Axfood

Headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden
Company type	Public Aktiebolag
Traded as	Nasdaq Stockholm: AXFO
Industry	Retail
Founded	2000 (2000)
Headquarters	Stockholm, Sweden
Number of locations	1,137 stores, of which 274 are Group-owned
Area served	Sweden
Key people	Klas Balkow (CEO)
Revenue	€4.6 billion (2017)
Owner	Axel Johnson AB (51%)
Number of employees	9,903 (2017)
Website	www.axfood.com

Axfood AB (Nasdaq Stockholm: AXFO) is a Swedish company that operates in Sweden. It was formed in May 2000 through a merger between the Swedish grocery store chains Hemköp, D&D Dagligvaror, Spar Sverige, and Spar Inn Snabbgross.

The Group's retail operations are conducted through the Willys, Hemköp, and Axfood Snabbgross chains, comprising 300 group-owned stores in all. In addition, Axfood collaborates with a large number of proprietor-run stores that are tied to Axfood through agreements. These include stores within the Hemköp chain as well as stores run under the Handlar'n, Direkten and Tempo profiles. In all, Axfood collaborates with some 840 proprietor-run stores.

Wholesale business is conducted via Dagab and Axfood Närlivs. Axfood is listed on Nasdaq OMX Stockholm AB's Large Cap list. Axel Johnson AB is the principal owner with 50.1 percent of the shares.

Axfood's private labels consist of Willys, Hemköp, Axfood Snabbgross, Garant, Eldorado (discount food brand), Såklart (body care, laundry and cleaning), Prime patrol (meat), Minstingen (baby products), Falkenberg Seafood (seafood products) and Fixa (kitchen supplies).

Axfood is a member of the European Marketing Distribution, a European purchasing organization for grocery stores, and United Nordic.

History

• 1958 – The grocer “Spik-Olle” opened the first Hemköp store.

• 1975 – Willys’ predecessor, LL:s Livs started.

• 1986 – Willy Schlees opened his first discount grocery store in Kungsbacka.

• 2000 – Axfood was formed through the combination of Hemköpskedjan, Dagab and D-gruppen.

• 2008 – The private label Garant was launched.

• 2014 – Part owner of Urban Deli.

• 2016 – Acquisition of Eurocash, 51%.

• 2017 – Axfood acquired Mat.se and Middagsfrid.^[1]

Market shares and competitors

Axfood is Sweden’s second largest food retailer and has a 20% market share in Sweden.^[2]

The company's main competitors include ICA, Coop Forum, City Gross [sv], and Lidl.

Sustainability and CSR

Axfood's sustainability and CSR work is based on its Code of Conduct. The company has numerous sustainability goals. The six central work areas are sustainable products, climate and energy, employees, transports, responsible suppliers, and corporate social responsibility and influence.^[3]

Axfood publishes a sustainability report every year. It includes information about the Group’s work towards achieving leadership in sustainable development, including targets, activities, and results.