Metro AG is a German multinational company based in Düsseldorf which operates business membership-only cash and carry stores primarily under the Metro brand. Until 2020, it was also active in the general retail business through the Real division, which was sold to an investor consortium.
BILLA is an Austrian supermarket chain that operates in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. The company was founded by Karl Wlaschek in 1953. He sold his controlling interest to Germany's REWE Group in 1996.
Sephora is a French multinational retailer of personal care and beauty products with nearly 340 brands, along with its own private label, Sephora Collection, and includes beauty products such as cosmetics, skincare, body, fragrance, nail color, beauty tools, body lotions and haircare.
MediaMarkt is a German multinational chain of stores selling consumer electronics with over 1000 stores in Europe. With the Saturn chain of stores it constitutes Media-Saturn Holding, owned by the retail company Ceconomy, which was demerged from Metro Group in 2017.
Arcandor AG was a holding company located in Essen, Germany, that oversaw a number of companies operating in the businesses of mail order and internet shopping, department stores and tourism services. It was formed in 1999 by the merger of Karstadt Warenhaus AG, founded in 1920, with Quelle AG, founded in 1927. In 2005, the corporation had about 68,000 employees and annual sales of €15.5 billion. Its stocks were traded on the Mid Cap DAX until September 2009. The company's largest store was Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe) in Berlin, and the largest store operated by Karstadt was in Frankfurt.
CVC Capital Partners is a Luxembourg-based private equity and investment advisory firm with approximately US$155 billion of assets under management and approximately €157 billion in secured commitments since inception across American, European and Asian private equity, secondaries and credit funds. As of 31 December 2021, the funds managed or advised by CVC are invested in more than 100 companies worldwide, employing over 450,000 people in numerous countries. CVC was founded in 1981 and, as of 31 March 2022, has over 650 employees working across its network of 25 offices throughout EMEA, Asia and the Americas.
Douglas Holding was a German retail group based in Düsseldorf which included subsidiaries perfumery chain Douglas GmbH, confectionery chain Hussel, bookstore chain Thalia Buchhandel and women's fashion store chain AppelrathCüpper. After the takeover by financial investor Advent International, Douglas Holding was delisted in 2013 and the conglomerate was gradually split into its individual companies.
Valora is a Swiss retail and food service holding company. The company was acquired on 7 October 2022 by FEMSA.
Jerónimo Martins SGPS, SA (JM) is a Portuguese corporate group that operates in food distribution and specialised retail. It operates more than 4,900 stores in Portugal, Poland, and Colombia.
The REWE Group is a German diversified retail and tourism co-operative group based in Cologne, Germany. The name REWE comes from Revisionsverband der Westkauf-Genossenschaften", meaning "Western Buying Co-operatives Auditing Association".
Deutsche EuroShop AG is an internationally active German real estate investment company headquartered in Hamburg. It is the largest German investor in shopping centers, and the country's only publicly traded company to do so exclusively. At the end of 2021, the firm held investments in 21 properties in Germany, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary.
Superdrug Stores plc is a health and beauty retailer in the United Kingdom, and the second largest behind Boots UK. The company is owned by A.S. Watson Ltd which is part of the A.S. Watson Group. It was acquired as part of the buyout of Kruidvat BV in October 2002. The A.S Watson Group is itself part of the Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings.
The Confiserie Sprüngli is a Swiss luxury confectionery manufacturer and retailer headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland. Founded in 1836 by David Sprüngli it has been an independent company from Lindt & Sprüngli since 1892. Today the company is best known for their Luxembourgerli a form of Macarons. Sprüngli currently operates 35 retail and café locations across Switzerland, Germany, Austria and the United Arab Emirates.
Signa Holding GmbH is Austria’s largest privately owned real estate company. Signa was founded in 2000 by the Tyrolean entrepreneur René Benko. Over the years, it has become a pan-European real estate group with more than 150 employees and offices in Vienna, Innsbruck, Munich, Düsseldorf, Luxembourg, Zurich, Bolzano, Berlin and Hamburg. The principal focus of the group is long-term investment in real estate in prime city centre locations. The firm has also became the biggest owner of malls in Central Europe with over 46.000 employees.
GK Software SE is a technology company headquartered in Schöneck/Vogtland. The company specializes in software and services for the operation of large retail company branches. GK employs about 1,234 individuals at sixteen locations worldwide. The name stands for the initials of the two founders of the company, Rainer Gläß and Stephan Kronmüller. According to the fiscal year 2022 annual report, GK Software achieved revenue of €152.1 million.
Zwilling J. A. Henckels AG is a German knife-maker based in Solingen, Germany. It is one of the largest and oldest manufacturers of kitchen knives for domestic and professional use, having been founded in June 1731 by Peter Henckels. It is also one of the oldest operating companies in the World. The brand's namesake was Johann Abraham Henckels (1771–1850), who renamed the brand after himself under his leadership. J. A. Henckels is one of the leading manufacturers of chef's knives. Since 1970, Zwilling is fully owned by Werhahn KG. The following brands belong to the Zwilling Group: ZWILLING, HENCKELS, Miyabi, BSF, Demeyere, Staub, Fontignac, Ballarini, Flammkraft, and Santos Grills.
Douglas GmbH is a German multinational perfumery and cosmetics chain. Its headquarters are located in Düsseldorf, Germany. The first perfumery to carry the name "Parfümerie Douglas" opened in Hamburg in 1910. Douglas GmbH was part of the Douglas Holding, but since 1 June 2015, 85 percent belong to the financial investor CVC Capital Partners and 15 percent to the Kreke family.
A beauty store, beauty supply store or cosmetics store is a specialty retail business that sells cosmetics, hair-care products and/or beauty tools. The term "beauty store" is often associated with large chains that provide a large-format, glamorous shopping experience whereas "beauty supply store" is associated with smaller, independent retailers.
Läderach is a Swiss chocolate and confectionary manufacturer based in Ennenda (Glarus). It was founded in 1962 in Glarus by Rudolf Läderach (1929–2013). His patent for the process of manufacturing hollow, ready-made chocolate truffles revolutionized the fine chocolate industry. In 2004 Läderach decided to enter the consumer market by acquiring Merkur Confiserie AG, a well-established chocolate retailer. In 2012 the company was further vertically integrated towards end-consumers when it opened its first factory in Bilten in the Alps region. As of 2020 Läderach operates 100 stores in 35 countries.
Gebr. Heinemann SE & Co. KG is a Hamburg-based distributor and retailer in the international travel market.
