Omoda Acquires Wehkamp

The combination will create a broad retail organization encompassing the brands Omoda, Assem, Wehkamp, and kleertjes.com, serving both the premium and mid-market segments through online and offline channels.

The proposed acquisition is the latest in a series of strategic acquisitions through which Omoda Brands has evolved into a leading omnichannel fashion retailer in the Netherlands. Over the past seven years, the company has completed eleven acquisitions, including Assem (formerly Van den Assem), Shuz, Leurink, and Mijn Modewereld.

With 42 Omoda boutiques and 20 Assem boutiques, complemented by strong e-commerce platforms, Omoda Brands has built a consistent boutique experience centred around well-known brands, proprietary collections, and personal service. The Zeeland-based family business celebrates its 150th anniversary this year and remains under the ownership of the fourth and fifth generations of the founding family.

Through the acquisition of WRG, Omoda Brands adds two well-established retail brands to its portfolio. Wehkamp has been a household name in fashion, beauty, and home & living for decades and is widely recognised as one of the pioneers of e-commerce in the Netherlands. With its extensive assortment, Wehkamp has maintained a strong position among millions of Dutch consumers across generations.

Founded in 2003, kleertjes.com has become a leading player in children's fashion and a trusted destination for young families, offering apparel, footwear, toys, and children's room products.

The combined group will become one of the largest Dutch fashion and lifestyle retailers, strengthening its ability to compete with major international platforms. While Assem primarily serves the premium segment and Omoda targets the upper-mid market, the addition of Wehkamp broadens the group's reach across the entire mid-market segment, including fashion, beauty, sports, and home & living categories.

Jan Baan, CEO of Omoda Brands, commented:

"The acquisition of Wehkamp Retail Group aligns perfectly with our ambition to build a group capable of serving the Dutch fashion market in its full breadth. In our view, Wehkamp belongs among the icons of Dutch retail. The brand has a loyal customer base and a state-of-the-art logistics operation.

Over the past year, Wehkamp has already taken important steps towards a more focused assortment and a clearer market positioning. With our boutique philosophy, we believe we can make the Wehkamp experience even more personal.

Less than five years ago, Omoda expanded from footwear into apparel. Following this acquisition, we will be active across all key market segments through distinct brands, enabling us to offer an even more relevant boutique experience to consumers. By combining our strengths, we can accelerate our development and continue investing in differentiated customer propositions and future-proof brand positioning."

Martijn Hagman, CEO of WRG, added:

"Omoda Brands successfully combines the personal boutique experience with the scale and efficiency of an e-commerce business and has developed a clearly defined position within fashion retail. Combined with Wehkamp's expertise in categories such as home & living and beauty, the new group represents a compelling Dutch alternative to international fashion and lifestyle platforms.

Omoda Brands' acquisition track record demonstrates its ability to drive transformation through a genuine passion for fashion and retail. We are proud that Wehkamp will once again become Dutch-owned and that Wehkamp and kleertjes.com will become part of an entrepreneurial family business with a long tradition. I am convinced that this will enable Wehkamp to truly become Wehkamp again."

Tom Hall, Supervisory Board Member of WRG and Adviser to Apax, said:

"For more than 70 years, Wehkamp has adapted to the changing needs of Dutch consumers. Under Apax ownership, the company has significantly strengthened its proposition, particularly in fashion and home & living for Dutch families. We are confident that Omoda Brands is the right long-term partner for the next chapter in Wehkamp's history."

Omoda Brands' longstanding expertise in footwear is expected to support Wehkamp's growth within that category. At the same time, Wehkamp's strong market position in home & living, beauty, and lingerie provides opportunities for Omoda and Assem to expand into these categories in the future. In addition, Wehkamp's home & living business may benefit from Omoda Brands' experience in physical retail. The possibility of opening physical Wehkamp home stores will be explored in the future.

The intention is to consolidate the distribution activities of all brands over time within WRG's distribution centre in Zwolle, which spans more than 140,000 square metres. This integration will be further developed in the coming period. WRG's logistics and fulfilment expertise, combined with shared technology infrastructure, category expansion opportunities, and procurement optimisation, is expected to generate significant synergies and support future profitability.

The combined group is expected to generate annual revenues of approximately €600 million. By joining forces, the companies will create a solid platform with substantial potential for operational and commercial synergies.

To finance the acquisition, Omoda Brands is partnering with a Dutch family office, which will provide part of the funding and acquire a minority stake in the newly formed group.

Martijn Hagman, who has served as CEO of WRG since April 2025, has committed to becoming Co-CEO of the combined group alongside Jan Baan through the end of 2027, ensuring a smooth integration process. Erik-Jan Mares, CEO of Zeeman, will chair the newly established Supervisory Board of Omoda Brands, which will also include Lourus Verton, founder of Omoda Brands.

Source: Omoda