New Retail Formats in Focus for the Dutch Franchise Community

A first espresso bar, a hundred shop-in-shops and plans for smaller stores: recent reports from the Netherlands highlight a range of outlet formats. For the franchise community, developments at Anne&Max and Leonidas, alongside retail news from Maxi Zoo and IKEA, offer useful starting points for comparing location strategies. However, the reports cover different situations: existing networks, a completed opening and future plans.

Anne&Max opens its first espresso bar in Amsterdam-Zuid

Anne&Max has opened its first espresso bar in Amsterdam-Zuid, in the south of the city. Dutch franchise publication De Nationale Franchise Gids reported the news on 21 September 2026. The opening puts the spotlight on a particular outlet format, rather than simply an increase in a brand’s number of locations.

The available coverage provides no further details about the floor area, investment or entrepreneur behind this espresso bar. Nor does it give details of any follow-up locations. The opening is therefore a concrete development, but not yet a basis for drawing conclusions about the scale of any further roll-out.

For entrepreneurs exploring a franchise concept, the distinction between a brand and an outlet format is particularly relevant. A familiar brand name does not, in itself, tell you how an individual location is set up or which activities are central to its operation. Anyone interested in this type of outlet should therefore ask about its offering, day-to-day operations and space requirements. The opening announcement does not yet answer those questions.

Leonidas has a hundred shop-in-shops in the Netherlands

More figures are available on Leonidas’s Dutch presence. According to De Nationale Franchise Gids on 21 September, the brand has 120 retail outlets in the country. Of these, a hundred are shop-in-shops and four are chocolate cafés.

Shop-in-shops therefore account for by far the largest share of the Dutch outlets reported. The breakdown also shows why it is important to look beyond the headline figure when assessing network size. In this case, the term ‘retail outlet’ covers several formats, so the 120 locations should not simply be understood as 120 similar shops.

The source report provides no further breakdown of the remaining outlets. Comparable figures from an earlier period are also absent. This snapshot therefore does not establish how quickly the Dutch network is growing or how the balance between outlet formats is changing.

That distinction matters for the franchise community. A network total indicates market presence, but without further information it says nothing about the investment, turnover or financial performance of an individual outlet. Anyone assessing a franchise opportunity needs figures relevant to the particular type of location on offer.

Maxi Zoo explores smaller premises as IKEA announces plans

Store size is also attracting attention beyond these two franchise reports. On 22 September, RetailTrends reported that Maxi Zoo is also considering smaller premises to support further growth. According to the report, the chain has 63 Dutch stores. It added seven stores last year; this year, the total stood at two at the time of publication.

Exploring smaller premises is not the same as confirming an opening. The available information gives no locations or opening dates for such stores. The figures also cover different periods: the whole of last year and the current year up to the time of reporting.

IKEA, meanwhile, has plans for several small outlets in the Netherlands. RetailTrends reported on 23 September that the company, which currently has thirteen large Dutch stores, wants to use the smaller format to get closer to customers. According to Adformatie, a spokesperson confirmed that a number of smaller stores are due to open in mid-2027.

The supplied research does not specify an exact number or locations. These retail developments provide context for location decisions within the franchise community; they are not announcements of available franchise opportunities at Maxi Zoo or IKEA.

Compare the outlet model, not just the brand name

The reports reflect different stages of development. Anne&Max reports a completed opening, Leonidas provides a snapshot of its existing network, Maxi Zoo is exploring smaller premises and IKEA describes future openings. Entrepreneurs should take those differences into account before drawing conclusions about new opportunities.

A useful comparison therefore starts with the specific outlet model. How much space is needed? What work does it involve? What investment and support apply to that particular format? The process for exploring franchise options described by Hallo Franchise on its Hub follows the same approach: compare several franchise concepts in terms of investment, day-to-day work, support and opportunities before moving on to more detailed discussions.

Practical tip: use opening announcements as a starting point for research, not as the sole basis for a decision. Always ask for information about the specific format and the available location.