Turkish discounter BIM now has 1,000 supermarkets in Morocco - Trendtype Africa and Middle East
BIM now has a network of 1,000 supermarkets in Morocco, having opened 77 outlets since March 2026. On its current trajectory, it could well surpass 1,100 stores by the end of 2026. BIM entered Morocco in 2009. . . .
BIM now has a network of 1,000 supermarkets in Morocco, having opened 77 outlets since March 2026. On its current trajectory, it could well surpass 1,100 stores by the end of 2026. BIM entered Morocco in 2009. Along with Egypt, its two only markets in Africa. Over the next decade, BIM rapidly expanded to become the third-largest supermarket chain and the definitive leader in discount grocery retailing in Morocco. By the end of 2019, it had around 500 stores across Morocco. However, in early 2020, BIM faced a severe existential threat when the Moroccan government threatened to shut it down. Trade Minister Moulay Hafid Elalamy claimed that “wherever they open, 60 Moroccan shops get closed”. At the time, Morocco had a $2 billion trade deficit with Turkey, and the two countries were at odds over conflicts in Libya. BIM was the most visible symbol of Turkish trade dominance in the country. To appease the government and avoid closure, BIM heavily shifted its supply chain, claiming that 85% of its products were sourced locally. A combination of changing tactics and new fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) factories in Morocco allowed BIM to genuinely localize its product range over time. In late 2020, BIM sold a 35% stake in its Moroccan operations to Helios Investment Partners (HIP). While growth had stalled for BIM in Egypt as it struggled with profitability, the Moroccan branch of BIM thrived. Moroccan consumers were far more receptive to BIM’s private-label goods (which made up 27% of sales in Morocco compared to just 11% in Egypt in 2019). Because the Moroccan division hit its financial targets and generated strong like-for-like sales growth, BIM’s head office continued to aggressively fund its network expansion there. In October 2023, Egyptian hard discounter Kazyon entered Morocco specifically to take on BIM, its direct rival in Egypt. To accelerate its growth, Kazyon poached the former CEO of BIM in Morocco. Simultaneously, Label’Vie (the Carrefour franchisee in Morocco) accelerated the rollout of its small-format discounter brand, Supeco. Though Label’Vie initially claimed it wasn’t directly targeting BIM, Supeco effectively mirrored BIM’s model almost identically, from store size to Friday promotions. As a result, the Moroccan discount retail space is now highly congested. By early 2023, BIM had 693 stores. In response to the aggressive expansion of Kazyon, Supeco, and impending convenience market entries from the Casino Group, BIM initiated another major expansion phase: BIM opened 144 new outlets in 2025, bringing its total network to 933 stores across the country by March 2026. In contrast, in Egypt, in 2025 BIM opened only 27 new stores, bringing the total to 445 by the beginning of 2026. This wave of competition will ultimately be a gift to Moroccan consumers seeking everyday low prices, and to the Moroccan government keen to modernise supply chains and formalise grocery retail in outlying areas of its cities.