What Apótekarinn does

Apótekarinn is an Icelandic pharmacy retail chain operated by Lyf og heilsa ehf., a privately held Icelandic limited company headquartered in Kópavogur (Greater Reykjavík area). The company runs 27 physical pharmacy stores nationwide alongside a comprehensive e-commerce platform at apotekarinn.is, employing nearly 300 staff across Iceland. Its core offering combines regulated pharmaceutical dispensing (prescription medications, OTC drugs, vitamins, supplements) with a curated skincare and beauty assortment featuring premium brands such as Clarins, Bobbi Brown, Shiseido, Bioeffect, Blue Lagoon Skin Science, and Dóttir Skin, as well as its own in-house brand Gamla apótekið (compounded medications, sanitizing solutions, and pharmaceutical preparations). Customer transactions are processed through Teya payment gateway, with fulfillment options including in-store pickup, free home delivery in the capital area via Pósturinn, and nationwide delivery to post offices and postboxes.

The business model is primarily transactional B2C retail with a horizontal consumer segment: general Icelandic consumers buying prescription medications, OTC products, health and wellness items, and beauty/cosmetics. The Apótekarinn+ loyalty program drives repeat purchase through tiered discounts (10% on skincare, 15% on Gamla apótekið) and member-only promotional events. Underlying technology centers on the Lyfjagátt electronic prescription portal, which authenticates customers via Icelandic electronic ID (Rafræn skilrýki/Kenni), retrieves active prescriptions through the national Lyfjaávísanagátt (Hekla) gateway, and verifies coverage status with Sjúkratryggingar Íslands (Icelandic Health Insurance). The company also operates an adjacent optical retail subsidiary, Augastað gleraugnaverslanir.

Revenue is generated through unit pricing in Icelandic Krona across pharmacy and e-commerce channels, augmented by premium beauty margins and private-label production. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer omnichannel — combining physical retail, e-commerce, home delivery, and content marketing through educational health articles, an Instagram presence (@apotekarinn), and influencer collaborations (e.g., celebrity makeup artist Harpa Kára). The company has no disclosed external funding, operates solely within Iceland, and is led by CEO Edda Hermannsdóttir with a finance director, marketing/sales director, IT director, and other functional leadership in place.

Name

Apótekarinn

Legal name

Lyf og heilsa ehf.

Website

https://apotekarinn.is

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Apótekarinn is Iceland's nationwide pharmacy chain, operating 27 retail stores and an e-commerce platform that serve general Icelandic consumers with prescription medications, OTC products, vitamins, and premium skincare/beauty brands under parent Lyf og heilsa ehf.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Pharmacy

NAICS

Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (456110), Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (45611), Health and Personal Care Retailers (456)

SIC

Retail-Drug Stores And Proprietary Stores (5912), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail & Community Pharmacies (Chain/Independent) (HLAFALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health & Pharmacy Omnichannel (CRAFAEAK), Pharmacy & Health Essentials Delivery (CRAFAFAI)

Keywords

• Retail pharmacy services
• Prescription medications
• Over-the-counter drugs
• Vitamins and supplements
• Skincare and beauty

Headquarters

HQ city

Reykjavík

HQ country

Iceland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Retail: Sale of prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, supplements, and health products through 27 retail stores and e-commerce platform. Revenue generated from product sales with pricing in Icelandic Krona (ISK).
2. Private Label Products: Production and sale of Gamla apótekið (The Old Pharmacy) branded products including hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine solution, isopropanol, and various pharmaceutical preparations.
3. Cosmetics and Beauty Products: Sale of skincare, cosmetics, and beauty products from brands including Clarins, Blue Lagoon, Bioeffect, Bobbi Brown, Shiseido, and own-brand Dóttir Skin.
4. Home Delivery Services: Delivery services for medications and products with free delivery on medications in the capital area and paid delivery nationwide via Icelandic Post (Pósturinn).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Apótekarinn is a retail pharmacy chain operating 27 physical stores across Iceland and a national online pharmacy, dispensing prescription medications and selling over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, dietary supplements, skincare, and beauty products. The company also runs its own production facility, Gamla apótekið, which manufactures the Apótekarinn own-brand range, and operates an electronic prescription portal called Lyfjagátt alongside a paid loyalty program, Apótekarinn+.

