Pedro Lourenço
Pedro Lourenço | |
|---|---|
| Born | Pedro Lourenço de Oliveira October 15, 1955 |
| Other names | Pedrinho Pedrinho BH |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Being the majority shareholder of Cruzeiro Esporte Clube |
Pedro Lourenço de Oliveira (born October 15, 1955) is a Brazilian businessman, founder of Supermercados BH, one of the largest supermarket chains in Brazil,[1] and owner of Cruzeiro Esporte Clube.[2]
Biography
Pedro Lourenço was born on October 15, 1955, in Paineiras, Minas Gerais, to a family of farmers. He attended school until the 8th grade and, at 18, moved to Belo Horizonte, where he began his career as a truck unloader at the now-defunct Casas da Banha supermarket chain.[3] He rose through the company's ranks, becoming a sales supervisor for a wholesale distributor within a few years. In 1996, he decided to found Mercearia BH, which gradually grew into a supermarket chain by acquiring struggling stores and focusing on the outskirts of Belo Horizonte and small towns in the region that previously had no supermarkets.[3][4] In 2025, Supermercados BH was ranked as the fourth-largest supermarket chain in Brazil in a list published by the Brazilian Supermarket Association.[1]
A passionate fan of Cruzeiro EC, Pedro Lourenço first became involved behind the scenes at the club in 2019, around the time the team was relegated to Série B and Ronaldo took over the club's SAF (corporate entity).[5] He began by helping cover overdue salaries and invested R$100 million in the SAF through convertible debentures. He also took part in the acquisition of several players and provided loans to Cruzeiro.[5] His influence within the club grew steadily, ultimately leading to the sale of 90% of the club's SAF to Pedrinho in April 2024.[6]
References
- ^ a b Rodrigues, Gabriel (April 15, 2025). "Supermercados BH sobe em lista dos maiores do país; veja top 10 e quanto a rede de Pedrinho faturou". O Tempo (in Brazilian Portuguese).
- ^ "Riqueza de 'Pedrinho BH', dono do Cruzeiro, vira assunto após chegada de Gerson". O Tempo (in Brazilian Portuguese). January 8, 2026.
- ^ a b Fernandes, Vitória (2024-04-30). "Quem é Pedro Lourenço, dono de rede de supermercados bilionária que comprou o Cruzeiro". Forbes Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ Nogueira, Thiago (2025-02-10). "Mineiros do Ano 2024 - Pedro Lourenço". Estado de Minas (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ a b ESPN.com.br (2024-04-29). "Quem é Pedro Lourenço, megaempresário que comprou a SAF do Cruzeiro de Ronaldo 'Fenômeno'". ESPN.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2026-03-11.
- ^ "Pedro Lourenço oficializa compra do Cruzeiro SAF junto a Ronaldo; veja detalhes". CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2024-04-29. Retrieved 2026-03-11.