MD Discount

The company was founded in the 1994 by Patrizio Podini. The first store in MD brand was opened in September 1994 in Mugnano di Napoli. Initially, the company, then named Lillo S.p.A., focused on expanding in Southern Italy. In little more than a year have been opened more than fifty stores in the Centre-South, some of whom detecting signs premises.

In 2015 MD distributes its products through a network of more than 800 outlets and direct affiliates.

Recently MD bought LD Market for the price of 170 million, making it the third largest sector discount in Italy, after EuroSpin and Lidl.^[2][3][4]

• 1995: A distribution center covering 55,000 sqm opened in Gricignano di Aversa (CE). The company also acquired HD of Campobasso with 12 stores.
• By the end of 1999: Lillo S.p.A. had opened 95 branches in Campania, Lazio, Abruzzo, Molise, Puglia, Basilicata, and Calabria.
• 2000: Lillo further consolidated its position in Puglia by acquiring 11 Fudel stores in Salento. MD also inaugurated its first franchised store in Crotone. Today, the franchise channel includes over 200 affiliated stores.
• 2009: A second distribution center covering over 20,000 sqm opened in Dittaino (EN), Sicily, serving stores in Sicily and parts of Calabria.
• 2011: MD expanded into Lazio by acquiring 16 stores from the BSE Group in Monterotondo, Rome.
• 2013: A third logistics hub covering approximately 34,000 sqm was inaugurated in Bitonto (BA), Puglia, strategically located to manage stores overlooking the Adriatic.
• 2014: LD Market was definitively merged into Lillo SpA.
• 2015: A new Non-Food logistics hub was inaugurated in Gricignano di Aversa (CE).
• 2016: Lillo SpA changed its name to MD SpA following a corporate reorganization.
• 2017: The number of direct and affiliated stores reached 700 units.
• 2018: New office buildings were constructed at the Gricignano di Aversa (CE) headquarters.
• 2019: MD SpA acquired Uno Discount, including 21 stores in the provinces of Catania, Enna, and Syracuse.
• 2022: The largest logistics hub in the Italian discount sector was inaugurated in Cortenuova (BG). This automated warehouse covers 182,000 sqm (112,000 sqm covered) and features a 32-meter high automated storage system capable of holding over 40,000 pallets.
• 2024: MD celebrates its 30th anniversary.

In 2013 MD acquired LD Market, a discount chain with over 320 stores in Northern Italy. This acquisition significantly expanded MD's national presence. The definitive merger of LD Market into Lillo SpA occurred in 2014. This made MD the third largest discount sector in Italy, after EuroSpin and Lidl, holding a market share of 15% at the time of the merger.

MD S.p.A. is no longer seen merely as a discount retailer but as a brand representing "good value shopping." As of 2022, MD operates through a network of over 800 outlets and has over 9,000 employees. In 2022, MD closed the year with revenues growing by 11%, surpassing 3.4 billion Euros in turnover.

The company manages hundreds of millions of packages annually through seven distribution centers located in:

• Gricignano di Aversa (CE)
• Two in Dittaino (EN)
• Bitonto (BA)
• Mantua
• Macomer (NU)
• Cortenuova (BG)^[5]

• Antonella Clerici^[6]

• List of companies of Italy