Ingvar Kamprad founded IKEA in Sweden in 1943, and it later became famous for flat-pack furniture.
Kamprad started IKEA as a mail-order business while still a teenager. The name combines his initials with the initials of Elmtaryd, the family farm where he grew up, and Agunnaryd, his parish in Småland. The company initially sold assorted low-cost goods before concentrating on furniture.
IKEA introduced furniture catalogs and showrooms that allowed customers to inspect room settings before ordering. Flat-pack packaging reduced transport and storage costs, while customer self-assembly helped keep prices lower. The first IKEA furniture catalog appeared in 1951, and the first showroom opened in Älmhult in 1953.
IKEA is commonly treated as a Swedish brand, but its corporate structure and intellectual-property arrangements are spread across several countries. The name itself, however, has a specifically Swedish origin, and the company’s early furniture model developed in Sweden.