Salling Group
A Danish retail group operating supermarkets, hypermarkets, discount stores, department stores, and franchise food-service locations.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Salling Group is one of Denmark's largest retail businesses and the successor to the organization historically known as Dansk Supermarked. Its roots reach back to the Salling department store established by Ferdinand Salling in 1906. Under his son Herman Salling, the business shifted from a traditional department-store base toward modern food retail, combining supermarkets, hypermarkets, and discount formats. That transformation produced several of the best-known retail chains in Denmark, including føtex, Bilka, Netto, and Salling. The company's first major modern-retail step came in 1960, when Herman Salling opened the first føtex supermarket through Jysk Supermarket. The format combined groceries with textiles and other household merchandise under one roof, introducing a new type of store to the Danish market. In 1964, the business brought in A.P. Møller as a partner and adopted the Dansk Supermarked name. The partnership supplied capital for expansion while leaving the Salling family central to the company's development. Bilka followed in 1970. Inspired partly by hypermarket developments in West Germany, the first Bilka opened in Tilst near Aarhus and offered a large-scale, price-oriented shopping experience. In 1981, the group launched Netto in Denmark, adding a compact discount format that later became its principal international vehicle. Netto expanded into Germany, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, although the British ventures were ultimately unsuccessful and the Swedish operation was sold to Coop in 2019. The German Netto business began as a joint venture with Edeka; Dansk Supermarked acquired Edeka's remaining stake in 2013. The group has also experimented beyond its core food formats. It created Tøj & Sko, a clothing and footwear chain, in 1981, but closed those stores in 2012. The A-Z non-food format, launched in 1987, was progressively converted into Bilka stores. In 2019, Salling Group acquired selected assets of the bankrupt Top-Toy business, including Danish inventory and rights connected with the BR name, in an effort to revive a physical toy-store presence in Denmark. The transaction did not include Top-Toy's stores or employees. Ownership became fully aligned with the Salling interests after A.P. Møller–Mærsk sold most of its stake in 2014 and the remaining interest was acquired earlier than an initially contemplated 2019 option, at the end of 2017. On 1 June 2018, Dansk Supermarked changed its name to Salling Group, linking the corporate identity more directly to the group's historical owner and founding family. Salling Group's principal Danish brands are Netto, føtex, Bilka, and Salling. It also holds Danish franchise rights for Starbucks and Carl's Jr. Its business ranges from small discount supermarkets to large hypermarkets, department-store retail, and selected restaurants or food-service locations. The group expanded its Baltic presence through the acquisition of Rimi Baltic from ICA Gruppen. The transaction was approved by the European Commission in May 2025 and completed on 2 June 2025. Through this acquisition, Salling Group added operations in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The company's historic scale, broad format portfolio, and strong Danish market position make it a central participant in Nordic grocery retail.
History
Salling Group developed from a department-store business founded by Ferdinand Salling in 1906. The original Salling enterprise was later organized as F. Salling A/S. After Ferdinand Salling's death in 1953, his son Herman Salling assumed leadership and began reshaping the company around modern retail formats. Herman Salling looked internationally for ideas and investment. In 1960, through Jysk Supermarket, he opened the first føtex store. The concept combined groceries and textiles in one location and represented a significant departure from the traditional Danish shopping model. In 1964, A.P. Møller acquired a 50 percent interest, and Jysk Supermarket was renamed Danish Supermarket A/S, later known in English as Dansk Supermarked. The group introduced Bilka in 1970, opening its first store in Tilst near Aarhus. The format drew on the emerging West German hypermarket model and emphasized large premises, extensive choice, and low prices. Bilka's opening attracted exceptionally high customer traffic and established the group as a major force in Danish large-format retail. Netto was launched in Denmark in 1981. Unlike the larger Bilka and føtex formats, Netto concentrated on discount grocery retail. It later became the group's only brand to expand materially outside Denmark. Netto entered Germany in 1990 as a joint venture with Edeka, while the British operation began in the same year. The German business became wholly owned by Dansk Supermarked in 2013 after the acquisition of Edeka's minority stake. The first