9 Surprising Things Hoosiers Should Know About Ikea

IBJ reported that Fishers will welcome Indiana’s first Ikea.

• Ikea is a nonprofit.

It’s complicated, but The Stichting Ingka Foundation is thought to outsize the Gates Foundation.

Source: Fast Co.


 

• Ikea consumes 1 percent of the world’s wood.

The Swedish company is one of the world’s top wood consumers. Which makes sense if the rumors of a bookcase sold every 10 seconds are true.

Source: Daily Mail


 

• Ikea is an acronym.

Ingvar Kamprad (founder), Elmtaryd (his childhood farm), Agunnaryd (his Swedish hometown, below).

Source: Ikea.com


 

• Ikea is based on a franchise system.

“Franchises are granted only to organisations and/or individuals that can secure a strong market position and market penetration in the given territory. Franchises are only granted to organisations and/or individuals that have extensive retail experience and solid local market knowledge. Opening an IKEA franchise requires considerable investment by the IKEA franchisee.”

Source: Ikea.com


 

• Founder Ingvar Kamprad’s had Nazi ties.

“A part of my life which I bitterly regret.”

Source: BBC, New York Times


 

• Ikea is building a town in London.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUDrJJn5xYY

Source: Strand East


 

• Ikea had 821 million in-store visits worldwide in 2014.

“If all visits were to go to one store, the line would go 6.5 times around the planet.”

Source: Franchiser.Ikea.com 


 

• In the same time frame, Ikea saw 1.6 billion website visits.

“Every time you blink, someone visits IKEA.com.”

Source: Franchiser.Ikea.com


 

• There is more to Ikea food than the meatball.

2014 was the year of salmon at the Ikea Restaurant and Cafe.

#ikeafood #salmon #ikeameatball A photo posted by lilaliu (@wakesimon) on

Source: Ouryear.Ikea.com