HEMA moves into North America
The Hollandsche Eenheidsprijzen Maatschappij Amsterdam (HEMA) saw its first store open in 1926 in Amsterdam and has seen an exponential growth since then. Now having more than 750 stores in nine countries, 19 000 employees and over 6 million visitors each week, HEMA is looking to expand into the North American continent. HEMA’s brand structure can be visualized as a triangle. Each side of the triangle represents good quality, good design and great prices and the unity of it all represents the perfect balance between them all. This triangle has been HEMA’s backbone and secret to success as it took on its first two continents Europe and Asia.
After establishing themselves in the European and Asian market, HEMA’s household goods will be available in the USA and Canada this summer on Walmart.com. HEMA plans on adding “Amsterdam” to its brand name in North America, in hopes that by accentuating its origins, it can stand out amongst its American and Canadian competitors. HEMA’s Canadian journey will start in Ontario where it plans to launch stores and shop-in-shops in the biggest Walmart stores in the area.
The partnership with Walmart who happens to be the world’s largest retailer, is directly in line with HEMA’s growth strategy. This strategy sees HEMA growing through its partnerships, owning online channels, and mastering franchise partners as well as wholesale activities. The CEO of HEMA, Mr. Tjeerd Jegen is thrilled about this partnership: "The expansion into North America is a historic step for HEMA, as our founders Leo Meyer and Arthur Isaac first saw dollar stores in that region almost 100 years ago. They introduced this concept to the Netherlands by opening the first HEMA store. We are particularly proud of our partnership with Walmart, the world's largest retailer. This makes Walmart the ideal partner to start on the North American market. This collaboration also fits in perfectly with our international expansion strategy."
The Dutch company isn’t the only one that is optimistic about this collaboration. The General Manager and Head of Marketplace at Walmart, Mr. Philip Behn, reflects on this association and what it means for Walmart: "At Walmart we are constantly looking for opportunities to bring quality products at great prices to our customers. As we expand our marketplace, we also create new opportunities for local and international sellers. HEMA, a distinctive brand from Holland, is a great example of a new partnership that will deliver choice for our customers."