JYSK Expands Belgian Footprint with Leen Bakker Acquisition and Cora Site Openings
Brussels, Belgium – JYSK, the Scandinavian home furnishings retailer, is considerably expanding its presence in Belgium, acquiring nine stores from Dutch chain Leen Bakker and opening seven new locations within Cora hypermarket sites. The moves, announced Thursday, will bring JYSK’s total number of Belgian stores to 86.
JYSK first entered the Belgian market in 2017 and currently operates seventy branches nationwide, according to spokesperson nick Möller. The company aims to reach at least 86 stores in the next financial year, with potential for further expansion.
The acquisition includes taking over staff from Leen Bakker at locations in Bruges, Dendermonde, and Kuurne, among others. “We are happy that we can offer Leen Bakker employees a future within JYSK,” said HR manager Lana Mannaerts, adding that the company will host job submission events to integrate the new employees. JYSK intends to retain at least half of the existing employment contracts.
Simultaneously, JYSK is establishing new stores at two Cora sites in Anderlecht and Woluwe, as part of a larger redevelopment project. Mitiska REIM, the owner of the Cora sites, announced in early September an investment exceeding 80 million euros to transform the locations into shopping centers, with the first JYSK stores anticipated to open before next summer.
“With the acquisition of Leen Bakker stores and expansion to Cora locations,we are taking a big step towards national coverage and strengthening our position as a leading home furnishings store chain in Belgium,” stated Frank Christant,Country Director of JYSK Belgium,France and the Netherlands. The company’s long-term goal is to operate 125 branches throughout Belgium.
The expansion is expected to increase JYSK’s Belgian workforce from approximately 800 to nearly 1,000 employees.
