Kooperativa Förbundet (KF) is a smorgasbord of Swedish retailers. The organization (aka the Swedish Co-operative Union) is a federation of more than 45 consumer cooperative societies with more than 3 million members throughout Sweden. KF's core grocery retail group, with about 20% of the Swedish grocery market, is run by subsidiary Coop Sverige and includes Sweden's largest hypermarket chain, Coop Forum, as well as Coop Konsum, Daglivs, the Mataffären online store, and other chains. Other businesses include: Kooperativa Forbundet Fastigheter, which develops shopping centers; Kooperativa Forbundet Media, involved in book selling (Akademibokhandeln bookstores and bokus.com) and publishing (P.A. Norstedt & Söner); finance; and other activities.

The Pampered Chef, a direct seller of more than 300 gourmet kitchen gadgets, cookware, cookbooks, and foodstuffs. It boasts about 60,000 independent sales reps who hawk their wares at in-home kitchen parties (à la Tupperware) throughout North America, Germany, and the UK. It's the largest of its kind in the US. Reps demonstrate product use and care and share recipes. As incentive (à la Mary Kay), reps can ultimately "earn" jewelry and trips. Founded in 1980 by home economist and educator Doris Christopher, The Pampered Chef was acquired by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway in 2002.

Quality Food Centers stores offer more than just groceries: Seattle's Best Coffee and Cinnabon serve up goodies at some locations, and many stores offer services such as catering, video rental, in-store banking, pharmacies, floral departments, and film developing. With Kroger's acquisition of QFC's one-time parent, Fred Meyer, in 1999, QFC became a division of one of the nation's largest grocers.If you're sleepless -- and hungry -- in Seattle, consider Quality Food Centers (QFC). The grocery chain operates about 75 stores (most open 24 hours), primarily in the Puget Sound region of Washington (including Seattle), but also including about a half a dozen supermarkets in Portland, Oregon.

Savers depends on thrifty people to make its business a financial success. The resale giant is the largest for-profit thrift store chain in North America. It operates about 225 Savers, Value Village, and Village des Valeurs (in Quebec) stores in more than 20 US states, 10 Canadian provinces, and Australia. The company's retail outlets sell everything from designer and vintage clothing to unique home decor, electronics, hardcover and paperback books, and toys. Savers also partners with 120 charity offices. Founded in 1954 as Salvage Management Corp., Savers is owned by the private equity firm Freeman Spogli & Co.

Founded in 1970, Wisenbaker Builder Services has sales and design centers in Dallas, Houston, and San Marcos, Texas. Wisenbaker Builder Services supplies a range of building materials to new home buyers, homeowners, and professional builders. The company's offerings include sinks, window arches and shutters, carpeting, ceramic tile, and wood and vinyl flooring. It also fabricates solid surface, quartz, and granite countertops.

Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings is a marriage made in retail heaven. Isetan brings advanced information technology while Mitsukoshi knows how to attract moneyed customers from Japan's elite. The merged company, one of Japan's leading department store operators, boasts a dozen Mitsukoshi stores and about a half a dozen Isetan locations throughout Japan with Mitsukoshi focusing on the older crowd while Isetan's Tokyo-area shops offer apparel alongside food, housewares, and sundries to appeal to younger generations. Overseas, Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings has stores in Asia, Europe, and the US. Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings was formed in 2008 when Isetan bought out its older rival.

Named for the English port that once supplied its imported goods, Mexico's El Puerto de Liverpool offers clothing for men, women, and children, as well as appliances, consumer electronics, home furnishings, and more. With some 65 department stores (divided between the Liverpool and Fabrica de Francia names) in Mexico's largest cities, the company's upper-income customer base remains essentially unchanged from 1847, when young Juan Bautista Ebrard began selling clothes from a Mexico City market stall. Liverpool also owns and manages shopping malls in its home country and is one of the largest issuers of credit cards in Mexico. The company has expanded by buying malls and opening new stores throughout Mexico.

Gale knows how to get your garden to grow. Through four locations in Ohio, Gale's Garden Centers sells flowering trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, and houseplants. In addition to the usual garden items, Gale's locations offer wildlife feeders, pet supplies, seasonal yard decor, and outdoor furniture. Design centers at some locations carry exclusive gift collections, books on gardening and home decor, personal care items, and 300 lines of collectibles, as well as provide professional decorating and design assistance. The company's Willoughby location includes a glass conservatory to showcase plants year-round.

H&M opened its first women's clothing store in 1947 as Hennes (Swedish for "hers"); it later bought the hunting and men's clothing store Mauritz Widforss. H&M is controlled by the family of chairman Stefan Persson (the billionaire son of founder Erling Persson). H&M Hennes & Mauritz targets the Hip & Modish. The firm designs cheap yet chic clothing, mainly for men and women ages 18 to 45, children's apparel, and its own brands of cosmetics. Fast-growing H&M operates about 2,000 stores in some 35 countries and has direct sales operations in selected areas. Germany is H&M's #1 market, accounting for about 25% of sales. About 60% of its clothing is made in Asia, the rest is manufactured primarily in Europe.

DOTS has plans for continued national expansion, including California eventually. Ultimately, DOTS hopes to reach 1,000 stores nationwide. DOTS operates more than 400 value-priced women's clothing and accessory stores in some 25 states, mostly along the East Coast and in the Midwest. The stores, which target female shoppers between the ages of 18 and 45, sell low-priced fashion apparel and accessories for the junior, misses, and plus-size markets. The fast-growing company has been opening new stores in some big markets, including Texas and Georgia.

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