Dutch brand Hema to expand to the US and Canada

Hema, one of the most traditional retailers on the Dutch high street, will soon have a presence in the North American market. The brand, whose assortment includes fashion, beauty, stationary and home decor, has closed a deal with Walmart to start offering its products on Wallmart.com from this summer. Only home decor items will be available at launch, with the other categories to follow gradually. Hema will also open physical stores in Ontario, Canada, later this year, in partnership with an unnamed local company.

Commenting on the expansion, Hema’s CEO Tjeerd Jegen said in a statement: “Moving to North America is a historical step for us because Hema’s very first store, opened almost 100 years ago by Leo Meyer and Arthur Isaac, was inspired by American fixed price stores”. Hema’s concept has changed a lot since then. Now, the brand offers stylish everyday essentials for an affordable price. Its assortment includes nearly 19.000 items.

Jegen added that Hema is “extremely proud” to collaborate with Walmart, the biggest retailer in the world. “They are the ideal partners to enter the North American market”, he said. To emphasize its Dutch roots, Hema will add the word “Amsterdam” to its brand name in the US and Canada.

Hema’s entry in the North American market comes nine months after Ramphastos Investments, an investment firm owned by Dutch billionaire Marcel Boekhoorn, acquired the company from British firm Lion Capital LLP for an undisclosed amount. The new buyers announced at the time that they would look for international partners to accelerate Hema’s expansion overseas. The company operates over 750 stores in nine countries, but Holland and Belgium remain its core markets. Most of those stores are operated by franchisees.

Picture: courtesy of Hema