What Axfood does

Axfood AB is one of Sweden's largest grocery retail groups, founded in 2000 and listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (ticker: AXFO) with headquarters in Stockholm. The company operates a multi-format portfolio covering the full Swedish grocery value chain: Willys (the leading low-price discount chain, closing in on competitor ICA Maxi), Hemköp (regular grocery focused on fresh and local products), City Gross (hypermarkets, fully acquired in November 2024), and neighborhood formats Tempo, Handlar'n and Matöppet, supplemented by the Urban Deli restaurant-deli concept and restaurant wholesale via Snabbgross. Supporting the retail operations, wholly-owned Dagab handles centralized procurement and logistics across the group, and Axfood holds equity stakes in pure-play online grocer Mathem (16.5%), cross-border operator Eurocash (jointly with Norgesgruppen), and online pharmacy Apohem.

Name

Axfood

Legal name

Axfood AB

Website

https://axfood.se

Company type

Public

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Axfood is Sweden's second-largest grocery retailer, operating Willys discount, Hemköp, City Gross hypermarkets, and neighborhood chains, supported by centralized procurement/logistics via Dagab and private label brands like Garant.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Grocery Retail

NAICS

Grocery and Convenience Retailers (4451), Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers (4244), Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (424)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Retail-Catalog & Mail-Order Houses (5961)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional / Local Hard Discount Chains (CRAHADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cash-and-Carry Wholesale Grocers (Business/Trade Customers) (CRAHACAB), Grocery & Supermarket (Ambient/Dry) Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAB)

Keywords

• Grocery retail
• Supermarket chains
• Private label brands
• Food service wholesale
• Automated logistics centers

Headquarters

HQ city

Stockholm

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales - Physical Stores: Revenue from retail sales through company-owned stores (Willys, Hemköp, City Gross) and franchise stores (Hemköp handlarägda, Tempo, Handlar'n, Matöppet). Sales include private label products (Garant, Eldorados, Fixa) and branded consumer goods.
2. E-commerce Sales: Online grocery sales through Willys, Hemköp, and City Gross with home delivery and click-and-collect options.
3. Wholesale/Restaurant Supply (Snabbgross): Wholesale sales to restaurants, hotels, and food service businesses through Snabbgross chain and Dagab wholesale operations.
4. Private Label Products: Sales of Axfood's own brand products including Garant (food), Eldorados, and Fixa (household products), providing higher margins than branded goods.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Axfood operates a multi-format grocery retail and wholesale business in Sweden through company-owned and franchised store chains (Willys discount, Hemköp regular grocery, City Gross hypermarket, Tempo, Handlar'n, Matöppet local/independent formats), an online grocery platform with home delivery and click-and-collect, and a B2B food service wholesale chain (Snabbgross). Centralised purchasing and logistics are handled by wholly owned subsidiary Dagab across highly automated distribution centres, while the group sells private label brands Garant, Eldorado, Fixa, Såklart, Vardagsmaten and Minstingen alongside branded grocery goods.

Product overview

Axfood is a leading Swedish grocery retail group operating as a family of retail concepts. The company operates multiple retail chains including Willys (discount grocery), Hemköp (full-service grocery), City Gross (hypermarkets), Tempo, Handlar'n, and Matöppet (neighborhood stores), along with restaurant wholesaler Snabbgross. The group includes support company Dagab for procurement and logistics, owns Urban Deli restaurant-deli concept, and holds stakes in online pharmacy Apohem and e-commerce companies Mathem and Eurocash. Axfood also offers private label brands including Garant, Eldorado, and Fixa. The portfolio spans from low-price discount formats to full-service grocery and hypermarkets, serving Swedish consumers across multiple retail formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Garant: Private label brand launched in 2009, featuring food products including the recent launch of tuna in Tetra Pak packaging. One of Sweden's largest private label brands, particularly known for organic food.
• Eldorado
• Fixa
• Minstingen
• Såklart
• Vardagsmaten

