PLUS
PLUS is a Dutch cooperative supermarket brand operated by independent member-entrepreneurs of De Sperwer.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
PLUS is a Dutch supermarket chain and retail formula operated within the De Sperwer cooperative. Its stores are run by independent entrepreneurs who are members of De Sperwer, while PLUS Holding B.V. licenses the PLUS formula and supports the network through national branding, purchasing, logistics and marketing. The organization is headquartered in Utrecht and serves the Netherlands through a nationwide store network. The PLUS formula was introduced in 1988 under the name Plusmarkt, replacing De Sperwer's earlier 4 = 6 supermarket format. The brand was shortened and repositioned as PLUS in 2001. This change established the name used by the chain today and supported a more unified national identity while retaining the cooperative model in which local entrepreneurs operate individual stores. PLUS expanded through acquisitions and conversions as well as organic development. In 2006, De Sperwer participated with Sligro in the acquisition of 80 Edah branches from Laurus; those stores were subsequently converted to the PLUS format. The cooperative later explored further consolidation opportunities, including unsuccessful attempts to acquire Super de Boer in 2009 and Emté in 2018. Online grocery shopping, including home delivery and collection from participating stores, was introduced at selected branches in 2015. A major strategic turning point came with the combination of PLUS and Coop. The two chains announced an agreement in September 2021, received approval in December 2021, and completed the merger in early 2022. The combined organization retained the PLUS name, with Coop's brand scheduled to disappear as stores were converted. The conversion process continued over several years, with the remaining Coop stores expected to be migrated to PLUS by 2024. This transaction increased the scale of the PLUS network and strengthened its position in the competitive Dutch grocery market. The brand operates through a cooperative and licensed model rather than as a conventional centrally owned supermarket estate. According to the cited reference material, 259 members operated 270 stores across the Netherlands, and the organization maintained three national and three regional distribution centres. De Sperwer also participates in Superunie, a Dutch purchasing cooperative whose collective buying power supports member retailers. PLUS competes through a combination of local entrepreneurship and national coordination. Individual store operators provide local management and customer relationships, while the central organization supplies the common brand, promotional activity, formula standards, procurement support and logistics. Its commercial proposition spans everyday groceries, fresh food, bakery, meat, wine, household goods and other supermarket categories. The chain has also emphasized customer service and corporate social responsibility: it received strong results in MarketResponse and GfK surveys, including recognition for customer friendliness and high rankings in meat, bread, wine and corporate social responsibility categories. The brand's public profile is primarily domestic. It is a significant Dutch grocery retailer, but it does not have the broad international recognition or overseas retail footprint associated with multinational supermarket groups. Its current identity remains closely connected to De Sperwer's cooperative structure and to the post-merger integration of the former Coop network.
History
PLUS developed from De Sperwer's cooperative supermarket activities in the Netherlands. In 1988, De Sperwer introduced the Plusmarkt formula to replace its earlier 4 = 6 supermarket format. The formula created a common retail identity for stores operated by independent entrepreneurs who were members of the cooperative. In 2001, Plusmarkt was renamed PLUS, establishing the shorter brand name that remains in use. The chain's growth included both store conversions and attempted consolidation. In 2006, De Sperwer joined Sligro in acquiring 80 Edah branches from Laurus. The acquired locations were converted to the PLUS format, expanding the chain's presence and increasing the practical value of its national formula. De Sperwer also sought additional acquisitions: attempts to take over Super de Boer in 2009 and Emté in 2018 were unsuccessful. PLUS began introducing digital grocery services in 2015. Participating stores offered online ordering with either home delivery or collection from a store. The model reflected the chain's broader operating structure: the central organization could provide a common platform and service proposition while local entrepreneurs remained responsible for individual stores. The most consequential recent development was the merger with Coop. On 6 September 2021, the two supermarket chains announced that they had reached an agreement to combine their activities. The transaction was approved in December 2021 and the combined organization became operational in early 2022. The parties chose PLUS as the continuing consumer brand, meaning Coop stores would progressively be converted and the Coop name would disappear from the retail network. The conversion process extended through the following years and was expected to be completed by 2024. The post-merger organization continued to operate through De Sperwer's cooperative structure. The reference material describes 259 member-entrepreneurs operating 270 PLUS stores in the Netherlands. PLUS Holding B.V. licenses the formula to those members and coordinates national marketing. The organization also operates three national and three regional distribution centres. Its membership of Superunie gives the group access to cooperative purchasing arrangements and greater buying power than individual local retailers could achieve alone. PLUS has built its reputation around a combination of local ownership, everyday grocery convenience and centrally supported quality and service standards. Its assortment includes fresh food, bakery, meat, wine, packaged groceries, beverages, frozen products and household goods. The brand has received positive results in Dutch customer and supermarket surveys. MarketResponse named PLUS the Netherlands' most customer-friendly company in 2013 and the most customer-friendly supermarket in 2018 and 2019. GfK surveys also placed PLUS highest among Dutch supermarkets in several category and corporate-social-responsibility rankings, including meat from 2017 through 2019, bread in 2019, corporate social responsibility from 2015 through 2019, and wine from 2013 through 2018. PLUS remains primarily a Netherlands-focused retail brand. Its central organization provides the common name, formula, marketing and supply-chain infrastructure, while independent cooperative members operate the stores and maintain local commercial responsibility.
