Asda is a British supermarket chain, headquartered in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The company was founded in 1949 when the Asquith family merged with the Associated Dairies company of Yorkshire.
It expanded rapidly in the 1970s and 1980s, and acquired rival chains such as that of Gateway in 1985. In 1999, it was acquired by the American retail giant Walmart and became part of the world’s largest retailer.
The Asda name is an abbreviation of “Asquith” and “Dairies”. The Asquith family had been involved in the milk trade since the 1890s, while the Dairies company had been established in Yorkshire in the 1920s. The two companies merged in 1949 to form Associated Dairies and Farm Stores Ltd.
Asda rapidly expanded in the 1970s and 1980s, opening new stores across the UK. In 1985, it acquired rival supermarket chain Gateway, which gave it a strong presence in Scotland. In 1999, Asda was acquired by Walmart, becoming part of the world’s largest retailer.
Today, Asda is one of Britain’s leading supermarkets, with over 600 stores across the country. It is also a major employer, with over 180,000 employees.
When did Asda become part of Walmart?
Asda became part of Walmart in 1999 when Walmart acquired the company for $10 billion.
