FACTBOX: Qatari target Sainsbury a family affair

(Reuters) - J Sainsbury Plc (SBRY.L), Britain's third-biggest supermarket group, confirmed it had received a bid approach from Qatari investment group Delta Two that newspapers said valued it at 12 billion pounds, including debt.

Here are some facts about Sainsbury, one of Britain's best-known retail brands.

* Founded by John James and May Ann Sainsbury in 1869 on London's Drury Lane.

* Sainsbury reached its heyday in the 1980s and early 1990s, under the chairmanship of John Sainsbury, a descendent of the founder, when it was Britain's favorite grocer and its market value touched 11 billion pounds ($22 billion).

* It had lost that crown by the late-1990s, slipping to a weak third place after Tesco and Asda scooped up Sainsbury customers who were driven away by its badly-stocked stores and out-of-date brown store fronts.

* Justin King, formerly head of food at Marks & Spencer , came to its rescue in 2004, staging one of British retail's most pronounced turnarounds. Store refits and a major advertising campaign fronted by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has brought Sainsbury nearly level with Asda.

* In May, the chain set a target of creating 3.5 billion pounds ($7 billion) of new sales by 2010.

* Delta Two raised its stake in Sainsbury to 25 percent in June, but King said at the time he had no doubt the Qatari fund supported the company's plans.

* An extensive property portfolio makes Sainsbury an attractive takeover target. The company rebuffed a $20 billion bid by private equity group CVC Capital CVC.UL in April this year.

For the latest story on the Delta Two bid, click on ID:nL18632550