METRO expands into Sweden and Finland through acquisition of leading FSD business Johan i Hallen & Bergfalk

04 May 2023

METRO AG acquires JOHBECO AB ("Group"), whose subsidiary Johan i Hallen & Bergfalk is a leading Swedish specialist supplier for meat, fish, and seafood.

Johan i Hallen & Bergfalk is a leading Swedish specialist supplier for meat, fish, and seafood
  • Johan i Hallen & Bergfalk (“JHB”) is the leading Swedish specialist supplier of meat, fish, and seafood, serving more than 4,000 HoReCa customers in the metropolitan regions of Sweden and Finland
  • METRO expands its food service delivery (FSD) portfolio and enters the foodservice markets of Sweden and Finland with an estimated combined sell-in value of approx. €7 billion (2022)
  • The acquisition will further accelerate METRO’s sCore FSD sales ambition (3x sales by 2030, organic growth basis)
  • JHB generated revenues of approx. €180 million, double-digit million EBITDA and strong FCF in 2022
  • The closing of the transaction is expected to occur mid of May 2023
  • METRO confirms sales and EBITDA adjusted outlook for FY 2022/23 and mid-term ambitions

JHB, with the expertise of more than 350 employees, supplies to more than 4,000 customers in Sweden and Finland, mainly in the HoReCa sector. Over 50% of sales come from its own processing of meat and fish. JHB is a robust addition to METRO’s existing FSD portfolio and grants access to one of the largest foodservice markets in Europe. Furthermore, the Group also has an attractive financial track record of approx. €180 million sales, a double-digit EBITDA and a strong FCF over the past years. The agreed purchase price is approx. € 100 million.

"Johan i Hallen & Bergfalk is a strong match for METRO. JHB will further increase our delivery sales and contribute to meeting our sCore targets for 2030. Sweden and Finland combined form the sixth largest food service market in Europe and have one of the highest meat and fish consumption per capita in Europe. JHB brings a high level of competence in these categories into our FSD portfolio while METRO can strengthen JHB’s procurement activities, enrich its offering and thus expand its market share", explains METRO AG’s CEO Dr Steffen Greubel.

JHB has a strong presence in major metropolitan areas of Sweden and Finland and is renowned for high service levels to its customers. Products are delivered to customers from its 5 warehouses while roughly 40% of its sales are generated digitally. In this new chapter alongside with METRO, JHB is well positioned to keep its growth momentum and expand market share in foodservice markets of Sweden and Finland which are estimated to be worth approx. €7 billion (sell-in) on a combined basis and expected to grow at a ~3% CAGR until 2026.

JHB will be consolidated into METRO’s financial statements from closing onwards (starting Q3 FY2022/23). JHB will continue to operate its business independently under its own brand, Johan i Hallen & Bergfalk, with its more than 350 employees, headquarters, production facilities and warehouses.



METRO is a leading international food wholesaler which specialises in serving the needs of hotels, restaurants, and caterers (HoReCa) as well as independent merchants (Traders). Around the world, METRO has approx. 17 million customers who benefit from the wholesale company’s unique multichannel mix: customers can purchase their goods in one of the large stores in their area as well as by delivery (Food Service Distribution, FSD) – all digitally supported and connected. In parallel, METRO MARKETS is being developed as an international online marketplace for the needs of professional customers which has been growing and expanding continuously since 2019. Acting sustainably is one of the company principles of METRO which has been listed in various sustainability indices and rankings for many years, including FTSE4Good, MSCI, CDP and the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. METRO operates in more than 30 countries and employs over 93,000 people worldwide. In financial year 2021/22, METRO generated sales of €29.8 billion. More information can be found at MPULSE.de, our online magazine.