Success
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Scandinavian-style furniture continues to set trends, and this partly explains the success achieved by JYSK – a Danish brand that has been committed to relaxation, decoration and furniture since 1979. It currently has over 3,500 stores in 50 countries. One of its most recent initiatives has been to modernise all its stores with the Store Concept 3.0, a project in which it has invested 630 million euros.

 

The first JYSK store in Spain opened its doors in Cartagena (Murcia) in 2009, and since then it has grown steadily to reach the current 171. Recently, the company announced a new strategic plan that foresees an overall investment of 268 million euros in IT infrastructure, online shopping platforms and other customer-oriented tools. In Spain, this plan includes opening 75 new stores, with an investment of 37.5 million euros, and generating 750 direct jobs over the next three years.

 

          

 

What were your expectations in Spain when you opened your first store?

At JYSK, expansion and the objective of being close to our customers is in our genetic code, which is why we were confident right from the beginning that we could open many stores in the Spanish market. However, in 2020 we decided to expand at a different speed in the Iberian market, accelerating our growth due to growing acceptance of our offerings by Spanish and Portuguese customers.

 

What has your trajectory been like since then?

In Spain, we currently have 171 stores and more than 2,000 collaborators. Our expansion over the last five years has been particularly fast; we open between 20 and 25 new stores a year, making us the busiest retailer in our category. To give you a concrete figure, in the last three years, we have opened over 70 stores, almost the same number as we did in the first 13 years, when we reached 100. Today, Spain is the country with the third largest number of JYSK stores, behind Germany and Poland.  In addition, each opening means creating around 10 jobs, thus supporting local employment.

 

What differentiates your offering from that of your competitors?

Our offering differs from our competitors in three key respects. First and foremost, people: our team is essential for providing a close and high-quality service. Secondly, our products, which combine functional and attractive design with excellent value for money. And thirdly, our store format allows us to have a presence in all types of cities, guaranteeing proximity and accessibility to our customers.

 

What infrastructure do you have in Spain?

Our headquarters are currently based in Cheste (Valencia), located next to our logistics distribution centre. From there we manage two countries, Spain and Portugal, and the distribution centre supplies both these countries as well as Morocco. In addition, we are developing a major project in Almenara (Castellón), where, between 2027 and 2028, we will inaugurate our new headquarters and a modern distribution centre covering 274,000 square metres, in response to the sustained growth we are experiencing.

 

What have been the most important investments you have made in Spain?

All in all, opening new store accounts for our most significant investments, together with renovating our existing stores according to the Concept 3.0, which we have recently carried out. For example, in Spain, we plan to open around 75 new stores in the next three years, with an estimated total investment of 37.5 million euros. In addition, the new distribution centre in Almenara will receive an investment of around 300 million euros. Internationally, and as part of our new strategic plan, we plan to invest 268 million euros in IT solutions.

 

How important is Spain for the company’s strategy?

Spain is a highly important market for our strategy. In fact, this country ranks fifth worldwide in terms of turnover. Our target is to reach 350 stores in the next few years. We are very confident of this growth, because Spanish consumers are very receptive to our store offerings and brand value.

 

You have just presented your strategy up until 2028. What role does Spain play in this plan?

Under our new strategic plan, we are prioritising growth in the countries where we already have a presence and are focusing on Europe’s major metropolitan areas, bringing our stores and products closer to urban consumers. Spain is key to this growth. We have identified a great opportunity for expansion, especially in cities like Madrid, where we will open new urban stores and continue to provide our Scandinavian offerings for the home and for relaxation, to meet our customers’ needs.

 

How will JYSK’s presence in Spain evolve beyond 2028?

As I said, our objective is to reach 350 stores in Spain over the next few years. We want to consolidate our presence in the country so that more and more people can enjoy the JYSK experience, both in our physical stores and online.

 

^{Photos: JYSK}