C1000
| Company type | Franchise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Supermarket) |
| Founded | 1 April 1977 |
| Founder | Germ Kloosterman |
| Defunct | 2015 |
| Fate | Acquired and rebranded by Jumbo Supermarkten |
Area served | Netherlands |
| Products | Grocery products including private label, A-brand and B-brand products |
| Parent | Schuitema (until 2008), then CVC Capital Partners (2008–2011) |
C1000 was a supermarket chain originating in the Netherlands, established on 1 April 1977. By the year 2012, it operated approximately 500 outlets and held a market share of 12.1%. The chain was notable for its franchise-based business model, setting it apart within the Dutch grocery retail landscape.
Its main competitor was Albert Heijn, the largest supermarket chain in the country. Until 2008, C1000's parent company, Schuitema, was under the ownership of Royal Ahold, which also owned Albert Heijn. In that year, Ahold divested its shares to CVC Capital Partners. By September 2011, CVC put the rebranded entity C1000 BV up for sale, attracting interest from buyers such as Jumbo Supermarkten, Sligro Food Group, Edeka, and Sperwer Group. On 23 November 2011, Jumbo acquired the majority of C1000 stores, except for some outlets sold off to comply with competition laws. This acquisition elevated Jumbo to the position of the second-largest supermarket chain in the Netherlands after Albert Heijn.
Jumbo maintained the C1000 branding until 2015, when it transitioned all remaining 252 stores to the Jumbo brand.
Inception of C1000 in Dokkum
The inaugural C1000 store was launched by Germ Kloosterman, a supermarket proprietor from Dokkum, in 1977 with the objective of competing through lower pricing strategies. Initially integrated within Schuitema’s Centra formula, Kloosterman was granted a two-year trial period to test this novel concept before reverting if it failed.
The first outlet expanded its retail space from 100 to 650 square meters by relocating into an adjacent property and officially opened on 1 April 1977. The name "C1000" originated from "Calculatie-1000" ("Calculation 1000"), emphasizing a fixed low price on a thousand selected products.
Growth in the 1980s
A second pilot store was inaugurated in Wolvega on 6 November 1980. The fully developed C1000-Voordeelmarkt formula emerged in 1981, which is regarded as the official founding year of the chain. The majority of newly established C1000 supermarkets operated under franchise agreements.
Product Range
By 2012, C1000's portfolio included more than 2000 private label goods alongside national A-brand and B-brand products. The company published promotional magazines titled Voordeelstraat and Voordeelplein, highlighting discounted items. Each year, C1000 featured a campaign offering one hundred selected products priced at €1 for the entire year.
C1000 Museum
In 2014, Gerard Marsman, a longtime employee and avid collector of C1000 artifacts, initiated efforts to create a museum commemorating the soon-to-be-defunct supermarket brand. Starting his collection in 2006, Marsman amassed numerous items including product packaging, shopping bags, banners, and apparel that eventually filled his parents' attic and bedroom. By 2015, official approval was granted to establish the museum in Hellendoorn, Overijssel. The C1000 Museum officially opened its doors on 17 December 2023, serving as a tribute to the brand’s heritage following its conversion into Albert Heijn stores.