Discount Retailer GiFi to Convert 32 Stores to Grand Frais

The French home discount retailer GiFi has announced plans to convert 32 of its store locations into Grand Frais hypermarkets following a filing for receivership. Known for its affordable home decor, garden furniture, and kitchen utensils, the company sought court protection on October 20 due to mounting financial pressures and heavy competition.

Over the past four years, GiFi has struggled against rival discount chains such as Action and B&M, as well as the growing popularity of Chinese e-commerce platforms like Shein and Temu. To raise capital and stabilize its finances, the company agreed on October 15 to cede 32 of its properties to Grand Frais, a chain looking to widen its customer base and establish closer ties to urban areas.

The sweeping transition will involve significant changes across the country, with locations undergoing three to four months of renovations before reopening. Out of the 32 acquired addresses, 17 will operate under direct management, while 14 will run through a management-mandate structure. An additional location in Bayonne, previously linked to stores acquired from Tati, is also part of the transfer.

The rollout schedule for the new grocery stores varies by location, with openings anticipated to span from late 2026 through the first quarter of 2027. Among the targeted cities for direct operation are Caudebec-les-Elbeuf, Grasse, Lisieux, Provins, Saint-Priest, Saintes, Sene, Vitry-sur-Seine, Pau, Cernay, Floirac, Caen, Dorlisheim, Cergy, Royan, Les Angles, and Moncel-les-Luneville.

Locations designated for management-mandate operations include Bias, Champniers, Hendaye, La Ville-aux-Dames, Le Pont-de-Beauvoisin, L'Arbresle, Plaisance-du-Touch, Saint-Medard-en-Jalles, Saint-Parres-aux-Tertres, Sainte-Marguerite, Fontaine, Pace, Saint-Aunes, and Saint-Chamond. These conversions offer Grand Frais a valuable opportunity to utilize retail spaces that match its preferred format within established commercial zones.

Alongside the store sales, GiFi has faced the permanent closure of several other outlets due to a lack of buyers. Communities seeing their local GiFi branches shut down include Thiais, Stains, Pontault-Combault, Saverne, La Ferte-Mace, Tonnerre, Besancon, Saint-Claude, Lyon, and Toulouse. Meanwhile, a location in Neuville-en-Ferrain was successfully saved from closure following lease renegotiations that reduced its floor space by half.

The corporate restructuring has triggered widespread anxiety among local workers. While a transition plan is intended to train staff in the specifics of retail food distribution, union representatives have highlighted the difficult choices facing employees. According to Ibrahima Male, a union delegate for CGT Gifi 48, employees who agree to transition will move to the Grand Frais banner, while others may be reassigned or face economic layoffs if they decline.