- 2024
Planned completion of Coop store conversions
[1]The conversion of Coop stores to the PLUS format was expected to be completed by 2024.
- 2022
PLUS-Coop combination completed
[1]The merger became operational in early 2022, beginning a multi-year conversion of Coop stores to PLUS.
- 2021
PLUS and Coop merger announced
[1]The two Dutch supermarket chains announced an agreement to merge, with PLUS selected as the continuing brand.
- 2015
Online grocery service introduced
[1]Selected PLUS stores began offering online shopping with home delivery or in-store collection.
- 2013
Customer-service recognition
[1]MarketResponse identified PLUS as the most customer-friendly company in the Netherlands in its survey.
- 2006
Edah branches converted to PLUS
[1]De Sperwer and Sligro acquired 80 Edah branches from Laurus and converted them to the PLUS format.
- 2001
Plusmarkt renamed PLUS
[1]The supermarket formula adopted the shorter PLUS brand name.
- 1988
Plusmarkt formula introduced
[1]De Sperwer introduced Plusmarkt as the successor to its 4 = 6 supermarket format.
Products and positioning
A locally operated Dutch supermarket network combining independent entrepreneurs with a nationally coordinated retail formula, purchasing structure, logistics system and marketing program.
Supermarket retail · 1988
PLUS supermarkets
The core PLUS offering is a network of Dutch supermarkets operated by independent entrepreneurs who belong to the De Sperwer cooperative. Stores provide a full everyday-grocery assortment, including fresh produce, bakery, meat, dairy, packaged food, beverages, frozen goods, household products and personal-care items. Store size, local assortment and service details can vary by location, while the PLUS name, visual identity, national promotions and core retail formula are centrally supported.
Online grocery retail · 2015
PLUS online grocery
PLUS introduced online grocery shopping at selected branches in 2015. Customers could place orders digitally and choose between home delivery and collection at a participating store. The service extends the supermarket proposition beyond physical stores, although availability and fulfillment arrangements are determined by the participating PLUS locations and the chain's operating infrastructure.
Brand decisions
2021
Merge with CoopM&ABackground
PLUS and Coop sought to combine their Dutch supermarket operations in a consolidating grocery market.
Action taken
The parties announced the agreement in September 2021. Following approval in December 2021, the combination was completed in early 2022, with PLUS retained as the consumer-facing name.
Aftermath
Coop stores were progressively converted to PLUS stores, with the conversion process expected to conclude by 2024. The merger expanded the scale of the PLUS network.
2015
Introduce online grocery orderingStrategyBackground
Dutch grocery shopping was increasingly incorporating digital ordering and alternative fulfillment methods.
Action taken
Selected PLUS branches introduced online shopping with home delivery or collection at a store.
Aftermath
The initiative added digital fulfillment options to the physical supermarket network.
Recent events
- 2022
PLUS completes the combination with Coop[2]
M&A
The planned combination of PLUS and Coop was completed in 2022. The enlarged group began a multi-year process of converting former Coop stores and integrating operations under the PLUS banner.
- 2021
PLUS and Coop agree to merge[1]
M&A
PLUS and Coop announced an agreement to combine their supermarket operations. The parties said the enlarged organization would continue under the PLUS name and that the Coop brand would be phased out.
- 2021
Merger approval and integration of Coop stores[1]
M&A
The PLUS-Coop combination was approved in December 2021 and completed in early 2022. Store conversions continued afterward, with the network expected to complete the transition from Coop to PLUS by 2024.
- 2021
PLUS and Coop announce a proposed merger[2]
M&A
PLUS and Coop announced plans to combine their Dutch supermarket businesses, subject to approval by the relevant authorities. The stated rationale included creating a stronger national cooperative retailer and gaining scale in purchasing, logistics and digital retail.
Sources6 sources
- 1PLUS (Dutch supermarket)en.wikipedia.org
- 2PLUS completes the combination with Coopplus.nl
- 3智加科技完成新一轮2亿美元融资，加速推进自动驾驶重卡的全球商业化落地finance.sina.com.cn
- 4重卡自动驾驶公司智加科技完成总计4.2亿美元新一轮融资finance.sina.com.cn
- 5Nabis Announces Exclusive Partnership with PLUS to Distribute All THC Products in Californiaprnewswire.com
- 6WBG集团献议以53亿 收购南北大道公司 | 国内orientaldaily.com.my
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