Product overview

Apótekarinn is an Icelandic pharmacy chain operated by Lyf og heilsa ehf. with 27 physical stores nationwide and a comprehensive online store. The core offering combines in-store pharmacy services with an e-commerce platform (Vefverslun) that sells prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, supplements, skin and beauty products, and lifestyle goods. Key digital features include the Lyfjagátt prescription portal for managing electronic prescriptions and the Apótekarinn+ loyalty program. The company carries multiple sub-brands including its own Gamla apótekið line of compounded medications and sanitizing products, as well as third-party brands like Clarins, Nuun, Blue Lagoon Skin Science, Dóttir Skin, Ida Warg, Oroblu hosiery, and Camelbak hydration products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gamla apótekinu: The Old Pharmacy - a subsidiary brand under Lyf og heilsa ehf. for production of pharmacy products including Sorbitól, hydrogen peroxide, and other pharmaceutical preparations.
• Lyfjagátt
• Apótekarinn+

Products and services

• Online Pharmacy Store (Vefverslun) Nationwide Icelandic e-commerce platform where consumers can browse and purchase prescription and OTC medications, vitamins, dietary supplements, skincare, and beauty products for home delivery or in-store pickup.
• Lyfjagátt Prescription Portal
• Apótekarinn+ Loyalty Program
• Gamla apótekið Own-Brand Production
• Home Delivery Service via Icelandic Post (Pósturinn)
• Click & Collect Pickup at Kringlunni

Quantifiable outcome

• Home delivery of medications free in capital area
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Icelandic Post (Pósturinn)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPósturinn handles all home delivery services for Apótekarinn's e-commerce orders, delivering medications and products to customers across Iceland. This partnership enables the pharmacy's nationwide delivery service.
• Sjúkratryggingar Íslands (Icelandic Health Insurance)coreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Iceland's national health insurance system for prescription verification and patient coverage status checking through the Lyfjagátt electronic prescription portal.
• Teya Iceland hf.coreTechnology or IntegrationPayment service provider handling secure payment processing for online transactions. Credit card information is stored with Teya, not with Apótekarinn, ensuring secure payment processing.
• Lyfjaávísanagátt (Hekla Gateway)coreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with the national electronic prescription system for retrieving active prescriptions and dispensing information for patients.
• Kenni (Electronic ID Provider)coreTechnology or IntegrationElectronic identification platform enabling secure login to prescription services and age verification for online purchases.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• DocMorris: DocMorris is a leading European online pharmacy operating mail-order prescription and OTC fulfillment across multiple countries. It is comparable to Apótekarinn's e-commerce pharmacy motion and home delivery via national postal partner.
• Pharmacy2U: Pharmacy2U is the UK's largest online pharmacy, focused on NHS prescription home delivery. Comparable to Apótekarinn's online prescription dispensing workflow tied to national health insurance integration.

Broad incumbents

• CVS Pharmacy: CVS is a US retail pharmacy and healthcare services giant combining thousands of stores with prescription dispensing and integrated health services. Comparable as a large-scale omnichannel pharmacy operator with loyalty and own-brand programs.
• Shoppers Drug Mart: Shoppers Drug Mart is Canada's largest pharmacy chain combining prescription dispensing with a large beauty and wellness assortment. Comparable as a multi-channel pharmacy retailer with a major beauty flywheel integrated into pharmacy locations.
• Watsons (AS Watson Group): Watsons is one of Asia's largest health and beauty retail chains with physical stores and e-commerce. Comparable to Apótekarinn in combining pharmacy retail with a strong curated beauty and skincare assortment.
• Boots: Boots is a leading UK pharmacy-led health and beauty retailer with hundreds of stores and a substantial online pharmacy offering. It is comparable to Apótekarinn in combining prescription dispensing, OTC, and a strong beauty franchise under one trusted pharmacy brand.

Regional players

• Apoteket: Apoteket AB is the former Swedish state pharmacy operator with physical stores and online dispensing. Comparable as a Nordic retail pharmacy serving prescription, OTC, and beauty needs through integrated physical and digital channels.
• Apotek Hjartat: Apotek Hjartat is one of Sweden's largest pharmacy chains with nationwide physical stores and online dispensing. It is comparable as a Nordic retail pharmacy operator offering prescription, OTC, beauty, and own-brand products — analogous in scope to Apótekarinn but at much larger scale.
• Apotek 1: Apotek 1 is a major Norwegian pharmacy chain combining physical retail with e-commerce. Comparable as a Nordic pharmacy retailer offering prescription dispensing, OTC, beauty, and own-brand products across a national footprint.

Direct peers

• Lyfja: Lyfja is Iceland's largest pharmacy chain, operating physical stores and an online pharmacy. It is the most directly comparable competitor to Apótekarinn in the Icelandic retail pharmacy market, with overlapping prescription dispensing, OTC, and beauty product offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/apotekarinnsnyrtivara
• Facebookfacebook.com/apotekarinn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Apótekarinn