What Is ASDA?

Here in the States, ASDA stands for the American Student Dental Association. But that muffled screaming you hear is the whole UK collectively roaring, “That’s not what ASDA is!” We know, we know, ASDA is more recognizably a British supermarket and petrol (aka gas) station chain. Now that we’ve got the British clenching their teeth and gripping their teacups with white knuckles, onto your ASDA questions. What is ASDA? And what does ASDA stand for if it’s not the American Student Dental Association? Read on to find out.

What is ASDA? 

ASDA is a budget British supermarket and gas station chain, founded in the 1960s in Yorkshire. It’s often compared to Walmart—but with a bit more of a focus on the supermarket side of things. 

What does ASDA stand for?

The name comes from combining “Associated Dairies” into one word. Associated dairies is also what we put on our shopping list next to bread when we know we want to make grilled cheese but don’t have the time to list all the cheeses we want. 

What can you get at ASDA?

ASDA Supercentres stock an extended list of goods, both food and non-food, and they also offer a range of services including banking, photo printing, and dry cleaning. They also have a pharmacy and an optician. The smaller ASDA supermarkets are mostly focused on food, but also have some essential non-food options. ASDA Living locations are dedicated to George (ASDA’s fashion and homewares brand), and non-food products. Of course, there are also the ASDA gas stations, where you can get gas.

Why does ASDA seem so familiar? Is ASDA owned by Walmart?

There are no ASDA locations in the U.S., but the concept might ring a bell in the land of the free because ASDA was, for a time, in cahoots with a little shop you may have heard of called Walmart. ASDA was bought by Walmart in 1999. About a decade later, Walmart sold ASDA for £6.9 billion to its Leeds-based investment subsidiary Corinth Services Limited. But since Corinth is itself a Walmart subsidiary, ASDA remained under Walmart’s control. We are also under Walmart’s control, but it’s just because we can’t resist a family-sized box of Fruity Pebbles once they start rolling back those prices. 

But that’s not the end of it. In 2021, the Issa brothers (a couple of billionaires) along with TDR Capital (a British private equity firm) purchased a majority of the business. But then one of the brothers sold his shares to TDR. So, who owns ASDA now? As of June, 2024, 67.5% is owned by TDR Capital, 22.5% is owned by Mohsin Issa, and 10% is owned by Walmart. That is all according to ASDA.


About the Author

Hebba Gouda

Hebba Gouda is a freelance contributor to Sporked who will die on the hill that a hot dog is not a sandwich. She’s proud to spend weekends falling asleep at 9 p.m. listening to podcasts, always uses the Oxford comma, and has been described as “the only person who actually likes New Jersey.” She’d love to know how on earth she somehow always has dirty dishes, if donkeys hear better than horses, and how the heck you’re doing today? Hopefully swell - thanks for reading!

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