The first stores will open later this year, along with the simultaneous launch of local Holland & Barrett websites.
The expansion into Eastern and Southern Europe aligns with its development ambitions to become the go-to health and wellness destination, bringing products and “world-leading expert advice” to new customers, according to Chief Commercial Officer Alex Dower.
"We’re excited to be making wellness a way of life for even more people. We are already the go-to health and wellness destination and we’ve had a really positive response from customers in all our overseas markets, so we’re confident our multi-channel offer in Greece, Bulgaria and Romania will prove to be just as popular.”
Retail dynamics
Fourlis Group is a retail and consumer goods company in Greece, the Balkans, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey, and currently operates stores for Ikea, Intersport, and Athlete’s Foot (footwear).
The company is active in three divisions: retail home furnishings, retail sporting goods, property investment in Greece and the Balkans (including Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey).
The partnership with Holland & Barrett adds a third activity its retail portfolio, which Chairman and Executive Member, Vassilis Fourlis describes as “a very important day” with health and wellness one of the “most dynamic and fast-growing retail sectors”. Its objective is to play a leading role within the health and wellness sector.
He adds that the companies shared “vision” will facilitate delivery of innovative consumer products through an “extended omnichannel network of physical stores and online sales”.
Multi-channel expansion
Holland & Barrett is fast becoming a global player with 1,600 stores across 18 countries worldwide, including more than 800 in the UK and Ireland, with others planned for the future.
The design of recent store openings has focused on sustainability to cut carbon emissions and include a new flagship in Coventry and a pop-up store in St Pancras International station, launched in 2021.
The health retailer is also rapidly expanding its e-commerce business. It acquired ‘award-winning’ UK home beauty app, blow Ltd late last year, which provides a range of hair and beauty services to customers delivered by a team of more than 1,200 industry professionals. The acquisition extended the brand’s omni-channel presence “beyond offering wellness products and advice”.
Holland & Barrett has since launched a free online wellness consultation service for customers, where qualified advisers offer one-to-one consultations on a range of health concerns including immunity, joint and bone health, and provides product recommendations.
According to Chief Business & Science officer, Tamara Rajah, the long-term vision is to offer personalised services, diagnostics, and wellness solutions to 100 million customers globally to help them “achieve their health and wellness goals”.