Lidl has presented its new store identity in Finland – switching colors from blue to grey, introducing wider corridors and re-located departments but also improved facilities for the staff. The new look from spring 2016 onwards is based on deep consumer surveys. ”People prefer to visit the grocery store without a feeling of congestion,” says Country Manager Lauri Sipponen . […]
Archive | Finland
Stockmann’s Crazy Days dropped 3%
With change of month for the Crazy days campaign, the Stockmann Group’s sales in March were down by 26.9 percent and amounted to 84.0 million EUR in the continuing product areas and businesses. Without the campaign effects, the sales seem to have dropped 1.4 percent. And the Crazy days held in April dropped 3 percent compared to last […]
New CEO of Carlings
Young fashion and jeans specialist Carlings recruits a new CEO, Ronny Mikalsen succeeds veteran Rune Martinsen. (more…)
Polarn O Pyret leaves China and Holland – targets Finland and Norway
Polarn O. Pyret has today taken the decision to close the smaller and unprofitable operations in the Netherlands and China and to expand the number of stores in Finland and Norway. “The net number of stores will increase over the next 15 months, ” says Magnus Håkansson, President and CEO of RNB. (more…)
Kesko must sell 60 stores to competitors
The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority has granted Kesko permission to acquire Suomen Lähikauppa, but with an obligation to sell 60 stores to competitors. (more…)
Synsam to open 100 stores with new concept
Optician chain Synsam is investing in a new business in optics and sports glasses. Synsam Sports will offer personalized glasses, specialized for 18 different sports. The new chain will be established in about 100 Nordic locations. The first store opens at Sankt Eriksplan in Stockholm on 18 April. (more…)
Bygghemma goes for exclusive payment solution
Bygghemma has extended its partnership with payments company Svea Ekonomi and now gives them exclusivity for payment solutions in Sweden, Norway and Finland, with the intention of eventually expanding to additional countries. “For us it is important to have a full partner, Svea Ekonomi is flexible and committed and relieve us in our work. Anything […]
Tokmanni prepares for IPO
The Finnish retail chain Tokmanni is now considering listing on the Helsinki Stock Exchange’s main market to raise its profile. (more…)
Per Thelin: ”I completed my job faster than expected”
Stockmann’s resigning CEO Per Thelin says he completed the reorganization the Board hired him to do. But he is ready to continue as an adviser to Stockmann’s management. ”We have now taken all the big stages and completed some. Originally, we estimated that it would take two years, but we have achieved it already,” he tells FNB. […]
ABC-chain gets local customization concept
The ABC chain is renewed, after about 20 service station stores begin to run their operations under the name Lähi ABC! with services targeted primarily to local customers, who are offered easy shopping eating, refueling and continuing connection with the purchase. The rebranded stations are located mainly in urban areas. (more…)
Polarn O. Pyret acquires master franchise business in Finland
Kids premium fashion chain Polarn O. Pyret acquires 51 percent of the shares in Kids Company Oy in Finland. ”We have established a solid plan to increase the number of proprietary stores in the coming years,” says Nanna Hedlund, CEO, Polarn O. Pyret. (more…)
Large volume increase in February’s retail sales
The Finnish retail sales grew by 2.3 per cent year-on-year in February. Especially the grocery trade boosted the numbers by a 4.1 percent increase in volume. (more…)
Restaurants’ area fully leased at REDI
The café and restaurant premises of the REDI shopping and experience centre, which will open at Kalasatama, Helsinki in 2018, announces that the shopping centre’s 38 restaurants, cafés, bars and take-away points, have already been reserved. (more…)
Viking Line launches design store on the baltic sea
Viking Line has opened the Baltic Sea’s first specialty store in design, decor and beauty. ”We hope to bring the concept to our other six ships,” says Eva Rehnström, Purchasing Manager Sales and Beauty at Viking Line. (more…)
Alko to start online sales of all alcoholic beverages
The Finnish state-owned alcohol monopoly-chain Alko will start e-commerce this year. The aim is to offer the full range. “Our customers can use our services precisely in those channels where they want. By bringing our full range for purchase, we can better serve our customers, “says Alko’s business manager Paula Kujansivu. (more…)
Lippulaiva shopping center to expand with metro station
Lippulaiva, in Espoonlahti neighbourhood in Espoo in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area is set for its next phase as Citycon Finland Oy and Lehto Group Oyj have signed a preliminary agreement on a development project. (more…)
K-Citymarket to open bicycle pop-up stores
Three K-citymarkets open bicycle pop-up stores in cooperation with the Suomen Polkupyörätukun . The service is a new type of Finland. Customers at K-citymarket hypermarkets will be able to enjoy a wide array and a number of different bicycle types. Pop-ups in Karisma Lahti, Seinäjoki and Oulu Joupissa Kaakkuri will be open during the season from March to the end of […]
ICA to set up Inkclub for sale?
