Kenneth Smith, president of the Mexico-United States Bilateral Business Committee of the Mexican Business Council for Foreign Trade, Investment and Technology (Comce) , warned that the review process of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which will formally begin in 2026, will be complex, although he emphasized that there is broad support in the United States for extending the trade agreement

Smith, who participated last week in the hearing organized by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) , explained that the public consultation process received approximately 1,500 letters, of which “ more than 75% specifically address the need to extend the treaty for another 16 years .” Only 2% called for its cancellation.

However, he stressed that even sectors that support the USMCA raised concerns and areas for improvement.

“The vast majority of the comments are favorable, but they also include very specific recommendations on how to improve their operation and ensure compliance in all three countries ,” he said.

Among the points highlighted by US business organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable and the National Association of Manufacturers, is the monitoring of constitutional reforms in Mexico and their impact on the investment climate.

The report that the USTR is due to submit to the U.S. Congress in January is key to understanding the scope of the review. But today, its contents remain unclear. Smith indicated that there is tension between the administration and Congress , which is demanding transparency and a written document .

“We don’t know if the government will deliver a detailed report or if there will only be closed-door hearings. That is the question Congress has at this time ,” he emphasized.

That means the uncertainty could continue through the first quarter of 2026 and this could take all year or even extend into annual reviews in 2027 and 2028

In response to recent statements by US President Donald Trump about a possible withdrawal from the agreement, Smith emphasized that it is a low probability , and considered these messages as tools of negotiating pressure, rather than real threats.

In this regard, regarding the process, the specialist insisted that Mexico should not improvise .

“If the United States raises the issue, we can’t start thinking about what we’re going to do then. We have to work on it now ,” he said.

He also emphasized that Mexico, the United States, and Canada can use the review to promote common policies on two fronts: combating unfair trade practices and boosting strategic investments in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, medical equipment, and data centers .

“Mexico is indispensable for the United States to be able to compete successfully in the future with China and other regions of the world ,” he stated.

For his part, Antonio Ortiz Mena, president of the USMCA Technical Strategy Committee of Comce, complemented the vision.

“We have to see the USMCA review as riding a crazy mouse. There will be ups and downs and stops, but we’re going to reach our destination ,” he said.

For Ortiz Mena, Mexico’s central objective should be to reduce the uncertainty caused by unilateral actions by the United States , such as tariffs under section 232 or restrictions due to economic emergencies.

“Maintaining zero tariffs would be of little use if the United States continues to use these instruments; we need real certainty ,” he added.

He considered that, paradoxically, the international context opens up great opportunities for Mexico , where providing certainty and privileged access will be vital to being one of the most important destinations for foreign investment.

Both specialists agreed that the review of the USMCA does not imply an imminent risk of breakdown , but it does imply a prolonged period of intense negotiation.

“We don’t foresee a collapse of the treaty. We see a complex process, with political pressure, but also with a clear agenda to strengthen North American competitiveness ,” Smith emphasized.

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El cargo Mexico must “buckle up” ahead of the USMCA review: Comce apareció primero en T21.

Despite the fact that the grocery sector in Mexico is going through a period of slowdown, Grupo Sahuayo expects to grow up to 7% in 2026 and reach sales that could exceed one billion dollars (mdd), for which strategic investments and transformations will be made in the company.

Dieter Holtz, CEO of Grupo Sahuayo, a company dedicated to wholesale and semi-wholesale of groceries, assured that in the coming years the company will achieve growth in the range of 4% to 7% , after stagnating for a few years like those before the COVID-19 pandemic.

During this health crisis, growth peaked at up to 20%, the company reported in a statement.

This year, sales are projected to grow by 3% , with revenues of one billion dollars, according to the executive, who says he is optimistic and expects the company to reach sales of two billion dollars in the coming years and organic growth of between 4% and 7%. These levels have already been achieved in some regions of the country.

“We are going to make several decisions to kick-start the company’s growth: boost innovation, achieve operational excellence, and consolidate the corporate structure,” explained Dieter Holtz and Javier García, CFO of the firm.

Since joining the company in the second half of this year, they have made tactical adjustments, and above all, “we are now working better with the available data to achieve greater profitability for our suppliers, we are lowering costs, improving delivery times and expanding the customer base, among other things,” the executives explained.

Among their plans is to expand the use of technology and the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to better understand the market and the changing consumption patterns of Mexicans; “we are developing market intelligence to better serve our clients, which can range from a micro-business to a large grocery store.”

Grupo Sahuayo has 25 distribution centers and virtually nationwide coverage . The company has identified distinct opportunities in each region of the country.

Northern Mexico and the Bajío region are two of the areas with the greatest potential. In the latter, geographic concentration and available infrastructure allow for more efficient logistics . The southeastern region faces geographic, demographic, and economic challenges, but cities like Mérida, Oaxaca, and Tapachula are experiencing significant growth; Tapachula also serves as a natural export hub to Central America.

In the Pacific region, Culiacán is performing well despite the security situation, while Tijuana is combining local growth with attention to the so-called “nostalgia channel” in the United States. Mexico City and its metropolitan area are also among the areas with expansion potential.

“We are going to accelerate greater value and profitable sales for the brands that entrust their business to us, expand our customer base, and take a close look at product portfolios,” said Dieter Holtz.

Meanwhile, Javier García emphasized that they are focusing operations on improving their cash flow to strategically reinvest “in our growth and are analyzing financial solutions for our customer base as one of the new value-added platforms for our channels.”

The grocery business is very dynamic and constantly changing, and with the use of new technologies applied to banking systems, it will become even more demanding. Furthermore, new players with increasingly innovative products and services are entering the market every year.

In September 2025, the performance of the commercial sector in Mexico had mixed results, according to the  Monthly Survey on Commercial Enterprises (EMEC) , which revealed a monthly increase of 2.5% in wholesale trade and a stagnation of retail trade, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi) .

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El cargo Grupo Sahuayo emerges from stagnation and forecasts strong sales in 2026 apareció primero en T21.