Editing Seiyu Group (section)

==History==
The group was established in December 1946, and was formed in 1956 by [[Seibu Department Stores]], a group company of [[Seibu Railway]]. In 1980, Seiyu launched its private brand ''Mujirushi-Ryōhin'' (commonly known as [[MUJI]] outside Japan). MUJI was transferred to the Ryohin Keikaku Company<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ryohin-keikaku.jp/eng/corporate/history/index.html|title=History &#124; Ryohin Keikaku Co. LTD.}}</ref> in 1990, and is no longer part of Seiyu. Also in 1980, Seiyu launched the "All-Value-No-Frills" brand, an innovation in product-line development. Over 1,450 high quality items in the brand are sold at a moderate price.<ref name="superstore"/>

In 1991, Seiyu formed a consortium with six Asian retailers and one Hawaiian company to exchange expertise and set up joint ventures across Asia.<ref>{{cite news |title=Japanese chains opening more outlets in region |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/biztimes19910622-1.2.6 |work=Business Times (Singapore) |agency=Reuters |date=June 22, 1991}}</ref>

In 1996, Seiyu expanded to Thailand with local realtor Bang Chang, with its first outlet opened on September 26. It targets to have 20 stores by 2000.<ref>{{cite news |title=Seiyu ventures to Thailand |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19960816-1.2.66.3.3 |work=The Straits Times |agency=AFP |date=August 16, 1996}}</ref>

On December 31, 2003, Seiyu and the US retail chain [[Walmart]] signed a partnership agreement in which Walmart would teach [[global supply chain]] practices.<ref name="Friedman">{{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Thomas|title=The World is Flat|year=2006|publisher=Farrar, Straus, and Giroux|location=New York|isbn=978-0-374-29279-9|pages=166}}</ref> [[Numazu]], [[Shizuoka Prefecture|Shizuoka]] was the site of the first Seiyu store using Walmart methods.<ref name="Friedman"/>

Walmart bought a 37 percent stake in Seiyu in 2003,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_09/b3922073.htm |title=Japan Isn't Buying The Wal-Mart Idea<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=May 5, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060427045717/http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_09/b3922073.htm |archive-date=April 27, 2006 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> and according to a company press release,<ref>[http://www.walmartfacts.com/newsdesk/article.aspx?id=1386 Wal-Mart – Facts & News<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> in late 2005, Walmart acquired a majority stake in the company, buying out the remainder in 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://walmartstores.com/AboutUs/274.aspx?p=246|title = About Us}}</ref>

Previously, the company had a registered office in Higashi-[[Ikebukuro]], [[Toshima, Tokyo]].<ref>"{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080418092116/http://www.seiyu.co.jp/english/corporate_e.shtml Corporate Data]}}." ''Seiyu Group''. Retrieved on May 19, 2009. "Registered Head Office 1-1, Higashi-Ikebukuro 3-chome, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan 170-6071" and "Head Office 1-1, Akabane 2-chome, Kita-ku, Tokyo, Japan 115-0045"</ref><!--The corporate page mentions both a registered head office and a head office! - Also says corp name was "The Seiyu, Ltd."-->

In 2019, Walmart named Lionel Desclée, formerly of [[Delhaize]] and the Belgian pet shop chain [[Tom&Co]], president and CEO of both Seiyu and Walmart Japan. In remarks after his appointment, he said Walmart had no interest in selling Seiyu.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Seiyu CEO says Walmart not looking to sell its Japanese supermarket chain |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/03/18/business/corporate-business/new-seiyu-ceo-says-walmart-not-looking-sell-japanese-supermarket-chain/#.XrV34SjYrrc |accessdate=8 May 2020 |work=The Japan Times |date=18 March 2019}}</ref> However, that June, Walmart outlined plans to relist Seiyu on the stock market.<ref>{{cite news |title=Walmart to relist Seiyu as US retailer revamps global operations |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/Walmart-to-relist-Seiyu-as-US-retailer-revamps-global-operations |accessdate=8 May 2020 |work=Nikkei Asian Review}}</ref>

Over the 2019-2020 period, Seiyu comparative-store sales grew 180 basis points faster than the market and EBITDA increased by nearly 40%. In addition, Rakuten Seiyu Netsuper, jointly operated by Seiyu and Rakuten, recorded a nearly 40% year-on-year increase in gross merchandise sales in the fourth quarter of 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 2021 |title=KKR and Rakuten Complete Seiyu Share Purchase from Walmart &#124; DMN Newswire |url=https://www.dmnnewswire.com/press-releases/kkr-and-rakuten-finalize-acquisition-of-seiyu-shares-from-walmart/ }}</ref>

In 2020, Walmart announced they would be selling 65% of their shares in the company to private-equity firm [[Kohlberg Kravis Roberts|KKR]] in a deal valuing 329 stores and 34,600 employees at $1.6 billion. Walmart is supposed to retain 15% and a seat on the board, while Japanese e-commerce giant [[Rakuten|Rakuten Inc.]] will receive 20%.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Narioka|first=Peter Landers and Kosaku|date=2020-11-16|title=Walmart Retreats Around Globe to Focus on E-Commerce|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/walmart-retreats-around-globe-to-focus-on-e-commerce-11605518960|access-date=2020-11-16|issn=0099-9660}}</ref>

In 2023, Rakuten announced that it would sell its 20% stake in Seiyu to KKR. <ref>{{Cite news |title=Japan's Rakuten offloads Seiyu stake as mobile losses mount |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/japans-rakuten-posts-564-mln-loss-q1-mobile-loss-2023-05-12/ |work=Reuters}}</ref>