A Fresh Start for Brugseni: Turning Losses into Profits
“Allan Kristoffersen, the 50-year-old managing director of Kalaallit Nunaani Brugseni, beams with pride. ‘Our result is really great,’ he tells Sermitsiaq. ‘I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together; it’s absolutely a team effort.’”
Kristoffersen’s optimism is well-founded. After three challenging years marked by red ink, Brugseni is celebrating a triumphant return to profitability in 2025, concluding the year with a profit exceeding seven million kroner, a stark contrast to the more than 14 million kroner loss reported the previous year. What’s more, the retail group has also recorded a significant revenue boost, soaring to over 1.1 billion kroner—an increase of more than eight percent from 2024.
Having taken the helm just a year ago, Kristoffersen, who previously served as COOP’s director, has led Brugseni through a critical transformation. His leadership is beginning to bear fruit as the company navigates its way through past difficulties.
This milestone in Brugseni’s recovery isn’t solely due to financial recalibration. The company is also successfully steering the implementation of a robust new IT system. Working in collaboration with the Danish retail giant COOP, the modern ERP system manages everything from internal finances to ordering and inventory across Brugseni’s stores.
“It might sound a bit dry to talk about,” Kristoffersen acknowledges, “but this SAP system has really allowed us to handle shrinkage and improve our inventory calculations. Once we got those elements under control, we achieved impressive growth in revenue last year.”
A Collaborative Effort
Avijâja Rosing-Olsen, chairwoman of the board, underscores the collaborative spirit that has propelled Brugseni towards recovery. “I’m incredibly proud of the unified efforts from management, the board, and our employees,” she notes. “We are still in the midst of a turnaround, but we’re beginning to see the fruits of our labor.”
The optimism shared by Kristoffersen and Rosing-Olsen is well-deserved, given the challenging landscape the company has navigated. Their hard work has established a more stable economic position, opening the door for new and ambitious goals.
Tourism and Marketing Revamp
The surge in revenue can be attributed, in part, to a revitalized summer trade driven by an influx of tourists in key areas such as Nuuk and Ilulissat. Additionally, the launch of the new Brugseni Natalie supermarket in the Nuussuaq area has refreshed the customer experience.
Brugseni has also ramped up its marketing efforts, offering more attractive promotions both centrally and within individual stores. As a cooperative with nearly 32,000 active members, the company is committed to serving its community.
Kristoffersen emphasizes this focus on customer satisfaction. “In 2025, we’ve really honed in on our customers’ needs,” he explains. “We’ve managed to enhance our offerings, keeping more items in stock and reducing the instances of empty shelves.”
He adds, “Our goal is to give back to our members while adapting to market conditions. In 2025, we’ve succeeded in that, providing nearly 26 million kroner back to society and our members through our Divi Plussi membership program.”
For Kristoffersen, maintaining an engaged workforce is key to Brugseni’s ongoing success. “The more committed our 600 employees are, the better our financial outcomes will be,” he emphasizes. The workforce includes around 500 locals from Greenland, supplemented by approximately 100 staff members from Indonesia and Thailand, as well as around 20 from Denmark.
“We take great pride in being a Greenlandic-owned company,” Kristoffersen adds. “Our focus is firmly on harnessing local talent in our operations.”
In a landscape that has seen many retail businesses falter, Brugseni stands as a testament to the power of teamwork, commitment, and strategic innovation. The journey to recovery is underway, and the future looks promising.