Which retail chains in the Baltics and Nordics sell private label, and what do they ask of suppliers?
Most of the large grocery groups do. Rimi Baltic, owned by Denmark's Salling Group, says store brands were 27.2% of its 2024 sales. Across 17 European countries private label held 38.8% of grocery sales in 2025 (PLMA, NielsenIQ). The retailers' supplier terms were not on the pages read; 46 manufacturers listed on NordSourced name IFS or BRCGS certification.
Which retail groups in the Baltics and Nordics run own-brand programmes?
Most of them do. Maxima Grupė manages 47 private-label brands with about 30,000 products, Kesko sells Pirkka and K-Menu, Axfood launched about 270 new private label products in 2025, and Rimi now sells Salling Group's own brands. ESM reported in 2023 that S Group would phase out Rainbow for Coop. Lidl's and Coop Sweden's programmes were not confirmed.
| Group | Countries | Own brands, as published | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rimi Baltic, owned by Salling Group (Denmark) | Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania | 123 Salling private label products added, in dairy, cheese, pasta, biscuits, sweets, flour, cleaning and personal care, plus the Salling ØKO range (Rimi) | 28 October 2025 |
| Maxima Grupė | Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland | 47 private-label brands, about 30,000 products; the umbrella brand Well Done has more than 1,100 products (Maxima) | Undated, read 13 October 2026 |
| Kesko | Finland | Own brands Pirkka and K-Menu, plus Cello (Kesko) | Read 13 October 2026 |
| S Group | Finland | Phasing out Rainbow (over 1,500 products) in favour of Coop; other own brands include Hyvää Suomesta, Kotimaista, Xtra, Änglamark and Herkku (ESM) | 20 November 2023 |
| Axfood | Sweden | About 270 new private label products launched in 2025 (Axfood) | 20 February 2026 |
| ICA Gruppen | Sweden | Private label products that, in its words, "give customers greater value and contribute to a unique range" (ICA Gruppen) | Undated, read 13 October 2026 |
| Lidl | All five countries | Brand pages on its Swedish and Finnish sites, programme not described there; in Lithuania it "began promoting its private brands more often" (Discount Retail Consulting) | 14 May 2021 |
| Coop | Sweden | Not confirmed: the pages read showed navigation only | 13 October 2026 |
How much of their sales do Baltic and Nordic retailers make with own brands?
Between a fifth and more than a quarter, by the retailers' own figures. ESM reported on 15 May 2025 that at Rimi Baltic "store brands accounted for 27.2% of total sales last year, up from 26.1% the previous year", meaning 2024 against 2023. Maxima writes that "private-label products account for more than a quarter of sales in the Baltic States".
S Group's own brands and own imports make up about a fifth of its total sales, a share that has been stable for years (ESM, 20 November 2023). ESM's Rimi article also says 87% of customers in the Baltic countries regularly buy private label goods. These are retailer figures, not market shares, so they should not be set beside PLMA's country numbers.
Who owns Rimi and Prisma now, and what does that change for suppliers?
Rimi Baltic belongs to Denmark's Salling Group, and Coop Estonia has signed to buy 13 Prisma Peremarket stores in Estonia, as reported in April 2026. ICA Gruppen sold Rimi Baltic for EUR 1.3 billion; Rimi reported the European Commission's approval on 5 May 2025, with closing expected by 2 June 2025. Rimi's turnover in 2024 was EUR 1.9 billion.
The own-brand range follows the owner. Rimi announced on 28 October 2025 that Salling private label products "will now become a permanent part of the Rimi assortment", and that some of them replace products from the previous owner's range. In Estonia the 13 Prisma Peremarket stores are being bought from Finland's SOK; Co-operative News reported on 7 April 2026 that the deal "does not include the Prisma brand".
Which certification standards come up when you supply retail private label?
