Spar retailers begin conversion to Hemköp

Spar retailers begin conversion to Hemköp The negotiations on the franchise agreement for the New Hemköp have now been completed. The agreement has been presented to the Spar Group, and individual retailers are now beginning to sign agreements and are making plans ahead of conversion of their stores to the Hemköp chain. "Today we are signing agreements with some ten stores, and several others are lined up," says Anders Nyberg, Executive Vice President and head of Business Development at Axfood. The plan is to convert all Spar stores that want to join the chain in 2005, which will give time to those retailers who have not yet decided. The chain is expected to grow to approximately 200 stores in a few years' time. The "New Hemköp's" customer offering is being gradually refined. The goal is that Hemköp will be Sweden's premiere supermarket chain. Continued strong development of the fresh-product offering is on the agenda, with new ready-made meal and functional food features and very competitive pricing. "We have worked intensively on strengthening Hemköp's platform in recent years, says Nyberg. "On top of our already strong fresh-product profile we have added a new, clean store design and considerably lower prices. We are now focused on growing the Hemköp chain." For further information, please contact: Anders Nyberg, Executive Vice President and head of Business Development, mobile tel. +46-705-27 37 47 Axfood AB is a retail food group comprising the wholly owned store chains Hemköp, Willys and Willys hemma and wholesale operations through Dagab and Axfood Närlivs. Additionally, Axfood works with a large number of independent merchants who are tied to Axfood by franchising or other agreements. In all the Group comprises some 500 stores in Sweden, of which about 220 are wholly or partly owned. Consolidated annual sales are approximately SEK 33 billion, with approximately 8,600 employees. Axfood has approximately 290 stores in Finland, of which 80 are wholly owned and the remainder are operated by independent merchants. Axfood has a market share of 18% in Sweden and approximately 8% in Finland, making it one of the largest, listed retail food groups in the Nordic region. The company is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange 0-List, Attract 40. Axel Johnson AB is the principal owner with approximately 45% of the shares. ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/09/24/20040924BIT20730/wkr0001.pdf The release