– We have fished slightly touched water, says Tom Christiansen, director of Rema 1000 Norway.
When it became known that Coop would buy Ica Norway, which also owns retail supermarket, put Rema 1000 in a small demand. CEO and owner of Rema 1000, Ole Robert Reitan, was both angry and disappointed when Coop ran off with Ica.
Monday this week completed Coop acquisition and has now formally taken over the shares of Ica Sweden.
Reitan said that Ica was his large, wet dream. When the Competition Authority approved the acquisition, it was determined that Bunnpris would get buy 43 of its stores and Norway, which owns Kiwi, Menu and Save were able to purchase 50.
Reitan got none, something he was not particularly excited about . Now he has instead taken the shortcut, and secured a number of shops under the nose of Coop. The method? Intercept ICA and Rimi stores leases.
Rema 1000 went systematic approach to the topic, and contacted landlords to stores they might be interested in. They got a number button.
20s stores
– It is a fighting about rent contracts constantly. But it is clear that we saw there was some uncertainty about these stores in conjunction with Coop’s acquisition of Ica, Kristiansen says.
– How many retail premises are we talking about?
– It is part contracts, around a 20-odd stores primarily in eastern Norway, Kristiansen says.
Many of rent agreements have a clause in connection with the sale of company. If a company is sold, says the landlord is free to terminate the contract with the company. It is this Rema has used.
Landlords uncertain Coop
– In addition to that we have made contact with a number of landlords, there are also some landlords who have made contact with us, Kristiansen says.
One of the reasons that Coop was willing to pay dearly for Ica, all shops Ica Eastern Norway. Coop on its side, its weakest area here, with few shops. There they hoped to do something when all Rimi, Ica and Matkroken stores would get various Coop signs on them.
That Coop also is weak in eastern also means that many landlords are uncertain what it means having a Coop store in their farm.
Also Norway Group has new shops
When was way short of an inquiry to one of your competitors. Aftenposten have confirmed that Norway, which owns Kiwi, Menu and Spar, has received several new leases.
– We think it’s nice that landlords would rather have Rema 1000 than Coop in his farm, said Kristiansen Aftenposten and laughs.
When the various stores end up Rema signs, is uncertain. First sales are approved and new leases written.
– Some have a very short deal, others will take one to two to three years before we can take over, says Rema boss.
– No dear mother
Christian Lykke, owner of Bunnpris, landed in the afternoon in Trondheim after signing the agreement with Coop. Basically he would take over 43 stores. In these hours he turns his own signs up at the new stores, but only 42 of the 43 get Bunnpris signs.
– And it’s some of the 42 I lose a couple of years. There is no dear mother among the gang there, says Luck.
Since this is not totally was the agreement he had seen for himself, he got good discount for those stores that only gets in his pocket a few years.
– It is not just Rema have been looking here. Also Norway group has turned to several shops. It is full battle out there now, put luck.
– Surprising turn
Among the stores Aftenposten have confirmed that shall to Rema’s supermarket, in Oslo, the supermarket Valler and Rimi Bærums Works in Bærum.
– It is true that we know to three shops where Rema has taken over the lease contract, says head of Franchise Association in Ica, Jan Arild Andersen.
He even has a shop in Ica system. Since it is he who owns the farm, he was also one of those who have received an inquiry from Rema.
– This is a surprising turn. Not least for merchants concerned. Who knows how it goes with them now, says Andersen Aftenposten.
– Unusual aggressive manner
He adds that Rema have full opportunity to go to the landlord and negotiate a new agreement but it is an unusual aggressive way to do this now.
– They were very active when the agreement between Coop and Ica became known in the fall and has not only contacted those who have a short time left on the leash, but Also landlords where it remains four to five years of the contract, says Andersen.
– We have been informed that Rema 1000 has worked actively to obtain stores, so it is nothing new for us, says communications director Kristin Paus Coop.
She adds that today, Monday, taking over 440 stores and that is what they are happy with. At twenty stores goes to arch rival Rema 1000, worries her.
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