Mercado Libre to Triple Its Logistics Network in Chile by 2027
CHILE · BUSINESS
Key Facts
—What happened: Mercado Libre will triple its logistics capacity in Chile, from 140,000 to 450,000 square metres by 2027.
—The jobs: The expansion will create more than 2,500 new jobs across Santiago and 14 regional cities.
—Where it grows: New capacity runs from Antofagasta in the north down to Puerto Montt in the south.
—The catch: This is a two-year build-out, so the full 450,000 square metres arrive only by the end of 2027.
—Why it matters: Chile’s network already moves over one million packages a week, 55 percent within 24 hours.
—The money: Trade publication Modaes put the investment behind the plan at US$240 million.
Mercado Libre, Latin America’s biggest e-commerce company, will triple its logistics network in Chile over the next two years, growing from 140,000 to 450,000 square metres of warehouse and distribution space and adding more than 2,500 jobs.
What Mercado Libre announced
The announcement came on Thursday 27 August at Mercado Libre Experience. That is the company’s flagship e-commerce event, billed as the largest of its kind in Latin America.
Between 2026 and 2027, the company will expand its storage and distribution infrastructure in Chile from 140,000 to 450,000 square metres. The plan covers Santiago and 14 cities in the country’s regions.
It includes new and enlarged storage centres, distribution hubs and service centres. Together they will stretch the company’s operational footprint from Antofagasta in the far north to Puerto Montt, more than 1,000 kilometres south of Santiago.
The build-out will generate more than 2,500 new jobs, according to the company. Spanish trade publication Modaes reported the investment behind the expansion at US$240 million.
Three big warehouses around Santiago
The story starts in Colina, a fast-growing commune on the northern edge of Santiago. In 2022 the company opened Chile’s largest e-commerce warehouse there, with 100,000 square metres and room for up to 15 million products.
A second centre of the same size is now under construction in Colina. Announced in 2025, it is due to start operating at the end of this year.
For 2027, the company plans a third distribution and storage centre of 50,000 square metres. It will sit in Santiago’s northern zone, close to the other two.
Five new last-mile centres will add another 90,000 square metres. Last-mile centres are the small urban depots where parcels begin their final trip to your door.
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The regions get the bigger leap
Outside the capital, the growth rate is even steeper. Regional capacity will jump 174 percent, from 40,000 square metres to more than 110,000.
Fourteen cities will see new or expanded facilities. The list runs from Antofagasta, Copiapó, La Serena and Coquimbo in the north through Talca and Concepción in the centre to Temuco, Valdivia and Puerto Montt in the south.
The practical result is speed. The company says the expansion will bring same-day delivery to 26 more cities, including Arica, Iquique, Calama, Viña del Mar, Rancagua and Chillán.
For a country almost 4,300 kilometres long but barely 180 kilometres wide, that is no small promise. Distance has always been the tax on Chilean e-commerce.
Why the company is betting on Chile
Rafael Lira, the company’s marketplace director for Chile, Peru and Ecuador, framed the move as a vote of confidence. The expansion, he said, shows deep trust in Chile’s growth and in job creation.
He also made the inclusion argument. E-commerce, in his words, only fulfils its purpose when it reaches everywhere, including regions with less access to the digital economy.
The numbers suggest the bet is already paying off. Its Chilean network delivers more than one million packages a week.
Of those, 55 percent arrive within 24 hours and more than 80 percent within 48. The company says small businesses selling through its fulfilment network can sell up to twice as much.
What this means if you live in Chile
For foreigners in Chile, Mercado Libre is the local Amazon. It runs the marketplace, the payment app Mercado Pago and the delivery network Mercado Envíos.
Faster regional delivery changes daily life outside Santiago. A shopper in Temuco or La Serena will increasingly get the same next-day service a shopper in the capital takes for granted.
For small Chilean businesses, the pitch is reach. A workshop in Chillán can store products in the network and ship to the whole country within two days.
The jobs matter too. Warehouse and delivery work has become one of the main entry points into formal employment in Chile’s regions.
What to watch from here
The first milestone is the second Colina centre, due to open before the end of 2026. Its start-up will show whether the timeline holds.
The second is the competitive response. Rivals such as Amazon, Falabella and the Chinese platforms Shein and Temu all want the same Chilean shopper.
The third is the 2027 warehouse and the five last-mile depots. Only when those are running will the promised 450,000 square metres actually exist.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Mercado Libre announce for Chile?
It will triple its logistics capacity from 140,000 to 450,000 square metres between 2026 and 2027. The plan covers Santiago and 14 regional cities and creates over 2,500 jobs.
How much is Mercado Libre investing in Chile?
The company did not publish a figure in its announcement. The trade publication Modaes reported an investment of US$240 million behind the expansion.
Where will the new warehouses be?
A third big centre of 50,000 square metres is planned in northern Santiago for 2027. Regional capacity grows 174 percent across cities from Antofagasta to Puerto Montt.
How fast is Mercado Libre’s delivery in Chile today?
Its network moves more than one million packages a week in Chile. Of those, 55 percent arrive within 24 hours and more than 80 percent within 48 hours.
When will the expansion be finished?
The second Colina warehouse opens at the end of 2026. The third centre and five last-mile depots are projected for 2027.
Sources
Emol / El Mercurio (announcement details, 27 August 2026) · ANDA Chile (regional expansion and same-day cities, 27 August 2026) · Modaes (investment figure, 28 August 2026) · Wikimedia Commons (image, CC BY-SA 4.0)
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