The food and specialized retail sector continues to face rapid changes in Portugal, with several brands reviewing operations, reducing costs and abandoning segments considered less profitable. In recent months, one of these decisions ended up affecting a well-known chain dedicated to chocolates and gum, which definitively disappeared from the national market.
According to the news portal, the Jerónimo Martins group concluded the closure of the entire Hussel store network in Portugal, ending an operation that had 18 commercial spaces spread across different cities in the country. The last establishments closed their doors on April 27th.
Last stores closed in April
The brand’s last units operated in shopping malls such as Amoreiras, Colombo and Vasco da Gama, in Lisbon, in addition to Via Catarina, in Porto, and spaces in Cascais and Sintra. According to the same source, the closure of these stores marked the complete end of Hussel’s presence in the national territory.
The group led by Pedro Soares dos Santos chose not to reveal the total cost associated with the closure operation. Still, explains the portal, the decision was taken after several months of difficulties considered “unsustainable”.
Problems started outside Portugal
One of the origins of the crisis was related to the situation of Hussel GmbH, a German company that was a minority shareholder in the Iberian operation. According to the same source, the insolvency of the German company in 2024 ended up directly affecting the brand’s operation in Portugal.
The breakdown of the partnership created supply problems and took away scale from the business. The publication adds that, in a context of widespread increase in costs, especially commercial income, the continuity of the operation is no longer considered viable.
Cocoa costs worsened the scenario
The increase in the price of cocoa also impacted the company’s accounts. ECO reports that pressure on this raw material resulted from several international factors, including reduced production in key producing countries and climate change that affected harvests.
At the same time, global demand continued to increase, creating greater pressure on prices. The future application of the European Regulation Against Deforestation was another element highlighted as a constraint for the sector.
Workers were redistributed
When it announced the closure of Hussel at the beginning of the year, Jerónimo Martins assured that it would seek to integrate workers into other areas of the group. At the time, around 60 employees were at stake, many of them with permanent contracts.
According to the same source, eight workers ended up integrated into Pingo Doce, starting to perform functions linked to the company’s operational structure. The group highlighted that the priority was to guarantee professional stability for the teams affected by the closure.
The financial results also weighed in on the decision. According to the same source, Hussel Iberia recorded losses of 893,000 euros in 2024, representing a significant deterioration compared to the previous year.
After the insolvency of its German partner, Jerónimo Martins took full control of Hussel’s Iberian operation. Even so, says the same source, the economic and operational context ended up making any attempt at a sustainable recovery of the brand unfeasible.
Market remains under pressure
Hussel’s closure comes at a time when several segments of the specialized trade are facing changes in consumer habits, increased operating costs and greater competition. In shopping malls, some brands have chosen to reduce physical presence or review business models. The group justified the decision with a “set of factors” that led to the conclusion that there were “no well-founded prospects for reversibility”. The discontinuation was carried out progressively over the last few months.
Despite being a well-known brand in the chocolate and gum segment, Hussel’s disappearance occurred without much public exposure. The process occurred gradually, until the closure of the last stores still in operation. With this decision, Hussel’s commercial operation in Portugal ends, a network that for years was present in some of the country’s main shopping centers and which ended up not resisting the economic and structural changes in the sector.
Source:
