JYSK to acquire 25 franchise stores across three Balkan markets

JYSK has agreed to take over stores and employees from its existing franchise partner in Kosovo, Albania and North Macedonia. A total of 25 stores are expected to become part of the Danish brand’s own operations. For Croatia’s franchise community, the deal offers a regional example of a change in operating model: a network built through a franchise partnership is moving to direct management by the brand.

Three markets with a long franchise history

According to a report published by Financije.hr on 7 October 2026, JYSK has operated through a franchise partnership in all three markets for many years. It has been present in Kosovo since 2004, North Macedonia since 2008 and Albania since 2015. The agreement therefore does not mark the brand’s entry into these countries, but a change in how its existing business is managed.

The network currently comprises 25 stores across the three countries. This figure covers the acquisition as a whole, rather than any individual market. JYSK describes them as successful franchise markets where business development has established it as a well-known retailer of sleeping and home furnishing products.

This long-standing presence is important to understanding the transaction. The agreement covers not just future market development rights, but stores already trading and employees working within the existing network. The franchise partnership to date provides the foundation for JYSK’s planned next phase of growth.

Acquisition includes stores and employees

The agreement covers the transfer of stores and employees from the existing franchise partner. Once the transaction is completed, operations in Kosovo, Albania and North Macedonia are expected to become part of JYSK’s own organisation. This is the central change announced: the same three markets will move from a franchise model to operations run directly by the brand.

In its statement, JYSK says it intends to continue developing the existing local organisation. It also plans to open new stores and strengthen its brand presence, with the aim of making its sleeping and home furnishing range more accessible to customers in all three markets.

Plans for new openings should, however, be distinguished from the current size of the network. The figure of 25 stores describes the existing business covered by the agreement, while further openings are outlined as a direction for future growth. The growth announcement is therefore not a confirmed schedule of individual new locations.

For the franchise community, this news illustrates a specific path in a brand’s development: a long-standing partnership, an established local network and then an agreement to bring that network into the brand’s own operations. In this case, JYSK explicitly links the acquisition to its ambition to grow further and reach more customers.

Target completion date remains subject to approval

The acquisition is expected to complete on 1 January 2027. However, completion is subject to the necessary regulatory approvals. The transaction agreement should therefore not be presented as a completed acquisition, nor should the target date be treated as an unconditional confirmation of when the new operating model will begin.

Until completion, the business will continue to operate as before. This distinction matters because it separates the announcement of a business intention from an operational change. The existing network will continue under its current arrangements until the conditions required to complete the agreement have been met.

The next key development will be confirmation that the transaction has completed. Only then will the announced transfer of the three markets into JYSK’s own operations have taken place. After that, specific announcements about new stores and further development of the local business will be the relevant milestones to track.

A regional example relevant to Croatia’s franchise community

This agreement concerns Kosovo, Albania and North Macedonia, not the acquisition of stores in Croatia. Its relevance to Croatia’s franchise community lies in the regional example it provides of a changing business model, particularly for entrepreneurs following how international brands develop and organise their networks.

It is important to distinguish the facts from broader conclusions. JYSK has announced the acquisition of operations in three markets it describes as successful, alongside the continued development of their local organisation. This announcement alone does not indicate a general retreat from franchising; it is a specific decision concerning the countries named.

Practical takeaway: when assessing a franchise partnership, consider the long-term possibility of changes in management or ownership. In this case, monitor regulatory approvals and confirmation of completion, and distinguish expansion plans from the acquisition of the existing network that has already been agreed.