Why a Danish variety store chain is named after a ten-kroner coin

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The name Flying Tiger Copenhagen is a clever linguistic pun. In Danish, the word for tiger sounds remarkably like tier, the colloquial term for a ten-kroner coin. This nod to the brand's original pricing strategy has evolved into a global retail phenomenon that turns shopping into a deliberate treasure hunt.

The origins of Flying Tiger Copenhagen trace back to 1988, when Lennart and Suzanne Lajboschitz opened a store called Zebra in Copenhagen, selling umbrellas and surplus goods. By 1995, the concept evolved into the first Tiger storefront, where every item was priced at 10 kroner. This simple, fixed-price model defined the brand's early identity, with the name itself serving as a playful phonetic bridge between the animal and the coin.

To maintain a sense of discovery, the store layout is intentionally designed as a maze. Former CEO Mette Maix described the experience as a treasure hunt, a feeling reinforced by the company's strategy of introducing at least 300 new, random items to the shelves every month. This constant rotation of accessories and toys keeps the inventory fresh, encouraging customers to explore the winding aisles for unexpected finds.

The company's corporate history is marked by rapid international expansion and shifting ownership. After opening its first foreign location in Iceland in 2001, the chain grew to 931 shops across 42 countries by 2023. Ownership has changed hands multiple times, from founder Lennart Lajboschitz and EQT Partners to the Danish investment firm Treville in 2021, and most recently to the British firm Modella Capital in May 2026. While the brand has seen success in markets like Italy—now its largest global presence—it has also faced challenges, such as the closure of all United States stores in 2020 and its exit from the Maltese market in early 2026.

Today, the brand operates through a mix of group-owned European locations and international franchise partnerships. From its humble beginnings in Islands Brygge, the chain has reached 45 markets globally, including recent expansions into the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. Despite these changes and a formal name update in 2016 to unify its branding, the core philosophy of affordable, surprising variety remains central to the Flying Tiger experience.

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