ICA Group reviews its ownership in inkClub. ”Going forward we see limited synergies with our core business, says Liv Forhaug, Chief Strategy Officer, ICA Group. (more…)
Lakkapää files for Finnish reconstruction and Swedish bankruptcy
Builder’s chain Lakkapää with seven builders and home improvement stores in northern Sweden and Finland have big problems. It has now requested a reconstruction in Finland, while filing for bankruptcy in Sweden to rescue the Finnish operations. (more…)
Clas Ohlson sets new record – ready for Germany opening
Clas Ohlson’s sales increased by 8 percent in February and 7 percent in local currencies during its third financial quarter. The weak Norwegian currency remains a challenge. CEO Klas Balkow is looking forward to opening in Germany this spring. (more…)
Hartwall lost Stockmann power battle
Hartwall Capital proposal to combine the share series of Stockmann Group was voted down at the General meeting. Åbo Akademi Foundation, Karl Wilhelm Stockmann and Niemistö family opposed any proposal and thus supported Konstsamfundet. (more…)
Kesko to reform all K-citymarkets
K-citymarket’s Finnish comprehensive reform has started, all the stores are to be renewed after the local customers wishes by the end of 2018. “The K-citymarket chain reform are utilized by a new way of customer feedback and store-specific customer information. The aim is to make each one of 81 store look unique to its customer base , two K-citymarkets won’t […]
Kesko grew on all areas
Kesko Group’s sales in February 2016 totalled 656.8 million EUR. In comparable terms excluding Anttila, sales increased by 5.6 percent in local currencies. “In February, Kesko’s sales increased in all strategic growth areas: the grocery trade, the building and home improvement trade, and the car trade,” says Kesko’s President and CEO Mikko Helander. (more…)
SLS to switch side in Stockmann battle
The ownership battle of Stockmann looks to turn out in Hartwall’s favor. Now, the third largest owner of Stockmann, The Swedish Literature Society (SLS) makes a turn and announces that it does not see obstacles to a merger of the two share series the company. (more…)
Stockmann lost sales in February
Despite an extra day in February, Stockmann’s sales were down by 2.9 percent in February. Lindex grew by 3.2 percent. (more…)
Citycon to have 75 % of all shopping centers certified
Citycon has launched an extensive project to introduce BREAAM In-Use certification for its shopping centres. So far, a total of 16 shopping centres owned by Citycon and four managed by the company have been granted the BREEAM In-Use certificate. Of these, eight are located in Norway, four in Finland, three in Sweden and one in […]
Lidl to trial extended opening hours for Easter
With new legislations, Lidl experiments with the opening hours in Finland. For Easter, the chain will have more extended opening hours than ever. (more…)
Odd Reitan: ”We’re having fun”
Reitangruppen is more solid than ever. Total turnover in 2015 was 85.6 billion NOK, an increase of 4 billion from 2014. ”Thanks to talented people with strong values and aspirations we have never been better prepared for the future,” says Colonial Major Odd Reitan. (more…)
Stockmann Chairman to resign due to ownership battle
The owner battle of Stockmann continues. The chairman Kaj-Gustaf Bergh is leaving his post – and former CEO of Finnair, Jukka Hienoen, is suggested to suceed him. “It is better that a neutral and independent chairman is chosen,” says Kaj-Gustaf Bergh to Hufvudstadsbladet. (more…)
Qliro-CEO: Adlibris to replace Cdon’s booksales
Adlibris, the leading Nordic online bookstore, has agreed on a partnership with Cdon to sell books via Cdon Marketplace. In connection with the launch of Adlibris as a new marketplace merchant, Cdon will phase out its own assortment of books and instead sell Adlibris’s assortment through the marketplace. (more…)
Myyrmanni to get a new S-market
The upgrade of the Myyrmanni shopping center is ready to be presented. A new S-market, a modernized restaurant and café offering and new establishments from Jysk and Seppälä are the news. (more…)
Qliro recruits new CEO from Dustin
Qliro Group has found its successor to Paul Fischbein. Marcus Lindqvist has been appointed CEO and assumes his new role in August 2016 at the latest. His most recent role was Head of B2B Sweden & Products at Dustin. Prior to Dustin, he served as Country Manager for Sweden at Hewlett Packard’s PC division, as well […]
He is recruited to lift Indiska’s online sales
Crisis chain Indiska makes an effort to increase the company’s e-commerce. Now the fashion company recruits Niclas Hemminger from Consortio Fashion Group as Head of Indiska’s online expansion. (more…)
She is Kicks’ new Nordic marketing director
Cosmetics chain Kicks recruits Gina Azaric as Nordic Director of Brand, Marketing and E-commerce. (more…)
New buildingware CEO a one-year-solution
