Founded in the early 1980s, it has consolidated itself as one of the main construction materials chains in Maranhão, combining consistent growth, professional family management and a commitment to innovation to sustain its expansion in northeastern retail.
The company’s history begins with entrepreneur Manoel Vieira Brasil, who opened a small hardware store in the center of São Luís in 1981. From the beginning, the business was structured based on competitive advantages that remain today: close service, customer appreciation and competitive prices.
These pillars allowed the company to gain traction in a regional market that was still poorly structured, paving the way for its expansion in the following decades.
Structured growth and regional presence
Under the leadership of Marcelo Júlio Vieira Brasil, son of the founder, the company went through a process of professionalization and accelerated growth.
Currently, the group has 10 physical stores distributed in strategic cities in Maranhão, in addition to a robust logistics operation.
With 900 direct employees and its own fleet of more than 50 trucks, the company has structured an efficient supply and distribution chain. A relevant difference in a state with historical logistical challenges.
The operation also draws attention due to its volume: there are more than 1 million services per year, with a portfolio that exceeds 17 thousand items.
Market leadership and omnichannel strategy
The advancement of the regional market is reflected in performance indicators. In 2025, the company reached leadership in Maranhão, with a 20.7% market share.
Part of this performance is linked to the adoption of an omnichannel strategy, which integrates physical stores, e-commerce, apps, WhatsApp and telesales. A movement aligned with the transformations in retail.
Currently, the company is led by the second and third generations of the founding family, with Marcelo Júlio Vieira Brasil as president and Camila Brasil’s active participation in management.
The model combines family tradition with modern governance practices, maintaining values such as ethics and commitment to the customer, while incorporating technology and more sophisticated management processes.
And this structure has allowed the group to advance on strategic fronts such as:
- market share expansion;
- strengthening digital channels;
- continuous improvement of the customer experience;
- investments in technology.
Social responsibility as a strategic pillar
In addition to operational performance, it also reinforces its performance in social and cultural initiatives. The company maintains support programs for cultural projects, NGOs and local artists, contributing to the social and economic development of Maranhão.
The strategy reinforces the company’s alignment with ESG practices, increasingly relevant for investors and for the institutional positioning of retail companies.
Growth potential on investors’ radar
With a consolidated operation, strong regional presence and advances in governance and ESG practices, Grupo Potiguar is also beginning to gain space on the radar of investors paying attention to the construction materials retail sector.
In this context, the company is advised by Gabriela Lima, high-income banker at XP Investimentos in São Luís (MA), reinforcing the connection with the financial market and expanding the possibilities for expansion and strategic structuring in the coming years.
The combination of regional leadership, operational efficiency and long-term vision positions the company as a relevant asset within a segment with growth potential in the country.
Expansion and next steps
With a consolidated operation and a strong regional presence, Potiguar continues with growth plans that include internal structuring, logistics modernization and strengthening partnerships with suppliers.
The combination of capillarity, operational efficiency and brand positioning places the group as one of the main regional players in the sector, with potential for expansion in the coming years.
