IKI Lietuva
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Founder | George Ortiz, Oliver Ortiz, Nicolas Ortiz |
| Headquarters | Vilnius , Lithuania |
Area served | Lithuania |
| Products | Supermarkets ("Iki", "Iki Cento", "Iki Express"), delivery platform ("LastMile") |
| Owner | REWE Group (93.75%), E. Leclerc group Unilec (minority stake) |
IKI Lietuva, previously known as Palink, manages the "IKI" supermarket network along with the "LastMile" delivery platform within Lithuania.
History
The company was established in 1992 by Belgian siblings George, Oliver, and Nicolas Ortiz, launching its inaugural store in Vilnius. Expansion into Riga, Latvia occurred in 2005; however, in 2014 Palink withdrew from the Latvian market by transferring ownership of 51 outlets to the local firm Mego, citing a strategic retreat. At that juncture, IKI ranked as the fifth-largest supermarket chain in Latvia.
At present, IKI operates more than 240 retail locations—including formats such as "Iki", "Iki Cento", and "Iki Express"—spread over upwards of 70 Lithuanian towns, making it the second-largest grocery retailer nationwide. The Iki Cento brand was phased out in 2016.
In 2018, the Lithuanian Competition Council rejected Rimi Lietuva’s bid to acquire IKI over concerns related to market competition. Subsequently, German retailer REWE Group increased its ownership share in Palink to 93.75%, while the E. Leclerc group Unilec retained a minority stake.
In 2021, Palink took over the LastMile delivery service and officially rebranded as IKI Lietuva on September 2, 2022.