Stein Erik Hagen is a Norwegian businessman, the self-made billionaire Founder and Executive of Canica AS (private investment holding) and a major shareholder in Orkla ASA (OSE: ORK) (consumer goods). His career is rooted in retail, grocery logistics, and entrepreneurial audacity.

Hagen's philosophical approach centers on scale, disruption (pioneering the discount grocery model), and long-term asset hold in the essential food retail and consumer goods sectors. He founded Rimi (his discount grocery chain) in 1977, recognizing the immense, untapped domestic demand for low-cost groceries in Norway.

• Canica AS (Founder & Chairman): The core private asset, a major investment holding with interests in retail, real estate, and financial services.
• Orkla ASA (Major Shareholder): The publicly traded Norwegian consumer goods giant (brands include Stabburet, Abba Seafood, and Sapa).
• Retail Pioneer: His success is built on scale retail and dominating the domestic market for affordable groceries (pioneering the Rimi discount chain).
• Investment Strategy: His philosophy is rooted in long-term investment in consumer brand IP and retail real estate.

Stein Erik Hagen's strategic genius was his commitment to the hard discount model. He founded Rimi in 1977 and successfully built it into Norway's dominant discount grocery chain (later selling his stake for a massive gain). His structural contribution is immense: pioneering the modern, low-cost food retail model that transformed the Scandinavian grocery sector.

Following the sale of Rimi, he focused on Canica AS, his private investment company, acquiring major stakes in Orkla ASA (consumer goods) and Jernia (hardware retail). His wealth is secured by the colossal, long-term, stable profitability of the global retail and consumer goods sectors.

Stein Erik Hagen's social impact stems from his retail ventures, which provided essential affordable food and consumer goods to millions of Norwegian consumers. The Canica Foundation supports various educational, medical research, and cultural initiatives in Norway, contributing to national social welfare programs.

His personal philanthropy supports various community and educational initiatives.

Stein Erik Hagen maintains the professional, composed style of a corporate executive. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects serious authority and stability, typical of a leader in the global retail sector.

Residing in Oslo, Norway, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to investment strategy, retail management, and strategic asset management.