walmart started its operations in brazil as a joint-venture with Lojas Americans, the largest discount store chain in country and a company of the Garantia Group. Sam walton, the founder of Wal-mart, had a long-lasting personal relationship with Jorge Lemamm, one og the founders of the Garantia Group and major shareholder of Lojas Americanas. This relationship allowed the establishment of ties between the two company , with Lojas Americanas executives visiting wal-mart to acquire management know-how.Sam Wal walton himslef believed Brazil was a major market for discount operations and encouraged Lojas American' managers to expand into other areas of the country