Milei's stabilization attracts a wave of investments from Latin American companies

The improvement of economic conditions driven by the Government of Javier Milei in Argentina has begun to change the landscape of foreign investments, with companies from Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Uruguay, and other countries in the region moving forward with acquisitions, commercial openings, and expansion projects.

This phenomenon occurs after an initial phase led by Argentine entrepreneurs, who were the first to return to buying assets and betting on the country, and now features the so-called multilatinas, which have begun to take a central role in sectors such as food, supermarkets, clothing, pharmacies, construction, infrastructure, and mass consumption.

One of the most significant moves was made by the Peruvian group Gloria, which invested around USD 630 million to acquire the Argentine business of the Canadian company Saputo, including the brands La Paulina, Molfino, and Ricrem.

The Chilean company Cencosud, for its part, purchased the local operation of the wholesale chain Makro, while the Mexican group Industrias y Marcas reached an agreement to acquire San Ignacio, one of Argentina's main exporters of dulce de leche, after having acquired the dairy companies Aurora and Karina.

There were also operations from less common markets in our country. The Venezuelan company Farmatodo acquired the pharmacy chain Vassallo, and the Guatemalan holding Grupo Mariposa bought the Argentine subsidiary of the cleaning products manufacturer Clorox.

The Uruguayan clothing chain Indian landed on Florida Street and in the Unicenter shopping mall, while the Brazilian Pratique Fitness confirmed the opening of five gyms in Buenos Aires.

Casa do Construtor, specialized in renting tools and machinery for construction, has also begun to expand in the local market. The company highlighted the progress made in terms of inflation, prospects for financial stability, and the potential recovery of construction as central factors for investment.

Experts explain that Latin American companies have an advantage over large international funds because they are accustomed to operating in economies affected by inflation, currency volatility, and regulatory changes.

Moreover, many Argentine assets still maintain valuations lower than comparable companies in Brazil, Chile, or Mexico. This difference allows entry into the market before the consolidation of economic stability reduces available opportunities and raises prices.

Regional companies have also begun to show interest in the privatizations promoted by the national administration. Grupo México Transportes publicly expressed its intention to compete for the Belgrano Cargas, while the Brazilian company Sabesp was selected as the operator by a consortium interested in participating in the privatization process of AySA.