British operation was sold to Asda in 2010, but Salling Group later attempted a relaunch through a 50:50 partnership with Sainsbury's in 2014. That cooperation ended in 2016. Netto also entered Sweden in 2002 through a partnership with ICA. Dansk Supermarked eventually became the controlling shareholder, but the Swedish stores were sold to Coop in July 2019. Other non-food initiatives included Tøj & Sko, founded in 1981 and closed in 2012, and A-Z, launched in 1987 and later converted into Bilka locations. The ownership structure changed substantially in the 2010s. In 2014, A.P. Møller–Mærsk announced the sale of a 48.68 percent stake to F. Salling Invest and F. Salling Holding. The Salling interests subsequently acquired the remaining Mærsk stake at the end of 2017. On 1 June 2018, Dansk Supermarked adopted the Salling Group name. In January 2019, Salling Group acquired selected Top-Toy assets connected with the BR brand after Top-Toy's bankruptcy. The deal covered Danish inventory and brand rights, but not the former stores or workforce. In 2025, Salling Group expanded its geographic footprint again by acquiring Rimi Baltic from ICA Gruppen. The transaction was approved by the European Commission on 5 May 2025 and completed on 2 June 2025. The acquisition added retail operations in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to the group's existing Danish, German, and Polish activities. Today, Salling Group's portfolio centers on Netto, føtex, Bilka, and Salling. It additionally operates Danish franchise businesses for Starbucks and Carl's Jr. The group combines a dominant Danish retail presence with selective international expansion, particularly through discount and supermarket operations.
- 2025
Rimi Baltic acquisition is completed
[1]Salling Group completes its acquisition of Rimi Baltic on 2 June, entering the Baltic retail markets.
- 2019
Swedish Netto stores are sold
[1]The Swedish business is transferred to Coop Butiker & Stormarknader.
- 2018
Dansk Supermarked becomes Salling Group
[1]The corporate group adopts the Salling Group name on 1 June.
- 2014
Mærsk begins selling its ownership interest
[1]A.P. Møller–Mærsk announces the sale of a 48.68 percent stake to the Salling Companies.
- 2013
Dansk Supermarked takes full control of German Netto
[1]Dansk Supermarked acquires Edeka's remaining minority stake in the German Netto joint venture.
- 2002
Netto enters Sweden
[1]The Swedish operation is established through a joint venture with ICA.
- 1990
Netto enters Germany and the United Kingdom
[1]Netto begins international expansion through German and British operations.
- 1987
A-Z non-food format launches
[1]The group creates A-Z as a non-food retail format; its stores are later rebranded as Bilka locations.
- 1981
Netto and Tøj & Sko are introduced
[1]Salling Group launches the Netto discount chain and the Tøj & Sko clothing and footwear business.
- 1970
Bilka launches
[1]The first Bilka hypermarket opens in Tilst near Aarhus, introducing a large-scale discount-oriented retail format to Denmark.
Products and positioning
A multi-format mass-market retailer combining discount grocery, full-service supermarkets, hypermarkets, department stores, and selected franchise food-service operations. Its Danish portfolio spans value-focused shopping through broader one-stop retail, while Netto and Rimi provide international reach.
Discount supermarket · 1981
Netto
Netto is Salling Group's discount grocery chain. Launched in Denmark in 1981, it focuses on competitively priced food, beverages, household products, and selected non-food merchandise. The chain became the group's principal international vehicle, with operations established in Germany, Poland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom at different times. The Swedish and British operations were later exited, while Netto remains an important part of the group's Danish and selected international portfolio.
Supermarket · 1960
føtex
føtex is a Danish supermarket format launched in 1960. Its original proposition combined groceries and textiles in a single store, and the chain has continued to operate as a broader supermarket format than a pure discount retailer. Typical assortments include fresh and packaged food, beverages, household products, personal care, and selected apparel or general merchandise.
Hypermarket · 1970
Bilka
Bilka is Salling Group's large-format hypermarket chain. Its stores offer extensive food and grocery ranges alongside household goods, apparel, consumer merchandise, and seasonal products. The first Bilka opened in Tilst in 1970, inspired in part by hypermarket developments in West Germany. The format is designed for broad, one-stop shopping and price-conscious customers.
Department store · 1906
Salling
Salling is the department-store brand that gives the group its name and traces its heritage to the original Salling business founded in 1906. It represents the group's department-store activity and offers a broad assortment spanning fashion, beauty, home, lifestyle, and selected food or specialty categories.
