A little history
A fresh idea - a modern supermarket in Israel
Low-rise Arab-style construction beside Bauhaus buildings, small family businesses and a fresh memory of the "austerity period" - this was Tel Aviv in 1956. A young entrepreneur - Ben Zion Ben Haim rose up from this atmosphere with a revolutionary idea: to establish a modern supermarket in Israel, similar to the stores that were then only available in the United States and Canada. Like any contemporary entrepreneur, Ben Haim looked for partners who would help turn his dream into a reality. His first step was to obtain a list of owners and managers of Jewish groceries in North America, from the US Food Marketers Organization (FMI). Armed with this list, Ben Haim went to the office of the Israeli Minister of Commerce and Industry at the time, Pinchas Sapir, and asked for a scholarship to the USA to learn how to run a modern supermarket. Sapir directed him to the person responsible for the scholarships - Avraham Mark Feinberg.
עובדת שופרסל מדביקה תגי מחיר צילום: זיו קורן
The crucial meeting
In Ben Haim's meeting with Feinberg it became clear that the two men shared the same revolutionary idea! Feinberg even had a partner who had a mutual view - Yehiel Hordos, an industrial engineer from the Ministry of Health. On the same day, the three met and decided to establish a new company for a self-service food chain in Israel.
עובדת שופרסל מדביקה תגי מחיר צילום: זיו קורן
The Best of the Best
The company was established on December 20th, 1956, under the name Shufer-Sal (Hebrew for "The Best Basket"), which expressed the trio's vision - a modern food chain that provides high quality products. The name is derived from the Aramaic expression "shufra d'shufra" which means - the best of the best.
Opening the supermarket involved quite a bit of initial capital. To realize their dream, the three entrepreneurs went on a 3-month business trip to the US in order to recruit investors. They met with dozens of potential investors and at the end of a long process managed to recruit ten, each of whom agreed to invest in the project an amount of USD 25,000.
When the supermarket pioneers returned to Israel, the news of the revolutionary initiative reached the ears of the prime minister, David Ben-Gurion. The latter envisioned the impact a modern supermarket would have on the Israeli market and immediately decided to help the founders. Ben-Gurion directed the entrepreneurs to the chairman of the Bonds in Canada, a Jewish man named Bertram, who also shared the same dream. The next day, the group met at the Sharon Hotel in Herzliya, and from this meeting was born the Canadian group that also invested in the project.
עובדת שופרסל מדביקה תגי מחיר צילום: זיו קורן
Shufersal today
Today Shufersal is the leading retail chain in Israel, selling a huge variety of products in branches covering a total area of approximately 514,000 sqm. In addition to the food sector, Shufersal's branches also offer cleaning goods and toiletries, care and beauty, house-ware, electricity and electronics, gifts, leisure products, clothing, home textiles, organic products, health and vitamins and more. The revolutionary initiative that led to the establishment of the company still leads it today, decades after its establishment, and is manifested in constant creativity and innovation in all areas.
Historic milestones
1958:
Grand opening: The first branch of Shufersal is established on Ben Yehuda Street, in Tel Aviv.
1966:
For the first time in Israel - manufacturers advertise on plastic shopping bags.
1967:
Learning from the retail powerhouses: PA advertising inside the branches.
1977:
Promotions sell: distribution of coupons by direct mail and publication of coupons in newspapers.
1978:
Branching north: the first large store outside the city, established at the Check-Post intersection in Haifa.
1979:
Giant strides towards the 21st century: first electronic cash register (mechanical cash registers were used until then).
1980:
Playing it big: the company's first offering on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
1981:
Beginning of an era: Computerization of the first branch - Shufersal Tzahalah.
1983:
Homemade dishes come to the supermarket: a combination of ready-made food and the aromas of home, in a delicatessen in Shufersal Kfar Saba.
1984:
Aromas of freshness - first bakery inside the supermarket: breads and baked goods are sold hot from the oven. Customers simply won't leave the stores because of the delightful aromas.
1985:
Around the clock: the first branch to operate 24 hours a day, at the Ayalon Mall in Ramat Gan.
1986:
Buy now, pay later: for the first time in Israel, a supermarket gives its customers credit when purchasing food.
