Alfa-Beta Vassilopoulos (Άλφα-Βήτα Βασιλόπουλος) or simply AB is a supermarket chain based in Greece owned by Dutch multinational Ahold Delhaize.[2]
History
The company was established in 1939 in Athens, Greece, when brothers Gerasimos and Haralambos Vassilopoulos opened a small grocery shop, on Voulis Street, in downtown Athens. A few years later, they opened a second, larger shop on Stadiou Street, in Athens.
In 1969, Alfa-Beta Vassilopoulos S.A. was formed by Gerasimos & Haralambos Vasilopoulos and Haralambos Poriazis.
In 1970, the first 'real' supermarket was established in the Faros area of Psychiko, Athens. By 1989, AB had opened nine supermarkets in the greater Athens area.
In 1991, AB was listed on the Athens Stock Exchange. In the same year, the first AB MEGA supermarket was opened, in the area of Hellinikon, close to the old Athens Hellinikon International Airport.