After Decathlon, businessman Manuel Antelo brings a Danish group that owns three clothing brands to Argentina

Bestseller will arrive with a US$ 50 million plan and the opening of 40 branches in five yearsled by the 71-year-old Argentine businessman who has lived in Montevideo for more than 20 years and was famous in the ’90s for leading the growth of the automotive market at the head of Chadlocal partner of Renault at that time, and for creating Car Onethe first car megadealer in the country.

Thus, like Decathlon, Betseller’s local business will be encompassed in Group Onea company that makes up Antelo together with Sabine Mulliezgreat-niece of the founder of an empire that owns 150 brands in France and a member of one of the richest families in Europe. Antelo has 50% from Grupo One, and Sabine and her Argentine husband Pedro Aguirre Saravia they own the other 50% of society.

It was through common contacts that Antelo met them and They seek to bring, mainly, Mulliez brands to Latin Americaalthough they also plan to bring others, as in the case of those managed by Betseller, in addition to developing open shopping centers.

In the region, Grupo One already has the management of Decathlon in Uruguay and Paraguay. This year, it will arrive in Bolivia and Ecuador. And in Argentina, the plan is to open 20 brand stores with an investment of US$100 million.

In turn, prepares local launch of Kiabi, he “French H&M” of women’s, men’s and children’s clothing, which has a store in Uruguay and plans to open two more there. The brand rented a location in Florida and Corrientes that will open this year.

In this regard, Grupo One stated that “The arrival of Betseller represents a long-term bet“We seek to bring global brands together with current and accessible proposals, while generating employment and developing a solid and sustainable operation,” they explained, adding that the idea is to consolidate it as “a relevant player in the Argentine fashion market.”

With operations in 90 countries and 3,100 own stores in 47, Betseller is already present in Chile and Uruguayso it will complete its deployment in South America. As explained Andres ContrerasCEO for Spain, Portugal and Latin America, Argentina was the only relevant market in the region where it had not yet operated directly.

The expansion will begin in the City of Buenos Aireswith the first two openings in September on Avenida Santa Fe by Jack & Jones and Only. Initially, a simultaneous inauguration of the three brands, with 1,000 meters each, in Unicenter had been contemplated, as anticipated by Contreras. In parallel, negotiations for the next locations in shopping malls are progressing and other avenues such as Cabildo. In the future, it will cover places in the Interior such as Rosario and Córdoba.

In terms of employment, plans to generate 100 direct jobs in the first year, with a growth projection of up to 500 in the next five, accompanying the development of the store network.

For Antelo, The opening of imports contributes to the fact that it has returned to invest in Argentinaalthough he began working on the return with his partners in 2019, before the pandemic.

Imports will be central, but they do not rule out adding local production of some garments. In this regard, Contreras highlighted that it could “combine supply with national production to improve costs and competitiveness in the domestic market.”

According to its latest financial results, Bestseller ended the fiscal year closed in July 2025 with sales of 38,074 million Danish crowns (5,096 million euros), 6,8% more year-on-year. Thus, it surpassed the turnover of 2022, the highest until then, of 37,013 million crowns (4,954 million euros).