EMD Continues to Expand Importance in Cooperation with A-Brand Industry
Wednesday 25 June, 2025 – The international retail alliance EMD is making significant strides in its partnership with the A-brand industry in order to better serve its millions of retail customers.
Based in Pfäffikon, Switzerland, European Marketing Distribution (EMD) has become a leading player in the global trade alliance by harnessing the collective power of its member companies. The latest success in this strategy is the integration of Swedish member Axfood Group, which has been a part of EMD since 1995 and will officially join the EMD Retail Group in 2026.
To clarify, while EMD and its member companies primarily focus on procuring and marketing successful private label products, the Retail Group – comprised of EMD members – also collaborates with leading multinational A-brand manufacturers on cross-border services and marketing concepts.
Axfood Group from Sweden will be working closely with other prominent and successful retail companies from Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany within the Retail Group. These companies include Euromadi Alfa Group, ESD Italia, Superunie, and RTG International. The latter, a German company, boasts a roster of well-known retailers such as Globus, Bartels-Langness, Bünting, Klaas & Kock, Kaes, Netto Nord (Salling Group), Rossmann, and Tegut.
“We work closely with industry partners, whether they supply A-brands or private labels,” said a spokesperson for EMD.
The core tasks for the EMD Retail Group and its newest member Axfood will be to promote and market established and highly sought-after A-brand products, including country-specific innovations and variations, that are essential for customers in international retail. The Retail Group collaborates with some of the most renowned manufacturers in the industry to achieve this goal.
Axfood Group, through its purchasing company Dagab, is a major player in the Swedish market, with a market share of over 25 percent. The group’s distribution network includes over 7,000 stores and partner shops, generating a total turnover of 7 billion euros.
The inclusion of Axfood in the EMD Retail Group further solidifies the strong partnership in the international retail sector. Peter Holm, Vice President at Dagab, expressed his excitement about joining the Retail Group, stating, “We are delighted to join this unique group of retailers who work closely with the international A-brand industry. The cooperative and balanced approach adopted by EMD is in alignment with our vision of building and successfully continuing business with our industry partners.”
Philippe Gruyters, Managing Director of EMD, also expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “Axfood is a highly valued EMD member. With Axfood joining our international on-top business, we can further expand our strong offering in the very dynamic Scandinavian market.”
About EMD:
European Marketing Distribution AG, based in Pfäffikon, Switzerland, has been a trusted partner in the consumer goods industry since 1989. The company specializes in developing and procuring highly efficient and sustainably produced private label concepts for consumers. EMD also supports and implements global partnerships with major brand manufacturers.
Including associate member Lotte from South Korea, EMD member companies in Europe and Asia represent an external retail consumer turnover of approximately 200 billion euros in 16 countries.
The member companies of European Marketing Distribution (EMD) operate in the following markets:
Austria: MARKANT
Netherlands: Superunie
Belgium: Colruyt
Norway: Unil/NorgesGruppen
Czech Republic: MARKANT
Portugal: EuromadiPort
Denmark: Dagrofa
Slovakia: MARKANT
France: Francap
South Korea: Lotte
Germany: RTG International
Spain: Euromadi
Italy: ESD Italia
Sweden: Dagab/Axfood
Luxemburg: Colruyt
Switzerland: MARKANT
In addition to South Korea and Japan, associate member Lotte is also active in the Chinese, Vietnamese, and Indonesian markets.
For further information, please contact:
Donati & Rosmanith
Uwe Rosmanith
Triq ir-Rumani, 3
Xlendi, XLN1431
Malta
Phone: +49 171 9706644
uwe@rosmanith.de
rosmanith@bettercommunications.mt