HEMA marks 100 years as Dutch retailer renews its stores

HEMA turns 100 on Wednesday, 4 November, marking a century since the Dutch retailer opened its first shop on Amsterdam’s Kalverstraat. The chain, known for everyday goods, its smoked sausage and pink tompouces, is celebrating through 2026 as it updates stores and seeks to keep its low-price appeal relevant.

Leo Meyer and Arthur Isaac founded HEMA in 1926 as a department store for people on modest incomes. Its first products were sold at fixed prices of 25 or 50 cents, at a time when department stores largely catered for wealthier customers. The fixed-price system later disappeared, but affordability remained central to the business.

HEMA grew to sell household goods, clothing, toys and food, while its own products and lunchrooms became familiar parts of Dutch life. The company’s history also includes the persecution of its Jewish founders and staff during the Second World War. Jewish employees were dismissed by force, and many did not survive. HEMA commemorates staff who were killed each year.

The retailer has also faced financial strain and changing ownership. In 2020, a debt restructuring reduced its debt from about €750 million to €300 million. Since February 2026, HEMA has been wholly owned by the Van Eerd family, which also owns supermarket chain Jumbo.

The company says it is focusing on more modern stores, a refreshed range and products designed to last longer. At its annual results presentation in May, it said 300 of about 770 branches had been renovated.

For the 2025 financial year, HEMA reported gross revenue of €2.3 billion, up 5.6 per cent on a comparable basis, and pre-tax profit of €59.4 million. Net profit fell from €56 million to €45.7 million, which the company attributed mainly to a tax benefit in 2024.

The anniversary programme has included a campaign and a song by Guus Meeuwis, a commemorative coin and a design competition. The winning entry, a tool for moving chopped ingredients from a board into a pan, was selected from more than 500 submissions; HEMA is considering whether to sell it.

To mark the birthday, HEMA says it will donate at least 2,500 gifts to Stichting Jarige Job, which helps children in families facing financial hardship celebrate their birthdays. Customers can donate gifts at stores from 2 to 15 November. The charity is expected to help about 183,000 children this year, according to Nieuws.nl.