Dutch organic supermarket chain Marqt is to be renamed Ekoplaza Foodmarqt, according to media reports, close to three years after its takeover by Ekoplaza.
Some three years after the takeover by Ekoplaza parent Udea, in October 2019, Marqt is now being repositioned.
The organic chain, which boasts a dozen stores in the Netherlands, mainly in and around Amsterdam, unveiled its new name during the past week.
A campaign highlighting the new name is being featured on bus shelters in Amsterdam.
On the poster, the merged company writes “I forget, you forget. We will be Ekoplaza and Marqt.”
Last Saturday (21 May), the former Marqt location on Haarlemmerstraat organised a festive opening, where customers were able to come and taste the retailer's offering.
Integration Process
According to Ekoplaza, the name change took some time as the integration of both formulas was prioritised by the retailer.
The takeover was also controversial, with Marqt founders Meike Beeren and Quirijn Bolle going to court twice to stop the takeover.
Dutch retailer Albert Heijn also acquired a number of Marqt outlets in the Dutch cities of Rotterdam and Amsterdam in 2019.
Ekoplaza owner Udea has continued its acquisition strategy, most recently converting the 14 Belgian Origin'O stores into stores under its banner.
The Dutch group hopes to become a major, vertically integrated Benelux player in due course.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest Retail news. Article by Conor Farrelly. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
