Billa

Billa operates as the supermarket banner within REWE Group, the German cooperative-controlled retail and tourism conglomerate headquartered in Cologne that ranks as one of Europe’s largest grocery operators alongside Schwarz Group (Lidl, Kaufland), Aldi, Carrefour, and Ahold Delhaize. REWE Group reported approximately €92 billion in 2023 revenue with 380,000+ employees globally and operations in 21 European countries, with Billa serving as the primary supermarket banner outside Germany itself (where REWE-branded stores dominate). The cooperative ownership structure, with member-shareholders comprising independent grocers and corporate stakeholders, distinguishes REWE from publicly listed grocery competitors and underpins a long-horizon investment strategy.

Billa was founded in 1953 in Vienna by Karl Wlaschek as Discount, rebranding to Billa (Billiger Laden — “cheaper store”) in 1961, and was acquired by REWE Group in July 1996 in what became one of the largest grocery transactions in CEE history. The brand operates the flagship Billa supermarket format (typically 800 to 1,500 square meters) alongside Billa Plus larger-format stores (former Merkur banner, rebranded under Billa Plus in 2021), Billa Stop & Shop urban convenience format, and Billa Pflanzilla plant-based concept store. REWE Group sold Billa Russia (160+ Russian Billa supermarkets in Moscow and surrounding regions) to Lenta in May 2021 for approximately €215 million, exiting the Russian market before the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine and ahead of broader Western retail withdrawals.

Billa operates approximately 2,300 stores across Austria (the largest market with 1,100+ stores), Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Ukraine (where operations have continued despite the war with adapted assortments and reduced footprint in front-line regions). The brand reaches consumers through directly run supermarket retail, a growing online grocery and click-and-collect platform, and selected wholesale partnerships. For mall operators in CEE markets, Billa is an active grocery anchor counterparty for mainline and mixed-use development positions, with leasing decisions for Austrian operations routed through Billa AG’s Wiener Neudorf headquarters and CEE-market decisions handled through REWE International AG’s country-level subsidiaries.