city of Ecuador, with an estimated population of 2.8 million in its urban area. It is also the capital of the province of Pichincha. Quito is located in a valley o ...
and one in Guayaquil
, motto = Por Guayaquil Independiente en, For Independent Guayaquil
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Ecuador#South America
, pushpin_re ...
.
Following this, the company changed its name to Artefacta.
In 2002, Artefacta decided to extend its product line to motorcycles and cellular phones, making it one of the first chains that opened a different sales channel for these products.
In 2004, Artefacta began selling desktops and laptops, which has been one of the fastest growing lines of the company.
In 2008, Artefacta changed its advertising concept strategy, adopting the image "Family of appliances", incorporated into all the advertising of the company.
In 2009, Artefacta was the first store in Ecuador to venture into mass insurance market, providing insurance packages for life, accident and unemployment.
At the end of 2011, Unicomer Group acquired Artefacta with its 98 stores.
About Almacenes Tropigas
Tropigas began a liquified gas company in 1955. It soon attended the demand for small appliances and home goods and began commercializing these. In 1988, the gas section of the company was acquired byShell International
Shell plc is a British multinational oil and gas company headquartered in London, England. Shell is a public limited company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and secondary listings on Euronext Amsterdam and the New Yo ...
and by 1992, the Dutch business group CETECO acquired the household appliance section, separating the retail business into Almacenes Tropigas.
Almacenes Tropigas, backed up by La Curaçao, carried out strategies allowing them to cover a larger share of the market, positioning itself as second in the electric appliance market.
In 2000, Unicomer Group bought the CETECO group. At that time, Almacenes Tropigas had reached a significant portion in the Central American region.
Early 2001, Almacenes Tropigas implemented the door-to-door sales system, starting in El Salvador and rolling out to the rest of the Central American countries in October of the same year.
In 2007, Almacenes Tropigas started operations in Belize.
In 2015, it reaches a total of 130 stores distributed through El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Belize. Like its sister chain La Curaçao, TropiCash was launched, providing cash loans with installments.
About RadioShack franchise
In January 1998, Unicomer Group's shareholders initially acquired a RadioShack
RadioShack, formerly RadioShack Corporation, is an American retailer founded in 1921.
At its peak in 1999, RadioShack operated over 8,000 worldwide stores named RadioShack or Tandy Electronics in the United States, Mexico, United Kingdom, Austra ...
franchise in El Salvador.
In 2002, the brand's expansion outside the Salvadoran territory began in Honduras.
In 2003, operations began in Guatemala.
In May 2005, operations began in Nicaragua.
By January 2015, Unicomer Group owned 57 RadioShack stores distributed throughout the Central American region, making it one of the largest independent owners of RadioShack stores in the world.
Since 2000, Unicomer Group has become a franchise operator for RadioShack. The brand gained position in the region and has created thousands of jobs for Central American families that rely on its brand and deferred payment facilities.
Unicomer Group received awards Diamond Excellence Award, Platinum Plus Award, Best RadioShack Store Growth Award, and Best Advertising Program.
On 15 April 2015, Unicomer Group acquired the exclusively rights from the US Bankruptcy court for the RadioShack brands, intellectual property and contracts of existing RadioShack franchise throughout Central America, South America and the Caribbean. In the new territories, RadioShack is present through 198 franchise stores, with Unicomer Group as franchisor. This has allowed Unicomer Group to have an indirect retail presence in countries where it was not yet present, such as Peru, Bolivia, and Haiti.
References
{{reflist Companies of El Salvador Retail companies established in 2000 Salvadoran brands San Salvador