After almost four decades in which the multi-brand importer of shoes and sporting goods Relaxor managed sales for Birkenstock in the Netherlands, the shoe supplier will again serve this important market itself from July 1, 2023.
The company is thus continuing a strategy that is also being promoted in other key markets in order to further increase brand presence and sales quality and to deepen the relationship with its customers. It is also currently preparing to set up its own sales company and open a showroom in Amsterdam, according to Birkenstock in a press release.
Deepen customer proximity and brand presence
Relaxor has been distributing Birkenstock products in the Netherlands since 1984 and as sole distributor since 2013. “We would like to thank Hilko Hooijer and his team for the good cooperation and the commitment with which Relaxor has represented our brand in the Netherlands for a very long time,” comments Fabio Ortega, Vice President Wholesale Europe at Birkenstock.
“The rapid growth, which is favored by an investment worth several million euros in the expansion of our production capacities in Germany, as well as the changed consumer and sales structure, make it simply essential for us as a brand to be closer to the consumers in our focus markets to be,” adds Ortega.
Accordingly, the brand intends to build “a strong D2C business and excellent wholesale distribution” in the Netherlands. Customers should be offered the entire product range from sandals to closed shoes, children’s shoes, work shoes and all other categories.
“Now it is time to start a new chapter of Birkenstock in the Netherlands, in which we want to align our offer even more closely to the rapidly changing local market requirements. Direct selling is an excellent opportunity for us to deepen the relationship with our customers,” confirms Nico-Mehdi Bouyakhf, Managing Director Europe at Birkenstock.