The chain is based on a franchised discount concept: buying large quantities of a limited range of products and offering these to semi-independent owners under their brand.

[2] By 2016, the retailer captured 24,2% of the total revenue by all Norwegian grocers,[3] taking the lead over its closest rival Kiwi.

It is still REMA 1000's official policy of not letting cost-saving damage the basic idea of simplicity (in accordance with the slogan).

The owners had recently visited Germany where they had been impressed by the Albrecht brothers (Theo and Karl) hard-discount chain ALDI's success.

[6] In August 2023, it was announced the Danish Competition and Consumer Authority had approved REMA 1000's acquisition of 114 Aldi stores in Denmark.