Gray Mackenzie Retail Group signs franchise deal to relaunch Monoprix in Lebanon
The agreement sets the stage for Monoprix’s return to Lebanon and demonstrates the brand’s wider expansion across Africa and the Middle East.
LEBANON – Gray Mackenzie Retail Group has entered a franchise agreement with French retailer Monoprix that will place the Lebanese company in charge of the brand’s operations in Lebanon and allow it to open new stores, with the first outlet slated to begin trading before the end of the year.
The move follows Monoprix’s broad reach in France, where it operates across most regions, and its footprint in several Middle Eastern and North African markets, which the retailer now hopes to reinforce by reintroducing a range of French food and non food items to Lebanese shoppers.
Commenting on the deal, Gray Mackenzie Retail Group chairman Hassan Ezzeldine said the partnership aligns with the company’s plan to bring in established international brands and widen the choice of imported goods available in Lebanon.
He added that the group aims to keep Lebanon competitive in the regional retail landscape by introducing products linked to major global markets and by supporting efforts to stabilise and upgrade the sector.
Monoprix’s international franchise director Vincent Peyronnet said the company views Gray Mackenzie Retail Group as a suitable partner to revive the brand in Lebanon and support its wider expansion plans.
The agreement also aligns with the Lebanese operator’s focus on contributing to economic recovery by expanding consumer access to premium products that appeal to long standing demand for French goods across categories such as food, homeware, perfumes and accessories.
Monoprix’s wider regional activity
Meanwhile, Monoprix has resumed operations in Mauritius after a six year absence through a partnership with Groupe Aldis, which recently opened a 570 square metre Monop’ store in Rivière Noire.
The retailer left Mauritius after IBL Group took over Harel Mallac’s share in their former franchise arrangement and rebranded two Monoprix branches under its Winner’s supermarket chain while closing a third store.
That shift came shortly after Shoprite exited Mauritius in 2018, a move that further consolidated IBL’s dominance in the market through its Winner’s outlets.
The new Monop’ site in Rivière Noire offers deli items, a butchery counter, fresh produce and a wine section, and Groupe Aldis plans to open a standalone Monoprix homeware outlet in Cascavelle Shopping Mall in December 2025.
Casino Group’s financial strain has already triggered rebranding of Super U stores in parts of West Africa, yet the company continues to expand in selected markets, including the launch of a Géant hypermarket in Yemen in November 2025.
Plans announced earlier this year indicate that Casino and its Moroccan partner H and S Invest Holding intend to roll out 210 Franprix and Monoprix stores in Morocco by 2035.
Egypt is also on the company’s schedule, with its first Monoprix location expected to open in early 2026 at UBL Mall in New Cairo under local operator TMT.
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