- Business
- Axfood AB (publ) (AXFO.ST) operates as one of Sweden's leading food retail and wholesale companies, headquartered in Stockholm and founded in 2000 through the merger of Hemköp, Dagab, and D-gruppen; the group conducts its business exclusively in Sweden across five main operating segments including Willys, Hemköp, City Gross, Snabbgross, and Dagab. Willys functions as the leading discount grocery chain with a broad product range in owned stores, franchises, and online platforms, complemented by the cross-border Eurocash chain; Hemköp provides attractively priced assortments rich in fresh products through owned and retailer-operated stores, e-commerce, and the Tempo mini-mart format; City Gross offers hypermarket experiences combining food halls with wide selections via stores and online; Snabbgross serves as a key wholesaler to restaurants, fast food outlets, and cafes with physical stores, online sales, and the consumer-focused Snabbgross Club; Dagab manages assortment, purchasing, and logistics for the group and external B2B clients while encompassing Handlar’n and Matöppet retail concepts, the partly-owned online pharmacy Apohem, and Urban Deli restaurant chain. The company maintains a strong portfolio of private labels such as Garant, Garant Ekologiska, Aware, Saklart, Func, and Fixa, alongside service trade support and e-commerce initiatives. In November 2024, Axfood completed its SEK 2 billion acquisition of City Gross from Bergendahl Food Holding, increasing its stake from 9.9% to 100% following approvals by the Swedish Competition Authority and European Commission, thereby bolstering its hypermarket presence, operational synergies in logistics and purchasing, and projected earnings per share contributions by 2026; this builds on the 2021 strategic partnership and minority investment in City Gross alongside the Bergendahls Food wholesale acquisition. Axel Johnson AB serves as the major shareholder, guiding the group's focus on affordable, sustainable food innovation and market share growth.