DekaMarkt

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DekaMarkt is a Dutch supermarket chain with about 81 stores across the Netherlands, including North Holland, South Holland, Gelderland, Overijssel and Flevoland. It’s part of the Superunie purchasing group.

The company was founded in 1941 by Dirk Kat in Velsen-Noord. The first store closed in 1944 during World War II. In 1949 the first self-service store, Kijkgrijp, opened. In 1950 joint purchasing began to keep prices low, and in 1952 a central warehouse was built. The first modern supermarket offering fresh bread, meat and vegetables opened in IJmuiden in 1955. The DekaMarkt name appeared at stores in Wormerveer and Zaandam in 1969 and was used at all stores by 1986. Deka comes from Dirk Kat’s initials. In 1974 the first liquor shop, DekaMarkt Slijterij, opened.

From 2001, DekaMarkt worked closely with the Dirk chain. In 2008 the two merged to form Detailresult Groep, with both formats continuing. In 2013, DekaMarkt stores were updated to look more like real markets. Besides groceries, the company runs a wine shop and a garden centre. The Deka Wine Market opened in Beverwijk in 2007 but is now closed; wine is sold in the main store. The garden centre, DekaTuin, opened in Heiloo in 2008 and later expanded to Haarlem, and it includes a petrol station on site. DekaMarkt also has its own production company with bakeries, cattle and agriculture, plus a butcher shop and several distribution and fresh-produce centers. Since 2011, the company operates its own delivery service.