Dunelm has acquired the Irish soft furnishings retailer Home Focus, marking a strategic entry into the Republic of Ireland’s homewares market valued over £1bn.
- Home Focus operates 13 stores and an online platform, offering smaller store formats than Dunelm’s current UK locations.
- Dunelm plans to expand Home Focus’s product range and enhance its online presence, while exploring further store opportunities in Ireland.
- Nick Wilkinson, Dunelm CEO, highlights shared values and potential for growth through this acquisition, aiming to enhance customer choice and value.
- The acquisition supports Dunelm’s strategy of leveraging mutual strengths in areas like made-to-measure services.
Dunelm, a leading UK homeware retailer, has strategically acquired Home Focus, an Irish soft furnishings business, to expand its footprint into the Republic of Ireland. This move taps into a homewares market exceeding £1bn, presenting significant growth opportunities. Home Focus currently operates both physically from 13 stores, typically smaller than 10,000 square feet, and through an online channel. With their expertise, Dunelm plans to introduce a broader product range to these smaller formats, similar to its UK operations.
Home Focus’s current operations through smaller physical store formats and e-commerce will see a transformation as Dunelm aims to integrate a more comprehensive range of homeware products. These enhancements align with Dunelm’s experience in smaller format stores within the UK, providing a complementary business model that capitalises on existing customer bases and market demands.
Dunelm also intends to bolster Home Focus’s online presence significantly. The strategy includes refining their digital offerings to enhance customer access and convenience, aiming to capture more market share through a robust e-commerce platform. This approach reflects a growing trend in the retail sector where digital and physical store strategies must align to sustain growth and meet consumer expectations.
Commenting on the acquisition, Dunelm CEO Nick Wilkinson expressed enthusiasm about the synergies between the two companies. “In Home Focus we have found a high-quality and complementary business, with a shared heritage in home textiles and strong values which stem from family ownership,” he said, highlighting the mutual benefits expected from this union. The CEO also noted the opportunity to increase choice and enhance value offers to Home Focus customers, leveraging both brands’ strengths.
The acquisition is poised to leverage mutual expertise in specialised services such as made-to-measure offerings, which are highly valued by customers seeking bespoke home solutions. Dunelm sees this aspect as a key area of growth and differentiation from competitors. By focusing on these tailor-made services, both companies anticipate unlocking new potential and maintaining a competitive edge in the market.
The acquisition of Home Focus by Dunelm signifies a strategic expansion, enhancing product offerings and market reach in the Republic of Ireland.
