Contemporary Danish furniture brand, BoConcept, is celebrating 20 years of trading in the UK.
The company was founded by two cabinetmakers in Herning, Denmark, in 1952, with the aim of introducing quality Danish furniture to a broader audience.
BoConcept grew steadily over the decades, and after a succession of local acquisitions, established the first of its distribution centres, close to its headquarters. The centre, which serves Europe, also houses the company’s factory, where 98% of BoConcept's wooden designs are still made.
In the early 90s, BoConcept made the transition from wholesale producer to retailer. The company opened its first branded store in Paris in 1993. The award-winning franchise business has since grown, making BoConcept one of the world’s most global furniture retailers, with 300 stores in 65 countries, spanning six continents.
BoConcept entered the UK market in spring 2000, and its flagship store on Tottenham Court Road has remained there ever since.
The brand's UK growth was primarily driven through in-house talents who become franchise partners. Today there are 18 stores across the country.
UK country manager, Zoe Shields, says: "It has been a challenging year for us, as for anyone else. As we are a global brand, we were able to see what had been happening in Asian markets before the first wave of the pandemic hit Europe, and with the support of our HQ in Denmark, we were able to learn and adapt fairly quickly – launching a virtual store and virtual design consultations, to mention a few.
"Our customers updated their home offices with our bestselling Cupertino desks and appreciated the care we took when working under these new conditions. Our new collection has been a succes, and we have an amazing team in the UK. Tough times are inevitably still to come, but we are ready, live and kicking."
