walmart countries      number of stores       canada

                     Arkansas-based Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the world that also deals in grocery-store items (in most countries it is a hypermarket however, in the countries of South Africa and the United Kingdom (asda) all of its locations are supermarkets).  It globalized well with few exceptions (exited Germany in 1998 followed by South Korea eight years later in May 2006).  Fiscal 2009: Wal-Mart international had sales of over $100B representing 1/4 of total net sales.  By fiscal 2013 international sales reached $135.2 billion ($466.1 when Walmart USA is included), a far cry from the $40 billion in sales the company had in 1991.  In 2006 Germany-based Metro AG acquired all Walmart hypermarkets in Germany which were then rebranded Real.  

British grocer Asda was acquired by Wal-Mart in 1999 for $11 billion.  Asda had a 17% share in supermarkets (Great Britain, July 2013 est);  Supermarkets account for 83% of the British food retailing market.  At year-end 2013 Asda had 568 locations up from 525 in 2012, 340 in 2008.

($251.9 in size).  About a decade later in May 2010 Asda tookover Netto discount foods in a $1.2 billion deal (778 million pounds);  The Netto acquisition (193 stores involved) came at a time when Asda was struggling (reported its first quarterly sales drop in 4 years) and increased its market share in Britain from 16.8% --> 17.5%. 

In Canada Wal-Mart is currently going through a growth phase - until 2013 none of its stores sold grocery items which contrasted with American operations where food comprised 55% of revenue last year.  Then in 2013 the retailer began converting locations into    Though only ~50 new stores are being opened in 2013 company revenue is expected to skyrocket due to the conversion of traditional locations into supercenters with an expanded selection of products.  Also helping Wal-Mart's image in Canada are reports of its prices being lower than Target's.  Target suffered some consumer backlash after Canadians noticed prices being noticeably higher than in the states.

South Africa:  Acquired Massmart in September 2010 for $4.2B.  Massmart is South Africa's #2 grocer behind Metacash;  Massmart is the country's #3 food distributor (90% of foods sold by way of group warehouse club discounting; Makro, Dion, Game, Shield, Delarex, Jumbo, Builders Warehouse, Servistar, CBW, Feds DIY).

Entered Mexico in 1997 through Grupo Cifra.  In 2010, retail food sales in Mexico amounted to $74.5b which is within range of Canada ($82b) with a rate of growth of +8.7% (versus just over 2% for Canada).  In Canada 55% of locations are supercentres.  notes: 93% of Canadians browse flyers, 34% use coupons. (January 2013 usda)

China Walmart doesn't release data regularly for China; the last time it did was in 2011 when it put annual sales at $7.50 billion.  According to China-based research, in 2012 Walmart's market share was 11.2% trailing only Sun Art Retail Group Ltd which holds 12.8% (banners are RT-Mart, Auchan).  Walmart opened 30 new stores in 2012 and closed 5.  In 2011 +43 new locations, 2010 +47, 2009 +53.  operating margins in the country are low at 2 to 3%.

Walmart sells over $140 billion worth of food items in the US annually which is more than Costco or Kroger.  That's roughly half of US sales ($275 billion in calendar year 2012 : fiscal 2013).

Wal-Mart Retail-Food Market Share By Country and Year: