Investors seem to be very interested in department store chain Hema: American investment fund Flacks Group is presenting itself as a potential buyer. The fund is also looking at other chains in the Benelux.
“Very interested”
“We are looking at medium-sized retail companies in the Benelux with a turnover of between 250 million and 2 billion euros. So we are very interested in Hema”, confirms Russell Goldman of venture capitalist Flacks Group from Miami in De Telegraaf. “We plan to make an offer for a retail company in the next twelve to eighteen months.” The fund has some 300 million euros in equity to invest and also looks at other chains: “Companies such as Blokker, Intertoys, Big Bazaar and Beter Bed are serious options.”
Hema came into the hands of its creditors in mid-June: a large part of the (high) debts were converted into shares. As a result, the role of owner Marcel Boekhoorn was over. The new owners immediately put the retail chain for sale, and it soon became clear that there was great interest in the company. For example, Michiel Witteveen of Mirage Retail, the group above Blokker, confirmed that he had made an offer for Hema. Ahold Delhaize would also be interested. In addition, there is talk of investment company Parcom. Supermarket chain Jumbo, which works closely with Hema, is not interested in an acquisition.
