Rema 1000

Rema 1000 is a Norwegian-origin discount grocery retail brand owned entirely by REITAN. Its name derives from “Reitan Mat,” meaning Reitan Food, while “1000” refers to the approximately one-thousand-item assortment around which the original concept was built. The chain was founded by Odd Reitan, who opened the first Rema store in Trondheim on 15 February 1979 after studying the hard-discount model used by German retailers including Aldi. The early ambition was to adapt that format to Norwegian shopping habits and market conditions. The first stores initially used the name Rema 600, reflecting an assortment of roughly 500 to 600 products. The concept was deliberately narrow: by buying large volumes of a limited selection, stores could keep purchasing and operating costs low and pass some of those savings to customers. The third store, opened in Mo i Rana on 8 May 1980, demonstrated the commercial potential of a range of approximately 1,000 products and helped establish the Rema 1000 name. Although the chain later expanded its assortment to more than 2,500 products, the original numerical name was retained as a central part of the brand identity. Rema 1000 operates primarily through a franchised discount model. Stores are run by semi-independent franchisees under common brand, purchasing, operating, and merchandising principles. This structure combines centralized scale with local store ownership and management. The format emphasizes low prices, operational simplicity, and a limited range of everyday groceries rather than an extensive supermarket assortment. The chain’s Norwegian slogan, “Det enkle er ofte det beste,” translates as “The simple is often the best” and expresses its core positioning. The physical environment is intentionally functional. Stores generally avoid expensive decorative design, and merchandise may be displayed in crates, cartons, or on pallets to reduce handling and presentation costs. At the same time, the format seeks to make shopping straightforward through broad aisles, clear signs, and a relatively uncomplicated store layout. Simplicity is therefore presented not merely as a cost-cutting measure but as a customer benefit: shoppers are expected to find common products quickly and understand the offer without navigating a highly elaborate supermarket environment. By the end of 2016, the chain had 868 stores across Norway and Denmark. In the same year, it was reported to account for 24.2% of total Norwegian grocery-sector revenue, placing it ahead of its closest rival, Kiwi, on that measure. Rema 1000 has also developed a substantial presence in Denmark, where a July 2023 YouGov poll identified it as the country’s preferred supermarket. In August 2023, Danish authorities approved REITAN’s acquisition of 114 Aldi stores in Denmark, a transaction intended to expand the group’s Danish retail footprint, although the available reference material does not specify the subsequent conversion timetable or final number of affected Rema 1000 stores. The brand has also made selected commitments concerning animal welfare. In April 2010, it announced that it would stop selling eggs from caged hens by 2012, coinciding with the scheduled European Union prohibition on conventional battery cages. In Norway, the retailer adopted higher-welfare standards for broiler chickens in line with the Better Chicken Commitment, ahead of the initiative’s 2026 deadline. These measures form part of the brand’s broader relationship with food sourcing, although Rema 1000 remains principally positioned around value, simplicity, and accessible grocery shopping. Rema 1000 celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary in 2004. Today it remains a major discount grocery brand within the REITAN group, with its best-established operations in Norway and Denmark. Its distinctive proposition continues to rest on a limited and carefully managed product range, franchise-led stores, low operating complexity, and a highly recognizable value-oriented re…

Rema 1000 developed from Odd Reitan’s effort to bring the German hard-discount grocery model to Norway. Reitan and his associates had observed the success of Aldi and sought to adapt its principles to local conditions: a tightly controlled product range, high purchasing volumes, limited store decoration, and low operating costs. The first Rema shop opened in Trondheim on 15 February 1979. Early locations were sometimes called Rema 600 because they carried roughly 500 to 600 product lines. The initial assortment proved too narrow for the market. A key turning point came with the third store, opened in Mo i Rana on 8 May 1980, where a range of about 1,000 products achieved stronger commercial results. This experience established the Rema 1000 name and the basic proposition that would define the chain. The number in the name later ceased to describe the complete assortment literally, as the range grew beyond 2,500 products, but it remained an important marker of the brand’s origins and discount identity. The chain’s operating model became based on franchising. Semi-independent store owners operate under the Rema 1000 name while benefiting from the group’s purchasing scale, systems, brand standards, and format. This approach gives local operators responsibility for store performance while preserving a consistent national and cross-border retail concept. The format concentrates on high-volume everyday goods and avoids the cost associated with extensive product variety or elaborate store design. Rema 1000’s stores are designed around functional simplicity. Products can be presented in cartons, crates, or pallets, reducing handling and merchandising expense. Wide aisles and clear information signs are used to offset the austerity of the format and make the customer journey relatively direct. The slogan “Det enkle er ofte det beste,” or “The simple is often the best,” summarizes this philosophy. Expansion made Rema 1000 a major Norwegian grocery operator and took the chain into Denmark. By the end of 2016, it had 868 stores across the two countries. It was also reported to hold 24.2% of Norwegian grocery-sector revenue in 2016, ahead of Kiwi. The chain’s Danish position continued to attract attention: a July 2023 YouGov poll named it the country’s preferred supermarket. In August 2023, the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority approved REITAN’s acquisition of 114 Aldi stores, creating an important opportunity for further Danish expansion. The brand’s development has also included sourcing and animal-welfare initiatives. In April 2010, Rema 1000 committed to ending sales of eggs from caged hens by 2012, matching the timing of an EU-wide battery-cage prohibition. In Norway, it adopted higher welfare standards for broiler chickens under the Better Chicken Commitment before the initiative’s 2026 deadline. These actions sit alongside the retailer’s core commercial proposition of accessible pricing and operational efficiency. Rema 1000 celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary in 2004. It remains wholly owned by REITAN and continues to operate as a discount grocery brand, primarily in Norway and Denmark. Its enduring identity is built on franchise entrepreneurship, a deliberately uncomplicated shopping environment, a managed assortment of everyday products, and the belief that lower complexity can support both lower costs and a clearer customer experience.