The pages read for this guide do not show a retailer's own supplier requirements, so ask the buyer which scheme and grade it accepts. The schemes themselves are public: IFS Food, IFS HPC for household and personal care, the BRCGS standards and FSSC 22000. Each publishes a register or database where a supplier's certificate can be checked.
| Scheme | What its owner says | Where to check a certificate | Manufacturers naming it |
|---|---|---|---|
| IFS Food | Reviews products and production processes to judge whether a food producer can make safe products; audits are annual and at least every third one is unannounced | The IFS Database (public address not found) | 22 |
| IFS HPC | Household and personal care, version 3; applies to retailer private label, manufacturers' brands and non-branded products | The IFS Database | Counted under IFS |
| BRCGS | Standards for Food Safety, Packaging Materials, Consumer Products, Retail, Storage and Distribution and others | BRCGS Directory | 32 |
| FSSC 22000 | A certification scheme for food safety management systems, recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and built on ISO 22000 | FSSC Public Register | 30 |
| ISO 22000 | The food safety management standard FSSC 22000 is built on | Not covered by the sources read | 21 |
Foundation FSSC says its scheme "contains a complete Certification Scheme for Food Safety Management Systems", and that its public register "lists all current FSSC Certified Organizations". IFS writes that a business it has assessed "is visible to business partners and potential new customers in the IFS Database".
Which listed manufacturers name IFS, BRCGS, FSSC 22000 or ISO 22000?
82 of the 443 manufacturers listed on NordSourced name at least one of the four on their website: 32 BRCGS or BRC, 30 FSSC 22000, 22 IFS and 21 ISO 22000. A name on a website is the manufacturer's claim; check the certificate in the scheme's register, as the certificates guide explains.
| Country | Any of the four | IFS | BRCGS or BRC | FSSC 22000 | ISO 22000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | 17 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 2 |
| Finland | 22 | 2 | 8 | 15 | 4 |
| Latvia | 17 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 7 |
| Lithuania | 17 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 5 |
| Estonia | 9 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Manufacturer | Country | Product groups |
|---|---|---|
| Danvita | Lithuania | Food & beverages |
| Foodimpex | Sweden | Food & beverages |
| Icecofish | Lithuania | Food & beverages |
| Jovaigė | Lithuania | Food & beverages |
| Karavela | Latvia | Food & beverages |
| Lezza Foods | Sweden | Food & beverages |
| Maustaja | Finland | Food & beverages |
| Newon Food | Lithuania | Food supplements, Food & beverages |
8 name both IFS and BRCGS, listed above in alphabetical order, not ranked. Outside food, 4 household or cosmetics manufacturers name IFS or BRCGS: BS Chemical, Creative Concept, HI-LABS, Nopa Nordic.
Questions and answers
What share of grocery sales is private label in Europe?
38.8% across 17 European countries in 2025, with record sales of EUR 387 billion, according to PLMA's report on NielsenIQ data. PLMA's latest figure, the moving annual total to week 28 of 2026, is 39.5%, up 0.22 percentage points on a year earlier. PLMA does not list the 17 countries on its public pages.
Which European country has the highest private label share?
Switzerland, at 53.0% in the moving annual total to week 28 of 2026, according to PLMA's figures from NielsenIQ. The Netherlands, at 51.3%, is the only other market above 50%. In the same period eleven of the 17 markets PLMA tracks were above 30% and eight above 40%.
What is the private label share in Finland, Sweden or the Baltic states?
Of the five, a figure was found only for Finland: Yle News reported on 20 September 2024 that private label accounts for about a quarter of grocery purchases. No market share for Sweden, Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania was found on public pages; PLMA keeps its country dashboard for members. Retailers publish their own shares instead.
Who owns Rimi Baltic?
Denmark's Salling Group. ICA Gruppen sold Rimi Baltic to Salling Group for EUR 1.3 billion; Rimi reported the European Commission's approval on 5 May 2025, with closing expected by 2 June 2025. On 28 October 2025 Rimi added 123 Salling private label products to its stores in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
What is happening to Prisma in Estonia?
Coop Estonia has signed to buy 13 Prisma Peremarket stores in Estonia from SOK, the Finnish co-operative, Co-operative News reported on 7 April 2026. The report says the deal does not include the Prisma brand. It follows Salling Group's purchase of Rimi Baltic from ICA Gruppen, which the European Commission approved on 5 May 2025.
How many private label brands does Maxima have?
