Axfood acquires Coop Forum in Motala

Axfood has acquired Coop Forum in Motala and will formally take over the company on 1 September 2005. Coop Forum, which has a turnover of approximately SEK 90 million net, will be converted to a Willys store. The new store will open in November 2005.

The establishment of this latest Willys store also marks Axfood’s first wholly owned store in Motala. “With this acquisition, Axfood is continuing its successful expansion of Willys in Sweden,” says Anders Nyberg, head of business development at Axfood AB. “This acquisition will help create better conditions for both the store and the staff, particularly as the Willys trademark and concept will provide the competitiveness needed for the market in Motala.” The acquisition takes place on 1 September 2005. The store will close on 31 August for rebuilding and will reopen as Willys in November. The staff will become Willys employees as part of the acquisition. Willys is today Sweden’s largest discount food chain, with a wide range of products and a special focus on fresh products such as fruits and vegetables, meats, and dairy products. The stores have an offering of some 7,500 items, covering 95% of consumers’ annual food purchases. Willys offers Sweden’s lowest grocery prices. The main factor behind the low prices is that the stores are run highly efficiently with low overhead. This efficiency is achieved, among other things, through purchases of large volumes by a central purchasing organization. Today the Willys chain has 96 stores in all. One target is to have 120 wholly owned stores by 2008. Axfood also has 45 Willys hemma stores, which is a chain of small discount stores. For further information, please contact: Anders Nyberg, Executive Vice President, Business Development, Axfood AB, +46-705-27 37 47 Kenneth Wall, Press Manager, Axfood AB, +46-703-124 122 Additional information: www.axfood.se