The Dutch lingerie supplier Hunkemöller gets new owners. Financial investor Carlyle announced on Wednesday that it had reached an agreement to sell the company.
According to this, Hunkemöller goes to a group of Dutch investors, which include the investment companies Parcom and Opportunity Partners. The designated owners have “a track record of developing consumer goods brands in brick-and-mortar retail and e-commerce” and are “ideally suited to support Hunkemöller’s strategic ambitions,” according to a statement.
The purchase price was not published
Financial details of the transaction were not released. According to the company, the responsible competition authorities still have to approve the completion of the sale. In addition, the required talks would be held with the Dutch, Belgian and European works councils.
However, Carlyle stated that he intends to keep a minority stake in the retail chain in the future. “We continue to believe in the management team and strategy and look forward to reinvesting in the company and supporting its next phase of growth,” said Massimiliano Caraffa, Managing Director of Consumer & Retail at Carlyle Europe Partners.
Hunkemöller wants to further advance its omnichannel strategy
The management of Hunkemöller welcomed the forthcoming change of ownership. She is “convinced that the new partnership will accelerate the company’s omnichannel growth strategy,” it said in a statement. Among other things, investments in technological capacities and the expansion of the loyalty program to new markets are planned in order to “improve the online customer experience”. The company underlined the “essential importance” of the branch network, but also announced that it intends to further expand its presence on online marketplaces. Hunkemöller announced that the lingerie supplier will continue to work with existing partners such as About You, Zalando and Asos, but will also gain new e-commerce partners.
Since the takeover by Carlyle in 2016, the retail chain has been able to grow strongly, not least thanks to the implementation of its omnichannel strategy. While sales in 2016 were EUR 400 million, the company expects sales of EUR 690 million for the current year.