Major expansion for Hema in Belgium: five new stores, dozens of renovations

Hema will open five more new stores in Belgium this fall: three in Wallonia and two in Flanders. At the same time, the retailer is renovating dozens of existing stores. Next year, the flagship store on Antwerp’s Meir will also get a makeover.

A warmer shopping experience

Following the opening of its first store at Shopping Cora Woluwe in early September, Hema will open three more new stores this fall at former Cora locations. This marks the retailer’s first major expansion in Wallonia in ten years. At the same time, the chain is opening two new locations in Flanders, specifically in Genk and Ternat. This will bring the total number of Hema stores in Belgium to 114, with nearly 1,000 employees, according to the press release.

At the same time, Hema is also revamping its existing store network. The new store concept is designed to create a fresher, warmer, and more accessible shopping experience. The stores will feature soft lighting, a more organized layout, and a contemporary presentation of the product range. By the end of this year, the retailer expects to have renovated 30 to 35 stores in Belgium. That amounts to about one-third of the total Belgian store network.

Potential for 150 stores

Next year, the store on the Meir in Antwerp will also be completely renovated. It will become a true inspiration store with shop-in-shop sections, a tasting bar featuring peppernuts, Easter eggs, and mocktails, and an area with self-checkout registers, country manager Carla Velghe reveals to Gazet van Antwerpen. She also notes that she sees potential for around 150 stores in Belgium.

At the same time, Hema is further tailoring its product range to the Belgian market. Of the approximately 30,000 items, about 80% will remain the same as in other countries, while 20% will allow for local differentiation and optimization. This means that in Belgium, more attention can be focused on categories such as household goods and underwear, or on other preferences within food and everyday products.

“Hema has grown thanks to its own product range, designed with the goal of making items more attractive, more practical, and of higher quality—all at an affordable price. Our promise to offer quality that lasts longer remains just as relevant today as it was 100 years ago,” says Carla Velghe. “By renovating stores and strengthening the product range locally, Hema will become even more recognizable, accessible, and better aligned with what customers in Belgium are looking for.”