Swikblog Business Desk — UK edition
Belgium’s baby-goods market is being quietly reshaped. Dreambaby, the specialist chain best known for its birth lists and prams, has been sold by retail giant Colruyt Group to family-owned retailer Supra Bazar and is already snapping up space from struggling home-furnishing rival Leen Bakker. The most visible move so far is the takeover of a Leen Bakker branch in Genk, which will reopen under the Dreambaby banner.
For parents on the ground, the changes may look like just another new sign above a familiar retail park. But behind the scenes, the deal shows how quickly European retail is being reorganised as groups shed non-core businesses and specialist chains try to secure prime locations before they disappear.
Colruyt steps back, Supra Bazar steps in
In March 2024, Colruyt Group confirmed it had reached an agreement to sell 100 per cent of the shares in Dreambaby to Supra Bazar, a Belgian family business with a long track record in non-food retail and experience in the baby sector. The transaction fits a wider Colruyt strategy of slimming down to focus on its core supermarket operations while finding what it calls a “healthy and sustainable future” for side brands.
Under the deal, Dreambaby keeps its name, its stores and its staff. More than two dozen outlets across Belgium, together employing hundreds of workers, will remain open. Birth-list services, baby-gear fitting advice and the chain’s own-brand range are all expected to continue under the new owner rather than being folded into Supra Bazar’s existing stores.
Leen Bakker exits Belgium — and leaves space to fill
The expansion opportunity has been created by the retreat of Dutch home-furnishing chain Leen Bakker from the Belgian market. After years of losses, the company sought court protection for its 44 Belgian branches, while administrators looked for buyers willing to take over entire stores rather than leave units standing empty.
A recent ruling allowed 15 of those Leen Bakker shops to be acquired by new operators. Among them, Dreambaby has taken on the store in the city of Genk, while other locations are being absorbed by chains such as Dreamland and bedding specialist Swiss Sense. The remainder of the Belgian Leen Bakker estate is expected to close for good later this year if no further buyers are found.
A baby specialist betting on bricks as well as clicks
For Supra Bazar, the move is a bet that there is still room for a high-street and retail-park baby specialist in a market increasingly dominated by online giants and generalist supermarkets. By taking over fully fitted stores rather than building new ones, Dreambaby can grow quickly and keep costs in check, while communities avoid the blight of another darkened unit on the edge of town.
The strategy mirrors a wider European trend: rather than opening brand-new sites, retailers reuse existing boxes, tweak the product mix and try to build a closer connection with a specific customer group. In Dreambaby’s case that means expectant parents, grandparents and families with children up to around two years old — a demographic that still prefers to test pushchairs, car seats and cots in person before committing.
What this says about European retail
Although the story is playing out in Belgium, it will feel familiar to UK readers. Large groups are pruning sprawling portfolios, specialist chains are fighting to survive, and landlords are keen to keep credible tenants in place. In that sense, Dreambaby’s takeover of a Leen Bakker site echoes the reshuffling of British retail parks, where fashion or furniture brands often give way to discounters, gyms or food stores when trading turns tough.
It is also a reminder that retail news does not always revolve around online disruption. Here, the internet is part of the mix — Dreambaby operates an e-commerce site and click-and-collect options — but physical space remains central. Parents still want somewhere to park, browse and ask practical questions, even if they later price-check on their phones.
Why it matters beyond Belgium
For now, Dreambaby has no announced plans to cross the Channel. Yet the way this deal has been structured will be watched closely by retailers and landlords across Europe. A specialist chain with a clearly defined customer base has been lifted out of a conglomerate, handed to a family owner with niche experience, and given room to grow via second-hand bricks and mortar. If the experiment works, it could become a blueprint for other small but recognisable brands that big groups no longer want on their books.
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