Matas

The name Matas is a contraction of Materialisternes Aktieselskab. While the concept of a drysalter/drugstore type shop dates back to the 18th century, the company was founded November 13, 1949, with an investment of 14,000 Danish kroner. After the first fiscal year, the company ended with a deficit of kr 24.50, or only US$3. That is still the only deficit in the history of the company.

In 1951, Matas decided to rebel against the "Apotekermonopolet" which was a law dating back to 1929. This law stated that only pharmacies could sell any form of drugs or vitamin supplements. As a result, Matas began to sell tablets of Vitamin C, but the police took up the case. The case received some media coverage, but ultimately the selling of vitamins was deemed illegal. Matas filed a lawsuit, and after six years it was found that at least 38 of the vitamin supplements being sold in pharmacies and drugstores were dietary supplements, not medicinal drugs.

Matas began to manufacture its own line of products under the "Matas" brand. In 1956, Matas presented its first logo, and in the year after, the company began to work together with the Steins Laboratory. A set of rules regarding the quality of Matas products were also made. In 1958, the first Matas advertising paper was printed. The paper had an initial circulation of 700,000 copies, which at the time was over four times as much as the largest national newspaper.

Between 1967 and 1988, there were new products, sub-brands, and a different color theme , which is still a major component in the design of the shop interiors and exteriors. In 1967 there were 150 stores in Denmark, and in 1974 just under 200. In 1989 Matas celebrated its 40-year anniversary and received various awards, including "MMM-Prisen" and "Årets Guldkorn".

In 1994 Matas Miljøfund was founded, and in 1997 Matas moved its main administration from Farum to Allerød. In 1999, Matas celebrated its 50-year anniversary with the opening of two new stores in Malmö. In 2001 some Danish laws regarding sales of over-the-counter drugs were changed, and Matas started offering a variety of these types of products. In 2006, Matas' 292 store was opened, before, in May, Matas was sold for 5.2 billion Danish kroner to the investment company CVC Capital Partners.