C&A
COFRA Holding · Netherlands
C&A is a value fashion retailer founded in 1841 in Sneek, the Netherlands, by brothers Clemens and August Brenninkmeijer, whose initials gave the company its name. It is owned by the Brenninkmeijer family through COFRA Holding and operates around 1,250 stores in Europe, with Germany its largest market, plus a separately listed business in Brazil.
| Founded | 1841, Sneek, Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Founders | Clemens and August Brenninkmeijer |
| Owner | COFRA Holding (Brenninkmeijer family) |
| Headquarters | Vilvoorde, Belgium and Düsseldorf, Germany |
| Stores | About 1,250 in Europe, 330 in Brazil |
| Website | c-and-a.com |
What is C&A?
C&A is a fashion retailer selling affordable clothing for women, men and children. It is a subsidiary of COFRA Holding, the Switzerland-based holding company of the Brenninkmeijer family. The European business, C&A BV, is run from Vilvoorde in Belgium and Düsseldorf in Germany, and its supervisory board has been chaired by Joop Wijn since January 2026.
History
Brothers Clemens and August Brenninkmeijer founded the business in Sneek in 1841, and the company name comes from their initials. C&A grew into one of Europe's best-known clothing chains and later expanded to the Americas and Asia. It closed all of its UK and Irish stores in 2000 and 2001. In recent years it has reshaped its international footprint: its China business was sold in 2020 to a private equity firm that runs the stores as franchises, and C&A Mexico was sold to Grupo Alfar in 2023. The Brazilian business, C&A Modas, is listed on the B3 exchange in São Paulo.
Products and positioning
C&A focuses on everyday, casual fashion for the whole family at value prices, covering womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, accessories and footwear. It positions itself as an accessible high street retailer rather than a trend-led fast fashion brand.
Business model and distribution
C&A operates around 1,250 stores in Europe and roughly 330 in Brazil. Germany is its largest single market, with about 380 stores. Distribution combines:
- Own stores, mainly in city centres and shopping centres in about 20 countries.
- Online shops in its store markets.
- Third-party marketplaces, including Amazon since 2022.
- Franchise arrangements in markets it has exited directly, such as China.
Why it matters
C&A is one of Europe's oldest fashion retailers still in family ownership. Its evolution, from a sprawling international chain to a more focused European and Brazilian business with digital and marketplace sales, mirrors the pressures facing traditional high street retailers competing with fast fashion and online-only players.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns C&A?
C&A is owned by the Brenninkmeijer family through COFRA Holding, a Switzerland-based holding company. The Brazilian business, C&A Modas, is listed separately on the São Paulo stock exchange.
What does C&A stand for?
C&A stands for Clemens and August, the first names of the Brenninkmeijer brothers who founded the company in Sneek, the Netherlands, in 1841.
