JBC’s parent company, Claes Retail Group, looks ahead after a difficult year

Claes Retail Group, the fashion group behind JBC, CKS, and Mayerline, faced a difficult fiscal year. The group posted a net loss of 9.6 million euros, but isn’t slowing down: with Filou & Friends, CRG added a fourth brand to its portfolio, while its stores and logistics operations are also receiving additional investments.

Promotions and heatwaves

Claes Retail Group closed the 2025–2026 fiscal year with revenue of 228 million euros. Gross operating profit (EBITDA) amounted to just 2.7 million euros, while the bottom line showed a net loss of 9.6 million euros. According to CRG, cautious consumers, ongoing promotions, higher costs, and exceptionally warm weather weighed on the results. The group’s investments also impacted profitability.

It is clear, however, that this is an exceptional setback: in 2024, the Belgian family-owned company still posted stable revenue of 237 million euros and an EBITDA of 11.4 million euros—the best result in the past eight years. “This was a very difficult year, but this is the reality—we’re not going to sugarcoat it,” acknowledges CEO Bart Claes. “The market is changing rapidly and requires us to constantly adjust our course and make clear choices.”

Fourth brand

Nevertheless, the family-owned fashion group has no intention of slowing down. On the contrary, earlier this year, CRG acquired a 50% stake in the children’s fashion brand Filou & Friends. Since August, JBC has been selling the collection in forty stores and through its online store. This fall, the fifteenth standalone Filou & Friends store will also open at Shopping Wijnegem.

CRG views this investment as a way to strengthen its position in the Belgian children’s fashion market. “We’ve been strong in children’s fashion for years. With Filou & Friends, we’re adding a complementary Belgian brand with a strong identity of its own. This is how we’re strengthening our market leadership,” says Claes.

The group is also continuing to invest in its store network. For example, CKS in Ostend and JBC in Rijkevorsel opened new locations, while stores in Edegem, Kalmthout, Nieuwpoort, and other locations received a revamped store concept. Mayerline moved to a new location in Bruges.

“Simpler and more efficient”

At the same time, CRG is taking steps to streamline its cost structure. Starting early next year, the group will outsource its warehouse operations to an external service provider. The fashion group aims to organize its supply chain more efficiently and respond more quickly to changes in demand.

“We’re making choices today that will make us stronger tomorrow,” says Claes. “That means investing where we see growth potential, while at the same time making our organization simpler and more efficient.”

Cautious recovery in 2026

Circular retail is also playing a bigger role. Through CRG’s various secondhand initiatives, more than 370,000 garments have now found new owners. At Filou & Friends, the total stands at more than 70,000 items.

Claes Retail Group expects economic uncertainty and pressure on purchasing power to persist for the time being. Nevertheless, the fashion company is already seeing improvement this year. The group therefore intends to continue investing in stores, brand positioning, and partnerships. “Our ambition remains the same: to build a healthy Belgian fashion group that remains relevant to its customers in the long term,” concludes Bart Claes.