CEO’s message. This year, Axfood celebrates its 20th anniversary. We are a young but highly experienced family of strong brands. Willys' history began with Lars Lundin's idea of offering "Ridiculously low prices" in Gothenburg as early as 1975. Hemköp was founded by Spik-Olle from Leksand, who opened his first store in Borlänge in 1958. Even Dagab has roots that go far back.
Klas Balkow, President and CEO at Axfood
CEO’s message. This year, Axfood celebrates its 20th anniversary. We are a young but highly experienced family of strong brands. Willys' history began with Lars Lundin's idea of offering "Ridiculously low prices" in Gothenburg as early as 1975. Hemköp was founded by Spik-Olle from Leksand, who opened his first store in Borlänge in 1958. Even Dagab has roots that go far back.
We have experienced an incredible journey during our 20 years as a growing family of brands. They have all found their rightful place, whether it's for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, whether we shop from home or on our way to or from work, or whether we choose to eat out. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all the employees who have contributed to the strong position Axfood has today. From a diverse mix of different brands, we have together created the family we are today – with strong, distinctive concepts working in solid collaboration.
It is valuable to sometimes pause and reflect on what we have accomplished, to celebrate our achievements, and draw lessons from our history as a source of strength as we face the future. The journey hasn't always been easy. But over this twenty-year period, we have built a solid foundation from which we fulfil our mission: to enable a better everyday life where everyone can share the joy of affordable, good, and sustainable food. We have developed our retail chains and also added new members to our family, such as Urban Deli, Mat.se, Eurocash, Middagsfrid, and Apohem. This development will continue. We will strengthen what we already have but also explore entirely new opportunities.
I would argue that there has never been a more exciting, challenging, or enjoyable time to work with food than now. Few industries impact the daily lives of so many people. And we have excellent conditions to further strengthen our position in the Swedish grocery market. We can create new shopping patterns, transform marketplaces, inspire sustainable and healthy lifestyles, and offer affordable festive meals while simplifying life in the sometimes hectic everyday routine. In this way, we can be a powerful force for positive change in society.
Klas Balkow
President and CEO Axfood