1930
In the 30’s, the first retailing activities began when the Depósitos Tres Montes were opened. These premises were small stores found in the city’s most strategic locations, and were known for the quality and prestige of their traditional products (coffee, tea and mate tea) imported and distributed in Chile by Ibáñez y Cía., the successor Company to Gratenau y Cía. In 1954, under the management of Mr. Manuel Ibáñez O., the Company transformed its stores into self-service premises offering a broader range of products.

1957
In 1957 the first supermarket in Chile and South America, under the name Almac, was opened in Providencia, Santiago. This format, which had a car park, a broad range of products and checkouts, enabled the Company to improve its service and quality. This new concept would gradually replace the small neighbourhood stores that had been serving consumers for over three decades.

1984
In 1984, the first Ekono supermarket opens in Santiago; it is a new low-price format that subsequently spread across the country. In 1985, D&S, Distribución y Servicio S.A. began operating as a distributor and services provider to the Company’s supermarkets. In 1987 the first  Hipermercado Ekono hypermarket opened, a new format based on low-price supermarkets, but with more floor space, incorporating a range of non-food products. In 1989 the Almac “Fresh Market” concept was launched, focusing on service and quality, especially of perishable food.

1992
Saitec the real estate division was formed and the first shopping centre, La Dehesa Shopping, was opened. This division is responsible for developing and managing shopping centres as well as buying sites and building new stores.

1995
Following an international trend, D&S introduced the low-price megamarket concept under the Lider brand and opened the Lider Pajaritos hypermarket in Santiago.

1996
The Company started to develop its financial services division by launching the Presto credit card in order to provide credit to customers to buy high-value items sold at the new Lider hypermarkets. In December 1996, the Company completes its initial public offering in Chile by   trading 8% of its shares on the Santiago Stock Exchange, thus becoming a public limited Company.

1997
In March 1997, the Service School was opened to serve suppliers and train staff. In October, the LTS Distribution Centre began operations with a 34,000m2 warehouse capacity, in order to supply more efficiently the Company’s stores throughout Chile. That same month, due to a capital increase, the Company entered the international financial markets by listing its first issue of ADR’s on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DYS).

2000
In June 2000, the Lider Vecino compact hypermarket format was opened; on average it has  3,500m2 of floor space and the same sections found in a hypermarket. This format brings together convenient neighbourhood locations and family atmosphere of supermarkets, with the broad range of products and low prices of Lider hypermarkets.

2001
In July 2001, D&S entered the pharmaceutical market by opening the first FarmaLider pharmacy at the Lider Puente Nuevo hypermarket.

2002
During 2002 FarmaLider underwent an intense development process, and by December, it had 19 stores operating inside the Company’s supermarkets and hypermarkets. The Company also strengthened its presence in regions. Furthermore, in December 2002, the Company’s common shares were listed on the Latibex market at the Madrid Stock Exchange.

2003
In 2003, the Company goes further with its low-price strategy and merges its supermarket and hypermarket brands under the Lider brand name. Therefore, supermarkets operate under the Lider Express brand, compact hypermarkets as Lider Vecino and hypermarkets as Lider. Towards the end of 2003, the Company reached an agreement with Carrefour, the French hypermarket chain, to buy its operations in Chile consisting of 7 hypermarkets.

2004
D&S opened 6 new Lider stores. It opened the Lider Pionero hypermarket in Punta Arenas, making a significant contribution to the development of the Magallanes Region. In August, the Company decided to increase capital by 250 million shares, which were fully traded on the market, raising a total of US$ 250 million.

2005
During 2005, D&S strengthened its commitment with customers even further through its  nationwide coverage and exceptional value proposal. Six new Lider stores were opened in the Metropolitan Region (one in Talagante) and in Arica, Ovalle, Temuco, Puerto Varas and Punta Arenas. Lider Velázquez was also reopened. FarmaLider added 10 new stores, 5 of them in a freestanding format, outside Lider premises. In June, the Presto card started operating as an open card, subject to the regulations of SBIF, the Chilean banking regulator, and extending its use to nonassociated stores throughout Chile.

2006
The Company focused on its competitiveness by enhancing its exceptional value proposal and increasing productivity as a result of the Operating Excellence programme. It also focused on growth, opening 19 more stores nationwide. The real estate division opened three new shopping centres in Linares, Los Andes and Las Rejas in Santiago. In December, D&S reached an agreement with Farmacias Ahumada so that it would operate its 72 FarmaLider pharmacies.

2007
The Lider stores were grouped in two formats: Hiper Lider hypermarkets and Lider Express de Lider supermarkets. During 2007, D&S consolidated its national coverage even more by opening 11 stores in Santiago and in regions. Likewise, it launched a new discount format under the Ekono brand and the Acuenta warehouse style format. As at 31 December 2007, the Company operated a total of 145 stores: 49 Express de Lider supermarkets, 62 Hiper Lider hypermarkets, 32 Ekono and 2 Superbodega Acuenta discount stores.