Spanish supermarket chain Mercadona has announced its long-awaited arrival in the Algarve, with two new stores scheduled to open in 2026.
The brand, which is about to celebrate the milestone of 65 supermarkets in Portugal, has officially confirmed the opening of shops in Portimão’s Nova Vila Retail Park – the retail park which opened in May with its supermarket area still vacant – and in Faro’s Vale da Amoreira. Together, these openings will generate 200 permanent jobs, with recruitment already underway.
“The arrival (of Mercadona) in the Algarve has been requested for many years and represents an important milestone in our path of internationalisation. It will bring the natural challenges of a region that combines seasonality with year-round life, which our teams were eager to embrace,” says Inês Santos, Institutional Relations Director of Mercadona in Portugal.
She also highlighted the special connection many customers already have with the company: “Many of those who are our customers in Portugal today see the Algarve as a link to Mercadona, because they first came to know us through the trips they have long made to Ayamonte. More than just the opening of two new supermarkets, this is the evolution of a relationship of trust built over decades, which will now also reflect in the creation of local and national wealth, starting with the hiring of 200 people in the coming weeks.”
This move marks an important step in Mercadona’s expansion strategy in Portugal, which began six years ago and has already seen an investment of more than €1.1 billion. The company is currently present in 12 districts and employs over 7,000 people nationwide.
The new phase of expansion has been made possible by the opening of the company’s logistics hub in Almeirim, a €290 million investment designed to support operations across the country, including the Algarve, the company says in a statement. Mercadona also continues to strengthen ties with Portuguese suppliers, from whom it purchased €4.5 billion in products between 2019 and 2024, contributing to the growth of the national agro-food sector.”
Furthermore, the company reported €4.55 billion in sales in Portugal between 2019 and 2024, with a 27% increase in 2024 compared to the previous year. Last year, it also paid €237 million in taxes through its Portuguese subsidiary, Irmãdona Supermercados, which closed 2024 with a net profit of €7 million.
Beyond its Algarve debut, Mercadona has other openings planned for 2025, including new stores in Lisbon, Matosinhos, and Loures, part of an expected €157 million investment in Portugal this year.
Meanwhile, the 200 new Algarve employees will begin training in early 2026 in existing stores, with full pay and benefits from day one, the supermarket chain says. During training, Mercadona will cover expenses including meals, accommodation, and transport, along with biweekly trips home. All jobs come with permanent contracts, and salaries start at €14,963.90 gross annually, rising to €20,465.10 within four years, in addition to daily meal allowances and other bonuses.
Applications can be submitted online for the Faro and Portimão stores.
