Hema ditches Albert Heijn, agrees alliance with Jumbo instead
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High street staple Hema has abandoned plans to work together with the Albert Heijn supermarket group and is forming an alliance with AH’s arch rival Jumbo instead.
Hema and Albert Heijn said in February they planned to open two pilot shops which would combine the best of both brands but AH was told by Hema last week that the deal would no longer go ahead, a spokewoman has confirmed.
The deal with Jumbo involves selling Hema products in Jumbo stores and aims to improve the market position of both companies, the two companies said in a short statement.
Hema may also start co-sponsoring the Jumbo skating and cycling teams, the statement said. More details of the proposals will be published before the end of the year.
According to the Financieele Dagblad, however, the deal also involves Jumbo taking over 20 to 25 Hema stories in city and town centres, which will so go some way to alleviating Hema’s debt.
Hema was taken over by businessman Marcel Boekhoorn at the end of last year. The other measures he has taken to restore profitability including halving the size of the management board, selling the in-house bakery and rebranding stores abroad as Hema Amsterdam.
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