DT Group, the largest buildingware retail actor in the Nordics, has a new President, the Stark-CEO Søren P Olesen. But only for the next 12 months. “As Søren P. Olesen must hold two major CEO positions over the next year, our owner Wolseley will wait before they make the position permanent,” says CFO Søren Strøm. (more…)
Iso Omena to open international restaurant complex
Espoo shopping center Iso Omena west of Helsinki introduces a new restaurant complex and café offers to go with the new Finnkino cinema. It is said to be unique among Finnish shopping centers. “Iso Omena restaurant supply will rise to international level”, says Citycon’s property development director Risto Seppo. (more…)
ABC petrol stations launches unique app-payment
S-Group launches a world unique solution for the ABC-stations in Finland. Car drivers will be able to pay for a refill of fuel through their phones – without leaving the car. (more…)
XXL to enter Austria next year
XXL is ready for new markets. Most likely with an establishment in Austria next year. But the sporting goods chain also looks at full coverage in the Nordic region. “XXL has mapped the Danish market,” says CEO Fredrik Steenbuch. (more…)
Citycon to sell off Baltic shopping centre
Finnish based shopping center company Citycon has signed an agreement to sell the Magistral shopping centre in Tallinn, Estonia, to the Baltic commercial property fund EfTEN Kinnisvarafond II AS. The purchase price is 24 million EUR. “This divestment is in line with Citycon’s strategy to focus on urban, grocery-anchored shopping centres in the Nordics and […]
Kesko has Finland’s most trusted brands
Kesko has a strong hand of store brands – in a new survey, K-rauta, Intersport and Asko was by far the most trusted brands in each category in Finland. (more…)
Clas Ohlson suffers from Norwegian currency
Clas Ohlson increased its sales in local currencies in January by 3 percent, all Nordic markets shows a positive development but Norwegian currency results in a total decrease of sales. (more…)
Anttila returns to old premises
Anttila is opening new stores again – and returns to the old address in Turku. ”We are very happy to meet our customers in Turku again,” says Marita Lemine, Anntila Oy. (more…)
Citycon expands organisation with eight new employees
After the acquisition of the Norwegian Sektor in July 2015 Citycon is now announcing that it employs eight people, including three operation engineers and a property technician in order to build its own operating organization. In addition, Citycon strengthens its Swedish organization with four specialists, all based in Kista. Joel Bjerking, formerly JLL, has been appointed […]
Verkkokauppa.com grew by 25% – need a new warehouse
Finland’s leading e-commerce actor – Verkkokauppa.com grew significantly during 2015. Revenues increased by 25 percent to 67.0 million Euros. But in two years – the company needs to leave its successful Helsinki premises. (more…)
Orkla to close down half of all factories
It’s not just the chips factory in Åland that is in danger. Orkla wants to half the number of its 104 factories. (more…)
Citycon grew with Sektor-aquisition during 2015
Nordic shopping center giant Citycon’s revenues increased significantly during 2015 after the aquisition of Norwegian Sektor. Like-for-like, the net rental income increased by 1.1 percent. Sweden and Norway were the strongest markets. (more…)
”An attempt to hijack Stockmann”
A power struggle has emerged within Stockmann. According to the KSF-owned Hufvudstadsbladet, largest shareholder Hartwall wants to combine the share series and thus reduce the Finnish-Swedish interests of power in Stockmann. Stockmann’s and KSF’s Chairman Kaj-Gustaf Bergh says it’s an attempt to hijack the company. (more…)
Kesko joins ICA for international home and specialty goods sourcing
Kesko partners up with Swedish ICA’s international ICA Global Sourcing (IGS) in international purchasing for Kesko’s home and speciality goods trade, to an extent of which is unprecedented in the history of Kesko. The strategy is to achieve a more diverse selection of home and speciality goods available at K-food stores. The key objective of the sourcing cooperation mainly from […]
Kesko to extend bread deliveries to Sundays
Finland’s largest bakery companies Vaasa and Fazer start delivering fresh-baked bread to grocery stores on Sundays. Sunday has so far been the only day when the shops do not have bread delivered, and only some of the K-citymarket hypermarkets have own bakeries in operation on Sundays. The background of the Sunday delivery is the release of opening hours, which has increased the […]
Volt recruits country manager from Stockmann
The Varner Group’s young menswear fashion chain Volt has appointed new country managers in Sweden and Finland. For the premiere in Finland this year, Volt has recruited Erika Ahlberg from Stockmann. (more…)