Matcha Station enters the Czech market at Westfield Chodov

Prague’s Westfield Chodov shopping centre has expanded its offering with Matcha Station, Czech brand Herbadent and Polish footwear manufacturer Wojas. According to a MediaGuru report dated 25 September 2026, the Matcha Station opening marks the brand’s entry into the Czech market. Herbadent, meanwhile, has opened its first physical shop at the centre. For those interested in franchising in the Czech Republic, these additions offer an opportunity to explore new retail concepts, but do not automatically signal that franchises are available.

Matcha Station opens its first Czech location

Matcha Station is the most notable addition in terms of international concepts entering the market. The report on changes at Westfield Chodov confirms the brand’s arrival in the Czech Republic and the opening of an outlet at the centre. This is an actual opening, rather than simply an announced intention to enter the market.

However, the available information does not specify the exact opening date, the size of the unit or the terms under which the brand operates at the centre. Nor does it mention any other potential Czech locations. A single new outlet therefore provides no basis for predicting the size of a future network or the pace of its expansion.

For QFA readers, the key distinction is between a brand entering a market and offering a business partnership. The source report does not confirm that the Czech Matcha Station outlet operates as a franchise. Nor does it announce any recruitment of franchisees. The opening should therefore be viewed as news of a brand’s arrival; any potential partnership model would need to be verified separately.

Herbadent opens its first physical shop

Czech brand Herbadent has also opened at Westfield Chodov alongside Matcha Station. In this case, the significant point is different: according to MediaGuru, this is the brand’s first physical shop. It is not an entry into the Czech market, but the opening of its first retail premises of this kind.

This distinction is more than a matter of wording. An international concept’s first Czech outlet and a Czech brand’s first physical shop are two different developments. For Matcha Station, the confirmed news is its arrival in the Czech market. For Herbadent, it is the launch of its first physical shop. What they share is a location in the same shopping centre, not a demonstrably identical business model.

The available report does not describe the ownership or contractual arrangements for Herbadent’s new shop either. It gives no investment costs, operating results or plans for further openings. For anyone interested in working with the brand, the opening alone does not establish whether a similar shop could be run by an independent partner. That would need to be checked directly with the brand.

Wojas and refurbished outlets add to the mix

The third new brand named in the report is Wojas, a Polish footwear manufacturer. It too has opened an outlet at Westfield Chodov in recent weeks. However, the report does not describe this opening as its first entry into the Czech Republic. It would therefore be inaccurate to present all three additions as brands arriving in the Czech market for the first time.

The new tenants broaden the centre’s food and drink, fashion and healthcare offering. According to MediaGuru, some existing shops and restaurants have also been refurbished. The changes at Chodov therefore include not only new names, but also improvements to established outlets.

The available research provides no details on the extent of these refurbishments, nor any figures for footfall, sales or occupancy at the centre. The three openings cannot therefore be taken as evidence of growth across the Czech market. This is news from a specific Prague location, illustrating changes to its retail mix rather than providing an overall statistical picture of the Czech franchise sector.

What the openings mean for the franchise community

For prospective franchisees, these new openings may be a useful starting point for further research. Visiting the outlets can help in assessing each concept’s format, product range and approach to service. A visit alone, however, cannot establish whether the brand allows partners to operate outlets or on what terms.

Before considering a partnership, it is worth separating three questions: whether the brand operates in the Czech Republic, whether it plans further expansion and whether it intends to involve franchisees in that growth. The Westfield Chodov report confirms that the outlets have opened. It does not answer the remaining questions. Nor can it be used to infer an expected return on investment or the commercial success of the individual concepts.

Practical takeaway: Matcha Station, Herbadent and Wojas are worth watching as new additions to Westfield Chodov’s offering. If any of these brands appeals to you as a potential business partner, first check directly with the brand whether a franchise is available, how its operating model works and what partnership terms apply.