1. 2023Approval for acquisition of Aldi stores in Denmark

   The Danish Competition and Consumer Authority approved REITAN’s acquisition of 114 Aldi stores in August.

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2. 2016Network reaches 868 stores across Norway and Denmark

   By the end of 2016, Rema 1000 had 868 stores in Norway and Denmark and was reported to hold 24.2% of Norwegian grocery-sector revenue.

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3. 2010Caged-egg phaseout announced

   The chain announced that it would stop selling eggs from caged hens by 2012.

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4. 2004Twenty-fifth anniversary

   Rema 1000 marked twenty-five years since its founding.

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5. 1980The 1,000-product concept establishes the Rema 1000 name

   The third store, opened in Mo i Rana on 8 May, demonstrated the appeal of an assortment of approximately 1,000 products and helped establish the Rema 1000 brand.

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6. 1979First Rema store opens in Trondheim

   Odd Reitan opened the first Rema store in Trondheim on 15 February, beginning the Norwegian discount-grocery chain.

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A simple, low-cost, no-frills grocery chain focused on everyday value, operational efficiency, a curated assortment, and convenient neighborhood shopping.

• Everyday grocery assortmentGrocery retail1979

  Rema 1000’s core offer consists of frequently purchased food and household necessities, including pantry staples, dairy, bakery goods, fresh produce, meat, poultry, frozen foods, and beverages. The assortment is intentionally more limited than that of a full-range supermarket, allowing the chain to buy in volume and simplify store operations. Although the original concept centered on approximately 1,000 products, the range later expanded beyond 2,500 items.

• Private-label and value-oriented productsGrocery retail

  The discount format relies on value-oriented grocery products sold within a tightly managed assortment. The available reference material does not identify a complete set of named private-label ranges, but the commercial role of these products is to provide everyday food and household options at accessible prices while supporting centralized purchasing and efficient store replenishment.

• 2023Expansion through acquisition of Aldi stores in DenmarkM&A

  REITAN sought to expand its Danish discount-grocery presence through the acquisition of existing Aldi locations.

  What changed. The Danish Competition and Consumer Authority approved REITAN’s acquisition of 114 Aldi stores in August 2023.

  Aftermath. The approval cleared the transaction from a Danish competition-regulatory perspective. The available reference material does not provide details on store conversions or the final operational outcome.

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• 2010Commitment to eliminate eggs from caged hensStrategy

  The chain’s egg policy was announced ahead of the scheduled European Union prohibition on conventional battery cages.

  What changed. Rema 1000 decided to stop selling eggs from caged hens by 2012.

  Aftermath. The decision aligned the retailer’s stated assortment policy with the forthcoming EU cage prohibition.

  Source

• 2023Danish authorities approve REITAN acquisition of 114 Aldi stores

  The Danish Competition and Consumer Authority approved REITAN’s acquisition of 114 Aldi stores in Denmark, supporting expansion of the group’s Danish discount-grocery presence.

  M&ARegulation
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• 2023Rema 1000 identified as Denmark’s preferred supermarket in a YouGov poll

  A YouGov poll reported in July 2023 identified Rema 1000 as the preferred supermarket in Denmark.

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• 2010Rema 1000 announces transition away from eggs from caged hens

  Rema 1000 announced that it would stop selling eggs from caged hens by 2012, in line with the scheduled European Union prohibition on conventional battery cages.

  RegulationOther
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• 2004Rema 1000 marks its twenty-fifth anniversary

  The chain celebrated twenty-five years since Odd Reitan opened the first Rema store in Trondheim in 1979.

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1. Rema 1000