(Ecofin Agency) - Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, the Cameroonian minister of Trade, officially opened the first hypermarket of the French group Super U, launched by the Mercure International group, headed by Adnan Houdrouge, also owner of the Casino supermarkets, in Douala the economic capital on 30 June 2015.

This hypermarket, which opened for business in early May and for an undisclosed investment amount, is the successful realization of an ambition dating back to 2006 of Super U's sponsor. Confirming this, Minister Mbarga Atangana revealed that, "during a previous visit to Cameroon in 2006, Mr Houdrouge requested the support of the public authorities to build a shopping centre more ambitious than the Casino stores in Yaounde". However it was finally in Douala that the project was undertaken, though the Mercure International still retains its wish to open a store in the Cameroonian capital. "I take note of the Mercure International group wish to open another shopping centre in Yaoundé", the minister announced on 30 June.

Recalling a directive from the Cameroon Head of state, who recently urged Cameroonians to consume what they produce and produce what they consume, Minister Mbarga Atangana expressed his wish that "Ngoulémakong’s cassava, plantain from Njombé, Mbe’s yam, Ngaoundal’s beef, Youpé’s fish, Kribi’s schrimp" be found "at the appropriate place on the shelves (of the Douala Super U hypermarket), just like the imported manufactured products".

The minister also suggested to the managers of the new hypermarket "to increase the number of sales promotions to make them real discount stores, drivers for a democratic consumer society, lifestyle centres, that I like to think of as places full of conviviality, promoting intermingling and fraternization, where all the services consumers may need in their everyday life would be grouped".