1989:
Telesal: the entire supermarket by phone.
1990:
Listening to the environment: leading the use of biodegradable shopping-bags for the sake of the environment.
1992:
We continue to work to save the environment: use of machines for recycling bottles and shredders for cardboard packaging.
The main thing is health: for the first time in Israel, a pharmacy is opened inside a supermarket.
1994:
Overseas: partnering with a food chain in Hungary.
1995:
Opening of the "Universe" branch in Tel Hanan.
Branch within a branch: Discount Bank in Shufersal.
Establishment of the Supercard customers club.
1997:
Shufersal goes global: IPO in New York; stock was traded until December 2003;
The launch of the "Cosmos" chain of stores: the pioneer of the One Stop Shop principle.
1998:
Private label launch: Superclass;
Expansion: the establishment of Kiryat Shufersal - the company's logistics center in Rishon Lezion - for distribution of products to the branches.
2000:
The launch of the "Food Outlet" ("Machsanei Mazon") chain of stores.
2001:
Record profits: a great source of pride in the company.
2005:
Renewal: rebranding the Shufersal chain;
Purchase of the "Clubmarket" chain;
Launch of "Shufersal Deal" chain under the slogan "Every day low price".
2006:
Thinking big: launch of the "Shufersal Big" hypermarket chain, according to the One Stop Shop principle;
The Second Lebanon War: Shufersal mobilizes to bring food supplies to shelters in the north;
Launch of Shufersal credit card;
The launch of the "My Shufersal" chain of neighborhood stores.
2007:
Relaunch of the Shufersal customer club under the Shufersal brand.
2008:
Shufersal celebrates 50 years and embarks on an annual community volunteering project all over the country, with the cooperation of the chain's employees.
2011:
Introduction of self-service cash registers in Shufersal chain branches.
2012:
Refreshing the look: the "My Shufersal" format is rebranded, which includes the name of the city or neighborhood in the branch's name;
Launch of the "Yesh Hesed" format stores, which cater to the ultra-religious sector that requires stricter kosher approval.
2013:
We are online: the company replaces "Shupersal Direct" with the "Shufersal Online" website, alongside the launch of a smartphone shopping app.
2014:
Lowering the cost of living: Shufersal launches the leading strategy, and announces the huge price reduction.
2015:
More brands, more private: private brand expansion into premium areas.
2016:
From watermelon to washing machine: expansion of Shufersal Online's activity with sales of large home products;
The family continues to grow: the establishment of Marlog Shufersal in Shoham: a logistics center with controlled temperature, one of the most sophisticated in the world.
2017:
Strengthening the pharmacy division: Shufersal acquires the "New-Pharm" chain and becomes its parent company.
2018:
Shufersal celebrates 60 years with a host of events for the company's customers and employees;
The launch of "BE by Shufersal" pharma brand, which provides an innovative and exciting shopping experience adapted to the current needs of the Israeli consumer;
Launch of Shufersal Travel - domestic and foreign tourism company from Shufersal and Gulliver.
2020:
Shufersal expands into the institutional market: acquires the activities of Amiga Canned Goods, which has been active in the institutional market for over 20 years;
The launch of the new Shufersal App - for purchases in all Shufersal Online departments, alongside digital services when shopping in the chain's branches, and personalized deals and coupons for each customer.
2021:
Shufersal and Israel Discount Bank in a first-of-its-kind strategic cooperation in banking - acquisition of the PayBox platform that offers an advanced digital wallet;
Shufersal launches the group's new customer club "Shufersal SUPREME" - offering a wide range of advantages and upgrades including: an improved points-accumulation formula, a wide range of options for redeeming the points and a personal digital user experience.
2022:
A revolution in the shopping experience in branches: launch of a smart cart developed by the Israeli startup Shopic, which enables personal and quick purchases without standing in line at checkouts;
Shufersal expands its activities in the stock sector: acquires the Dan Deal group, which specializes in importing, marketing and distribution of home and office products.
2023:
Shufersal launches a new communication language under the slogan - "Shufersal. Everything for me";
Signing of an agreement to launch the SPAR international retail chain in Israel - the joint company will work to open SPAR stores in Israel, and will also supply Shufersal with SPAR products that will be sold on the Shufersal network.