Why Kingfisher’s NeedHelp acquisition is ‘missing piece of the puzzle’
Home and DIY giant Kingfisher announced the acquisition of French start-up NeedHelp this week, marking its first foray into the services sector.
Kingfisher, which owns B&Q and Screwfix in the UK as well as Brico Dépôt and Castorama in mainland Europe, has purchased an 80% stake in the marketplace with plans to roll it out in the UK next year.
Founded in 2014 by Guillaume de Kergariou, who will continue to act as chief executive for the business, NeedHelp is an online platform that connects customers with verified tradespeople to carry out their home-improvement projects.
With the do-it-yourself market booming amid the coronavirus pandemic, Kingfisher’s acquisition is an intriguing one as it looks ahead to when customers may return to wanting someone to do it for them.
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