Kesko Opens First Hehku Beauty Stores

Finnish retailer Kesko has launched its beauty and wellness store concept, Hehku, opening its first two stores at the Forum shopping centre in Helsinki and in Koivukylä, Vantaa.

The collaboration with retail pharmacy company Oriola-KD is aimed at creating the biggest nationwide chain of stores specialising in wellbeing, with a total of 100 Hehku outlets planned for the coming years, according to Kesko.

Along with the physical stores, the retailer has also launched the online store hehku.fi, offering its selection of almost 10,000 products to over 2,000 pick-up points all over Finland through the retailer's partnership with Posti, Schenker and Matkahuolto.

Kesko plans to open five more Hehku stores in February and seven in March. The group will continue opening stores throughout the year, with a goal of having 30 by the end of 2018.

“We will open 30 Hehku stores this year, while our online store already allows us to serve customers nationwide,” said Tuomas Mattelmäki, Hehku’s managing director.

"Hehku.fi intends to compete with international online cosmetics stores with excellent customer service."

Health And Wellbeing

Hehku’s product range covers nutrition, recovery, exercise, beauty and health. It includes established brands such as Olivia Klein, Möller, Lumene and Biotherm, as well as new international brands such as Floxia and Ziaja Med skincare.

The stores will also offer expert advice and services through a team of 70 wellbeing professionals, according to the company.

The planned store openings over the next two months are as follows:

• Helsinki Easton
• Tammisto, Vantaa
• Kuninkaankulma, Tampere
• Mylly shopping centre, Raisio
• Pekurinkulma and Ideapark shopping centres, Oulu.
• Ruoholahti shopping centre, Helsinki
• Länsikeskus, Turku
• Turtola, Tampere
• Nokia
• Matkus shopping centre and Päiväranta, Kuopio
• Forum shopping centre and Keljo, Jyväskylä
• Jouppi, Seinäjoki.