“The future lies in omnichannel.” Marc Fielmann, chairman of the management board of Fielmann AG, is setting the course with this statement. The Hamburg-based company already embarked on this path several years ago under the heading “Vision 2025”. While online eye tests are yet to be implemented in digital distribution channels, international growth is progressing seemingly unabated. Plans for expansion towards France now appear to be more concrete.

It was a rather throw-away comment by Marc Fielmann during the annual press conference. “We are aiming for 200 million euros of turnover in Western Europe in the medium term, not least through an expansion towards France.” Marc Fielmann’s desire to gain a foothold in the neighbouring country comes as no surprise. Even his father conducted initial meetings in 2003, at that time with
GrandVison, but things went quiet for a long time with regard to the western neighbour. But the matter now seems to have gained momentum again: with Italy (2015) and Spain (2020), two important markets in Western Europe are already part of the Fielmann Group’s area of activity, so it was and is ultimately just a matter of time before attention turns to France, as the second largest economic power in the European Union (after Germany). Nevertheless, whether the western neighbour will join the Fielmann map this year remains uncertain. “We will likely develop a further market this year,” said the chairman of the management board, without elaborating further. However, France must be tackled by 2025 at the latest if the Hamburg-based company wants to achieve its own ambitious target – that much seems certain.

This desire is closely linked to what is known as “Vision 2025” – a claim that has been hovering over the largest German chain for some time now. A claim that is filled with life anew every year and which the company never tires of presenting at any opportunity to generate good publicity. And so Vision 2025 once again took on a key role at this year’s annual press conference. The Hamburg-based company again opted for the online format learned in the last two years instead of personally inviting the (specialist) media. This is quite fitting, considering that Fielmann has been specifically firing up the digital sector in recent years and will continue to do so in the years to come. In contrast to Mister Spex, brillen.de and Brille24, which have grown from pure online retailers into omnichannel providers (see also DOZ 05/22), Fielmann is taking the opposite route. The foundation with a diverse brick-and-mortar network was already laid many years ago and has since been continuously expanded, modernised and perfected. A basis that is now being used to set up the omnichannel model. Although ‘set up’ is not quite correct, as it has actually already been set up, but is constantly being expanded and perfected.

Press Reviews

Publications of Fielmann AG

Publications