History

Radix was established in Egilsstaðir in the eastern part of Iceland in 1994. The purpose of the company was to import new and revolutionary health products that were gaining ground in the market. These products were designed and developed by NASA, and people believed in these products.

The founders of the company were Reynir Sigurðsson and Guttormur Brynjólfsson. Guttormur was studying in Sweden at that time and got to know the products in connection with his studies for Doctor of Naprapathy. The school introduced new health pillows and mattresses called Tempur, the material adapted to the heat and pressure of the body. Reynir and Guttormur found this exciting they received an agency license for the product in Iceland and thus began importing and selling the product through their company Radix ehf. The first years were, as it were, rather demanding, it took time to market the product in the Icelandic market and build credibility, and it was a very demanding and time-consuming task.

Radix’s first store was opened on Grandavegur in Reykjavík and it only sold Tempur products. As marketing was starting to pay off and sales increased day by day the store had to be expanded to a wider product range such as bedding and linens and more for the bedroom. As the sales grew the retail space was getting to small for the increasing product range so the store was moved to Grensásvegur in Reykjavík in 1996.

The turnover increased steadily and changes where made in the ownership. Guttormur got out of the company to do other ventures and Reynir’s son Guðmundur Gauti became a shareholder. He wanted to build on the growth an expand the store even more with larger product range and therefore the store was moved to Faxafen in Reykjavík in 1998. The store had up to this been branded as Radix, witch is Latin for root or base, was rebranded to Betra Bak, witch translates to a better back in Icelandic. The store was a true family business where Reynir and his wife Anna Heiður worked with their sons Guðmundur Gauti and Egill. Betra Bak is still in Faxafen and is thriving there with its good product selection.

The company then expanded by opening two new Dorma stores. The former opened in 2009 in Holtagörður and the latter in Smáratorg in 2016. These stores are operated on the same basis but with cheaper product categories. A store was also opened in Ísafjörður in 2006 under the name Betra Bak and it still operates there.