Chilean supermarket

Retailer Cencosud is planning to invest up to US$200m in key Latin American markets during 2009, according to the group's chief executive officer Daniel Rodriguez.

In an interview with La Tercera, Mr Rodriguez said that the Chilean group would invest the money in operations in Colombia as well as domestically.

Existing retail outlets in Chile will undergo improvements, he said, while a new Jumbo supermarket would be launched in Santiago.

In Colombia, the group will launch an Easy home-improvement store, Reuters reported.

Mr Rodriguez added that he was anticipating sales growth of 5 per cent during the year, driven by improving volumes in Brazil and Peru in particular, although the US$500m mall in Santiago will be delayed until the group sees an upturn in the global economic climate.