Normal (chain store)

Normal is a Danish bargain-priced variety store chain primarily selling shelf-stable food and personal care products by national brands. It was founded by Torben Mouritsen and Bo Kristensen in 2013 with the first store in Silkeborg, Denmark. Its largest markets are Denmark, France, Norway, and Sweden.

Concept

The stores have a maze layout with a course that carries you through all their product categories, leading you to return to the checkouts at the front of the store. Mouritsen calls the chain a hybrid between a grocery store and a personal care store. However, they are not considered a supermarket.

The concept could be compared to Danish variety store chains Flying Tiger and Søstrene Grene as they also offer a large varied selection of products at affordable/competitive prices in stores with a maze layout. However, Flying Tiger has more gimmick products and private-label food/personal care items, and Søstrene Grene has a greater focus on design and lifestyle branding.

According to the founders, about 80% of customers are women. During the chain's lifetime, the director of Bestseller, Anders Holch Povlsen, has invested so much in the chain that he's become the main shareholder with an ownership stake of 71.29% through his own investment company Heartland A/S.

Stores

The first Normal store opened on 6 April 2013 in Silkeborg. There were 9 stores by 2015. On 10 May 2017, the chain announced that it would open its first two stores outside Denmark in Kristiansand, Norway.

The company is based in Skanderborg, Denmark employing 1,972 people. and operating 681 stores (February 2024)

References

• Normal. Berlingske.
• Lauritzen. Discount-supermarked vil fordoble antallet af butikker. Berlingske. 15 January 2016.
• Pedersen. Normal-direktør: Vi har tilsyneladende ramt helt rigtigt. Berlingske. 16 May 2017.
• Espersen. Ung butikskæde slår igen milliardrekord – vil åbne endnu flere butikker. Berlingske. 25 November 2023.
• Mortensen. Normal-kæden udvider med nye butikker i Aarhus. Jyllands-Posten. 23 November 2020.
• Traeholt. Normal buldrer frem - og slår igen milliardrekord. 24 November 2023.

External links

• Official website