Products and services

• Willys Sweden's leading low-price grocery chain and Axfood's discount retail concept, offering competitively priced food and daily essentials to Swedish consumers through company-owned stores and an e-commerce platform with home delivery and click-and-collect.
• Hemköp Full-service grocery chain offering a wide assortment with a focus on fresh produce, local raw materials, and quality food, operated through company-owned stores, franchise stores (Hemköp handlarägda), and an e-commerce platform serving Swedish households.
• City Gross Swedish hypermarket chain acquired in full by Axfood in November 2024, operating approximately 42 large-format stores primarily in southern Sweden with focus on bulk shopping, fresh produce, and competitive hypermarket pricing; under restructuring towards late 2026 profitability.
• Tempo Neighbourhood grocery chain under the Axfood family providing convenient local shopping options across Sweden, operated via franchisee and independent store owners.
• Handlar'n Independent grocery store chain within the Axfood family, serving local communities with neighbourhood retail formats operated by independent store owners.
• Matöppet Local grocery chain operating within the Axfood family of companies, providing neighbourhood shopping options across Sweden.
• Snabbgross Restaurant, hotel and food service wholesale business supplying food and products to restaurants, caterers, and food service businesses via a cash-and-carry model.
• Willys and Hemköp Online Grocery Proprietary e-commerce grocery shopping platform with home delivery and store pickup (click-and-collect), serving Willys and Hemköp customers across Sweden.
• Urban Deli Combination restaurant, bar, deli, and grocery store concept in Stockholm owned majority by Axfood, offering distinctive food experiences and selling Urban Deli products in Hemköp stores in the Stockholm region.
• Garant Axfood's largest private label brand, launched in 2009, offering own-brand food products including eco-certified items and the new Tetra Recart tuna packaging. Known for organic food and one of Sweden's largest private label brands.
• Eldorado Axfood's own brand offering value-oriented grocery products within the group's private label portfolio.
• Fixa Axfood's own brand for household products, offering cleaning and household essentials under the group's private label portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• Axfood achieved fossil-free transport for all truck traffic between warehouses and stores in Sweden, converting 200+ trucks to renewable fuels, biogas, HVO, and electric power.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Generation PepminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Axfood and Generation Pep are collaborating to improve food content and make healthier choices more accessible. They jointly published a debate article calling on the government to introduce limit values for salt and sugar in food products.
• WitroncoreTechnology or Integration · 19 December 2025Axfood signed a EUR 265 million agreement with Witron for automation equipment in a new highly automated logistics center in Kungsbacka, planned to operate from 2030. The logistics center will enhance capacity, efficiency, and sustainability for Axfood's operations in southern Sweden, replacing existing warehouses.
• MathemcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 December 2021Axfood became the second-largest shareholder in Mathem (16.5% ownership) when Mat.se was merged into Mathem. Dagab signed a seven-year supply and cooperation agreement with Mathem covering purchasing, assortment, and logistics. Mathem is Sweden's leading pure-play e-commerce grocery retailer with home delivery.
• NorgesgruppencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 January 2017Axfood and Norgesgruppen jointly acquired Eurocash Food AB. Following regulatory approval, Axfood sold 49% of Eurocash to Norgesgruppen. Eurocash is the second-largest grocery operator along the Norway border with eight stores and approximately SEK 1.2 billion in revenue.
• Urban DeliminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2014Axfood initially invested in 50% ownership of Stockholm-based restaurant chain Urban Deli in 2014, then increased ownership to over 90% in 2018. Urban Deli combines restaurant, bar, deli, and grocery store concepts.
• Re:OceanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRe:Ocean is developing a 10,000-metric-ton land-based Atlantic salmon farm in Säffle, Sweden, backed by Sweden's three leading grocery retailers - Axfood, Coop, and ICA. The project aims to supply 20% of Sweden's total salmon consumption by 2026.
• SkogsbärsinitiativetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAxfood participates in the Skogsbärsinitiativet (Forest Berry Initiative) where the grocery industry, berry companies, and Etisk Handel Sverige agree on common requirements for responsible berry industry practices, including the Employer Pays Principle for berry pickers.
• Swedish Retail Industry (Svensk Dagligvaruhandel)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAxfood participates in industry-wide initiatives including VAT reduction implementation on food products, berry picker welfare programs, and sustainability initiatives coordinated through the Swedish grocery retail association.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ICA Gruppen: Sweden's largest grocery retailer and Axfood's primary domestic competitor. Operates ICA Maxi (hypermarket), ICA Supermarket, ICA Kvantum, and ICA Nära formats against Axfood's Willys, Hemköp, and City Gross. The Willys vs ICA Maxi price war directly defines Swedish grocery share dynamics.
• Coop Sverige: Sweden's third major grocery chain and a co-investor with Axfood in the Re:Ocean land-based salmon project. Operates nationwide supermarket and hypermarket formats competing for the same Swedish household grocery spend as Willys/Hemköp/City Gross.
• Lidl Sverige: Swedish arm of the German hard-discount chain and direct competitor to Willys. Competes on price-led discount proposition with limited-assortment private-label led model, the same segment in which Axfood positions Willys.
• Norgesgruppen: Norway's leading grocery retailer and Axfood's joint-venture partner in Eurocash (cross-border retail near the Norway border). Operates Meny, Kiwi, Spar, Joker, and Nærbutikken formats — a directly comparable multi-format Nordic grocery group with similar private-label and wholesale structure.
• REMA 1000 (Reitan Convenience): Nordic hard-discount grocery chain operating in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Directly comparable to Willys as a price-led discount competitor with private-label emphasis in the same Nordic grocery market.

Broad incumbents

• Kesko: Finland's leading grocery retailer (K-Citymarket, K-Supermarket, K-Market) and a major Nordic food-trade incumbent. Comparable in multi-format grocery retail, private-label development, and B2B foodservice wholesale (Kespro) to Axfood's Willys/Hemköp/Snabbgross portfolio.
• SOK / S Group: Finnish cooperative retail group operating hypermarkets, supermarkets, and convenience stores plus a hotel/restaurant wholesale arm (Meira Nova). Comparable to Axfood as a multi-format Nordic grocery operator with foodservice wholesale exposure.

Regional players

• Dagrofa: Denmark's largest grocery wholesaler operating Meny, Spar, Min Købmand, and Let-Køb chains. Comparable in multi-format retail and wholesale distribution model, though operating in Denmark rather than Sweden.

Emerging players

• Mathem: Sweden's leading pure-play online grocery retailer, in which Axfood holds a 16.5% stake. A channel- and customer-overlap peer (same Swedish grocery basket, same households) and a wholesale customer via the 7-year Dagab agreement.

Others

• Eurocash (Polish wholesale): Largest wholesale distributor of fast-moving consumer goods in Poland with Cash & Carry and B2B formats. Tangentially comparable to Axfood's Dagab/Snabbgross wholesale arm in business-model terms though operating in a different geography; included as a structural peer for the wholesale channel rather than retail overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AxfoodAB
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/338534
• Instagraminstagram.com/axfoodkoncernen
• Xx.com/axfood

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A4 records

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Axfood