Jack Cohen

Tesco

Tesco is a British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Welwyn Garden City, England. It was founded in 1919 by Sir Jack Cohen in Hackney, London, beginning with a market stall selling war-surplus groceries. The Tesco brand emerged in 1924 from supplier initials and Cohen’s surname. The first dedicated shop opened in 1931 in Edgware. It was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1947. It pioneered self-service (1948) and supermarket formats (1956). Cohen’s core business method was 'pile it high and sell it cheap' and the motivational internal motto 'YCDBSOYA'.