It was obviously not a great six months for the home furnishing industry, says Rivièra Maison CEO Henk Teunissen, when asked to look back on the first months of 2024. His company, too, has to do everything it can to maintain sales. In this, the Amsterdam-based company succeeds wonderfully, as autumn sales in the showroom at its headquarters increased by 8 percent, even though even slightly higher growth had been counted on beforehand. In addition, the international interior label gained just under 20 new customers abroad and as many as 24 in the Netherlands. Most notable: Eijerkamp with two branches.
Rivièra Maison CEO Henk Teunissen is positive about the rest of 2024.
"I am optimistic about the rest of 2024," Henk continues. "We have shifted our company's strategy more towards wholesale, using our own shops as showrooms. Online, we continue to have a strong presence. We also have all furniture in a data system. Our wholesale customers can use a digital tool to draw in complete interiors in their customers' living rooms. This boosts turnover, as orders of around 15,000 to 30,000 euros are often involved. However, the traffic of customers coming for a chair or side table is decreasing."
The new foreign customers include a German company with 10 large home furnishing shops in the top segment. In the Netherlands, they include interior shops, accessories shops and garden centres. "We're also excited about our new partnership with Eijerkamp. The renowned company celebrated its 95th anniversary last year, we 75. Last year, we found each other again after almost a decade. That resulted in a joint collection of furniture that can be found on two retail platforms of around 200 m² each in Zutphen and Veenendaal."
The Teunissen and Eijerkamp families in a cosy get-together, with, from left to right, Sjors Teunissen (seated), Evert-Jan Eijerkamp, Henk Teunissen, Bess Teunissen, Rivièra Maison creative director Nico Tijsen and Lotte Eijerkamp.
"We are adding the finishing touches now. This will definitely boost wholesale. Eijerkamp has traditionally been a household name in the Netherlands. I have known director Evert-Jan for years, while his daughter Lotte is of the same generation as my youngest daughter Bess, who is responsible for the collections. As family businesses, we have a lot of common ground. The younger generation - also my son Sjors, who is in charge of the day-to-day management - is stepping up considerably. I am very excited about this cooperation. We have yet to officially start, but the first sofa has already been sold. We have also developed a special table together that is only available at Eijerkamp," Henk emphasises.
The new Vicenza sofa, which Henk Teunissen thinks will be a hit.
Maison&Objet
In September, Riviera Maison will participate in Maison&Objet. "My expectations for Paris are pretty good, even though a lot of colleagues are not there. I think many shoppers will come to visit and buy, because they are all looking for something new. Consumers want more experiences, go further away on holidays, want to experience more, but also expect more experiences in home furnishing shops. The hospitality industry will have to take a step back in the coming period, because people will soon want to cocoon more, to receive family and friends at home and to eat and enjoy together. And it has to be comfortable there. In that sense, I certainly expect a revival for interior design shops, but you have to have something new to offer. You can't keep waiting with your arms crossed and offer the same business as a year ago. Hard work will get you there," says Henk. "But. customers are not queuing up in front of your home furnishing shop with the money in their back pockets. You have to come up with innovative and high-quality products. As Riviera Maison, we have that warm home feeling that people will soon be looking for in their homes. For example, we have now launched the super comfortable Vicenza sofa, for which expectations are high. I think it will be a hit, because it is the most comfortable seat ever," Henk knows.
Container transport
In terms of logistics, Riviera Maison, as a volume trader, also has to deal with the still far too high container rates, while shipping companies are booking billions in profits. "It really is a problem, although we are in the fortunate position of having a permanent contract. But that does not mean everything, because sometimes there is not even a container available.
Everyone complains, because these high rates also drive up inflation again. We ourselves are not raising prices for the time being, but we are considering what to do with them. It often takes two months for a container to arrive at its destination, if not weeks at a time," Henk grumbles. "But yes, we will have to make do with what we have. Be that as it may, for the rest of the year I am definitely positive. Sales will undoubtedly pick up."
More information:
Riviera Maison
www.rivieramaison.com