Supermarket and grocery retail
Rimi Baltic
Rimi Baltic is the retail business acquired from ICA Gruppen in 2025. It operates grocery stores in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, giving Salling Group its first established retail platform in the Baltic states. The acquisition broadened the group's international presence beyond its earlier Danish, German, and Polish operations.
Food-service franchise
Starbucks franchise operations
Salling Group holds franchise rights for Starbucks in Denmark. These locations extend the group's activities beyond conventional grocery and department-store retail into branded coffee and food-service operations.
Food-service franchise
Carl's Jr. franchise operations
Salling Group also holds Danish franchise rights for Carl's Jr., operating a branded quick-service restaurant business alongside its retail formats.
Toy retail
BR
BR is a Danish toy-retail brand whose selected assets and naming rights were acquired by Salling Group from bankrupt Top-Toy in 2019. The agreement covered inventory and rights connected with a possible future store network, but did not include Top-Toy's former stores or employees. The long-term status of the revived format was not established in the cited material.
Marketing campaigns
- 2019Mini Market
Denmark
The Mini Market promotion offered miniature replicas of grocery products, including items resembling toothpaste, eggs, and deodorant. Customers could receive a miniature item after spending more than DKK 100 in participating Salling, føtex, or Bilka stores, while a collection binder was available separately. The promotion became sufficiently popular that its planned end date was brought forward because supplies or demand exceeded expectations.
Outcome. The campaign generated strong customer interest but also criticism over the quantity of plastic used. Salling Group defended the material choice by arguing that durable plastic supported repeated play and that physical toys could encourage activity away from screens.
Brand decisions
2025
Acquisition of Rimi BalticM&ABackground
Salling Group agreed to purchase Rimi Baltic from ICA Gruppen as part of an expansion into the Baltic states.
Action taken
The acquisition was approved by the European Commission on 5 May 2025 and completed on 2 June 2025.
Aftermath
Salling Group added established grocery operations in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to its international portfolio.
Purchase price excluding debt. EUR 1.3 billion (Announced 5 March 2025; transaction completed 2 June 2025)
2019
Selected acquisition of Top-Toy assets and BR rightsM&ABackground
Top-Toy, the company behind BR and Toys "R" Us in Denmark, entered bankruptcy proceedings. Salling Group sought to preserve a Danish physical toy-retail option.
Action taken
Salling Group acquired Top-Toy's entire Danish inventory and rights connected with the BR name and brands. The deal did not include the former stores or employees.
Aftermath
The transaction created the possibility of reopening BR stores, but the cited material did not establish the long-term outcome of the brand.
2018
Corporate rebranding from Dansk Supermarked to Salling GroupStrategyBackground
The group had operated for decades under the Dansk Supermarked name while its best-known consumer brands included Netto, føtex, Bilka, and Salling.
Action taken
On 1 June 2018, the corporate name was changed to Salling Group.
Aftermath
The new name emphasized the group's historical Salling identity while retaining its multi-brand operating model.
2014
Salling Companies acquire most of A.P. Møller–Mærsk's stakeM&ABackground
The retail group had been jointly associated with the Salling interests and A.P. Møller–Mærsk since the 1960s. In 2014, Mærsk announced the sale of a 48.68 percent interest to F. Salling Invest and F. Salling Holding.
Action taken
The Salling Companies purchased the majority stake, with the remaining Mærsk interest subsequently acquired at the end of 2017.
Aftermath
The transaction restored ownership of the group to the Salling interests and preceded the 2018 change from Dansk Supermarked to Salling Group.
Recent events
- 2025
Salling Group agrees to acquire Rimi Baltic[1]
M&A · Other
Salling Group agreed with ICA Gruppen to acquire Rimi Baltic, extending the group into Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The deal received European Commission approval in May and was completed on 2 June 2025.
- 2019
Salling Group announces selected acquisition of Top-Toy assets and BR rights[1]
M&A · Other
Salling Group agreed to acquire selected Danish inventory and rights associated with the BR toy-store brand after Top-Toy entered bankruptcy proceedings. The transaction was intended to support a possible reopening of BR stores but did not include Top-Toy's former stores or employees.
- 2019
Salling Group exits the Swedish Netto market[1]
M&A · Other
The group's Swedish Netto stores were sold to Coop Butiker & Stormarknader, ending Salling Group's operation in Sweden.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/salling-group · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled