Hema opens first Belgian flagship stores based on international formula

Dutch Hema has opened its first Belgian flagship store in Brussels, based on its international store formula. It will open a similar store in Antwerp by the end of the week.

Lekker Hema

The most auspicious addition to this new formula is “Lekker Hema” (Tasty Hema), with a new approach for its restaurants and food divisions. The restaurants have a new interior design and separate counters where salads, home-made French fries, fresh pasta, pizza, healthy sandwiches and soups are prepared as the customer waits. That is also the reason why the restaurants have their own team and are no longer managed by the store’s staff.

The chain already implemented its international store formula in about 70 smaller Belgian and 316 smaller Dutch stores. It is now trialing the larger store formula in five locations, including Antwerp and Brussels. The other three pilot stores are in the Netherlands.

In the new store formula, the store space has been spread across different worlds, bringing together everything logically. In Antwerp and Brussels, it has an innovative approach to its beauty product display. To that end, it fully focuses on a shopping experience with elaborate product trials.