IKEA news · July 23th 2026
Inter IKEA Systems B.V., owner of the IKEA concept and global franchisor of IKEA, announced today that it has signed franchise agreements with the Sarton Group to grant exclusive rights to explore expansion opportunities in Panama and Costa Rica.
Inter IKEA Systems B.V. has granted Sarton Group the franchise rights for Panama and Costa Rica. Sarton Group currently operates stores in the Spanish Islands, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. The agreements signed are part of the IKEA brand’s expansion in the Americas and will add stores in Panama and Costa Rica.
"We are pleased to further expand our collaboration with the Sarton Group and invite Panama and Costa Rica to join the IKEA family. As the owners of the IKEA concept and franchisors of IKEA worldwide, we are constantly seeking opportunities to expand our reach and improve accessibility for more people. Together with IKEA franchisees, we are improving and developing IKEA to make it more relevant and inspiring. We see this agreement as a further strengthening of our long-term commitment, investment in the Americas, and building relationships with customers, suppliers, and future coworkers,” says Maria Johansson, Expansion Manager at IKEA.
The Sarton Group currently manages business operations in the Spanish Islands, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.
"This is an incredibly exciting and important expansion for the Sarton Group. We look forward to further strengthening our solid and successful relationship with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. by assuming the franchise rights for Panama and Costa Rica. Our years of experience operating in markets such as the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico have given us invaluable insight into the local needs, dreams, and desires of the many people living in the Americas. We are confident that, by offering furniture and home decor solutions and leveraging our expertise, we will make a significant contribution to the growth of the IKEA brand in Panama and Costa Rica," says Tony Tavira, Retail Manager at Sarton.
IKEA currently operates through a combination of 486 stores, e-commerce, and order pickup locations in 63 markets around the world, with 899 million store visits and 4.6 billion online visits per year. Operations are managed by 13 IKEA franchise groups, which are authorized to market and sell the IKEA product range and to manage IKEA stores and other sales channels.
More details will be provided later regarding the exact opening dates of the stores in Panama and Costa Rica.
About IKEA
IKEA offers well-designed, functional, and affordable home furnishings of high quality, produced with care for people and the environment. There are several companies with different owners operating under the IKEA brand, but they all share the same vision: to create a better everyday life for the many people. IKEA was founded in Sweden in 1943.
About the IKEA Franchise System
IKEA’s business is managed through a franchise system, with franchisees authorized to market and sell the IKEA product range in specific geographic territories. Inter IKEA Systems B.V. is the owner of the IKEA concept and the global franchisor of IKEA, which also assigns the development of the product range, product supply, and the delivery of communication solutions to various IKEA companies. Currently, 13 different groups of companies have the right to own and operate IKEA sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V.
About the Inter IKEA Group
The Inter IKEA Group includes Inter IKEA Systems B.V., IKEA of Sweden AB, IKEA Supply AG, and the businesses related to IKEA Industry AB. Inter IKEA Holding B.V. is the holding company of the Inter IKEA Group.
About Sarton
Sarton is the commercial operator of the IKEA brand in the Spanish Islands, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and now also in Panama and Costa Rica.
For more information, please email us at: medios.pan@ikeasi.com.