Based in Basel, Dufry goes back to the Weitnauer Group, which was founded in 1865. The company operates around 2,300 duty-free shops in 65 countries around the world at airports, on cruise ships, in seaports, train stations, city centers, airplanes, on ferries and at border crossings.
Autogrill operates restaurants and duty-free shops for travelers, especially on motorways and at airports. The company has around 4,300 stores in 31 countries. The Benetton family holds a 50.1 percent stake in the company, which is listed on the Milan Stock Exchange.
Both Dufry and Autogrill have been hit hard by the effects of the corona pandemic. Dufry’s sales fell by more than 70 percent to CHF 2.6 billion in 2020 compared to 2019, mainly due to closed airports, and the bottom line was almost as high. Last year, Dufry turned over CHF 3.9 billion again, but was still in the red.