Frida Ridderstolpe, Digital Development and E-commerce Manager at Axfood

What do you do in your job?

– I work on matters related to Axfood's digital development, including e-commerce, in-store digitalization, customer programs, and advanced analytics. Together with a team of business developers, data scientists, and in close collaboration with Axfood's brands, we develop strategies and plans for digital development. We also drive projects within digital development, ranging from new last-mile solutions to innovations in advanced analytics and new ways of grocery shopping. I'm now in my fifth year at Axfood, and no two years have been the same.

How do you contribute in your role to improve the quality of life for everyone?

– Working on digitalization in the grocery retail industry often means making everyday tasks simpler and more inspiring. It enhances the quality of life every day.

What's it like working at Axfood?

– A lot happens within Axfood, and in my role, I work with both our major brands like Hemköp and Willys, as well as our smaller ones like Urban Deli and Middagsfrid. It's an exciting daily routine with great variety. It's an industry undergoing significant change, which makes work both fun and developmental. Axfood is a large company but still has a family feel to it. Since there are many of us, you get the chance to get to know a lot of new people and encounter various competencies.

What's it like working in a big corporation?

– Working in the Axfood group is exciting; it's a group that challenges and dares. In a large corporation, what you do often has a significant impact, and it's amazing to see the projects we undertake come to life. In my job, it's a strength to be able to test and innovate in smaller companies and then scale up to the larger ones once we have results. Working in our group also provides a unique opportunity to see various customer interactions and how everything connects in the background.

What has your journey been like within Axfood?

– I'm now in my fifth year at Axfood, and a lot has happened. When I started, e-commerce was a small part of the business, around 2 percent, whereas now we're at completely different levels. In addition to building my team and the organization for digital development, I've focused on accelerating digital development in areas like e-commerce, customer programs, and advanced analytics. My team and I have worked on everything from new click & collect solutions to the world's first climate labeling at product level and innovations in voice commerce. The pace of change is high.

What made you apply to Axfood?

– The biggest motivator was that Axfood was at the beginning of its digitalization journey, and I looked forward to being a part of it. I was also very curious to try out an industry where I could impact people's daily lives on a large scale.

What's the most enjoyable aspect of your job?

– It's not just one thing that's enjoyable; I like the variety. In my daily work, I have the opportunity to develop strategies for future priorities one day and launch a new e-commerce platform the next. No two days are the same. And I have incredibly competent and fun colleagues; it wouldn't be as enjoyable without them.

How have you evolved since you started at Axfood?

– I'm naturally curious, and I've learned a completely new industry. The grocery retail industry is unique, and to make the right decisions, you need to have an understanding of the business and customers.

How would you describe the culture and atmosphere in your team?

– We have an inclusive culture with a high degree of openness and a lot of humor in everyday life. We help each other to progress, and in my team, it's perfectly okay to make mistakes at times; that's necessary when trying out new things. Then it's just a matter of reevaluating. "Stronger Together" is one of Axfood's core values and part of the culture. Collaboration and helping each other are natural parts of our daily life.

What are you proud of in your job?

– I'm proud of how my team collaborates with the rest of the corporation and achieves results every day. It's a large corporation and seeing how they challenge old truths and solve a problem is wonderful.

What would you say to a candidate interested in joining Axfood?

Start; you won't regret it. Axfood is a corporation to grow in, with exciting issues to work on and, most importantly, lots of driven and fun colleagues.

What's your favorite dish?

– I'm an omnivore and prefer it when there are many dishes to choose from, preferably from Italian cuisine.

Background: Frida has worked in retail for most of her professional career. Before joining Axfood, she spent several years at the fashion company Gant and later at H&M. "The common thread in my career is that I've often worked in roles where there was something new to build, both in terms of organization and new business opportunities." At Gant, she initiated e-commerce in the Swedish market, and at H&M, she worked on expanding and developing e-commerce. "For the past 15 years, I've held leadership responsibilities, and I find it rewarding to solve problems together with others and work on developing my team members.