Fruytier Lawyers in Business advised enterstore on its acquisition of a majority stake in Joe Merino

Fruytier has advised enterstore, the Prague-based e-commerce group backed by Hartenberg Holding, on its acquisition of an 80% stake in Joemerino B.V., the Dutch direct-to-consumer brand behind Joe Merino — a leading European name in premium merino wool essentials for men.

Fruytier’s core team comprised of Myrddin van Westendorp, Koen Wanders and Ravinder Sukul. Seller was advised by deBreij and Oaklins.

Founded in 2011 in Amsterdam by Ron Beckers, Joe Merino began with a single V-neck pullover in six colours and has grown into a collection of more than 50 models across 60+ colours, all made from the finest merino wool sourced primarily from Australia and New Zealand. With revenues of over €15 million, the company has grown organically and profitably throughout, serving customers in more than 40 countries from its core markets in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

Joe Merino sells exclusively direct-to-consumer, predominantly online, complemented by three flagship stores in Amsterdam, Antwerp and Düsseldorf. The brand has built an unusually loyal following with roughly 70% of first-time buyers returning. It follows a set of principles that sets it apart in the apparel market: no discounts, no clearance sales, no seasonal collections, and no wholesale or marketplace distribution.

For enterstore, the acquisition extends the group’s reach into premium apparel and adds an eight brand to a portfolio that already includes Astratex, Sportega, Ovečkárna (Woolville), Unuo, Miss Mary, Kinderkraft and Čisté Dřevo. Joe Merino’s online-first model, international customer base and disciplined approach to pricing and inventory align closely with enterstore’s strategy of building a family of leading niche e-commerce brands with European scale.