Maxima Grupė says it manages 47 private-label brands covering about 30,000 unique products. Its umbrella brand Well Done has grown to more than 1,100 products. The group operates in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland, and says private-label products account for more than a quarter of its sales in the Baltic States.
What are Kesko's and S Group's own brands in Finland?
Kesko lists Pirkka and K-Menu as its own brands, plus Cello. S Group is phasing out its Rainbow range of over 1,500 products in favour of Coop products, ESM reported on 20 November 2023; its other own brands include Hyvää Suomesta, Kotimaista, Xtra and Änglamark. In that report S Group's own brands and own imports were about a fifth of its sales.
How many new private label products did Axfood launch?
About 270 in 2025. Axfood's press release of 20 February 2026 on its annual report says that within the private label assortment approximately 270 new products were launched. Axfood is a Swedish grocery group. Its private label share was not confirmed on a page opened for this guide, so no share is given here.
How often is a manufacturer audited under IFS Food?
Every year. IFS Management says IFS Food audits are annual and that at least every third audit must be unannounced; passing an unannounced audit earns Star Status. The audit reviews products and production processes to judge whether a food producer can make safe products, and assessed companies appear in the IFS Database.
Does IFS cover cleaning products and cosmetics?
IFS has a separate standard, IFS HPC, for household and personal care products, now in version 3. Its page says it covers the safety and quality management system and production processes, and applies to retailer private label, manufacturers' brands and non-branded products. The page does not mention cosmetics by name.
Which food manufacturers in the Baltics and Nordics have IFS or BRCGS?
46 manufacturers listed on NordSourced name IFS or BRCGS on their website, for example Aarja Manufacturing Oy (Minorito), Albina Snacks, Arimex, Art Glacio, Bama; 8 name both, and 42 make food, beverages or food supplements. A name on a website is a claim, so check the certificate in the BRCGS Directory or the IFS Database before you rely on it.
Which Nordic or Baltic country has the most manufacturers naming FSSC 22000 or IFS?
On NordSourced, Finland for FSSC 22000, with 15 of the 30 manufacturers that name it, and Lithuania for IFS, with 10 of 22. The counts include only manufacturers whose websites say they make products for other brands, and record what each names, not a certificate NordSourced has opened.
Where can I check a supplier's BRCGS, IFS or FSSC 22000 certificate?
In the scheme owner's register. BRCGS links its BRCGS Directory from its home page, FSSC's Public Register lists all current certified organisations and can be filtered by scheme, status, country and scope, and IFS lists assessed companies in the IFS Database, whose public address was not found. Search by the manufacturer's legal name.
Where to go next
Sources
- Private label today, PLMA International Council (NielsenIQ data). Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Mosaic markets: private label strengthens its position across Europe, PLMA International Council. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- PLMA 2026's new look to help visitors take advantage of EUR 387bn sector (6 March 2026), Food and Drink Technology. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Private label products in Finnish grocery (20 September 2024), Yle News. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Rimi gets it right: CEO Giedrius Bandzevičius on the takeover (15 May 2025), ESM European Supermarket Magazine. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Private labels, Maxima Grupė. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- S Group to discontinue Rainbow own-brand products (20 November 2023), ESM European Supermarket Magazine. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- 123 Salling private label products available to shoppers (28 October 2025), Rimi Baltic. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- The European Commission has approved ICA Gruppen's divestment of Rimi Baltic to Salling Group (5 May 2025), Rimi Baltic. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Kesko home page: own brands, Kesko. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Coop Estonia acquires 13 stores from Finnish co-op SOK (7 April 2026), Co-operative News. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Axfood publishes annual and sustainability report 2025 (20 February 2026), Axfood. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Our brands, ICA Gruppen. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- Lithuania: how Lidl established itself in the country's retail market after 5 years (14 May 2021), Discount Retail Consulting. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- IFS Food, IFS Management GmbH. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- IFS HPC, IFS Management GmbH. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- BRCGS standards, BRCGS. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- FSSC 22000, Foundation FSSC. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
- FSSC Public Register, Foundation FSSC. Checked 13 Oct 2026.
Directory figures are counted from the manufacturers listed on NordSourced, each listed because its own website says it makes products for other brands; see how we check. This page is general information, not legal advice. Found a mistake? Tell us.