In recent years, Cervera has undergone a clear transformation and growth journey. From a traditional home and kitchen retail chain, the company has evolved into a successful omnichannel player, with commerce acting as the main growth engine. In this development, Posti’s logistics chain has played a crucial role.
– It enables us to keep our customer promise, delivering the right products with high quality and on time, says Hans Redig Bolin, CEO of Cervera.
The past few years have been anything but stable for Cervera.
– Just before the pandemic in early 2020, our results were declining and we were even discussing closing stores. Six months later, customers were demanding our products and we tripled our online sales in less than two years. At the same time, in‑store sales also increased, as we quickly adapted and found new ways to deliver.
A turnaround born from crisis
The boom years came to an abrupt end when households were hit by inflation and rising interest rates. Excess inventory, falling market prices and rising costs put pressure on profitability. Cervera was forced into a tough restructuring phase shortly after being acquired by the Norwegian retail group Homeco AS.
Unlike many other retailers, Cervera chose not to pull back, but instead to deepen its digital investment.
The company further developed its omnichannel model, strengthening the integration between stores and online, sharpening its offering, optimising its assortment and improving the customer experience across all touchpoints.
After two challenging years, the results confirmed that the strategy was right.
– In 2025, we were back at the same high online revenue levels as during the pandemic. Our e‑commerce grew by 15 percent and in‑store sales increased by 7 percent.
Today, the split between store and online is approximately 60/40, with the boundary between channels becoming increasingly blurred.
– Around one third of our revenue now sits in the overlap between channels. They work in a successful symbiosis, where e‑commerce offers stronger growth and broader reach, while physical stores excel in brand building and customer experience.
Efficient logistics make the customer promise possible
To succeed in a highly competitive e‑commerce market, efficient and reliable logistics services are essential.
– It is absolutely critical that the entire logistics chain works. We need to trust that deliveries arrive on time and with the right quality, says Hans Redig Bolin.
The biggest challenge arises during seasonal peaks such as Black Week and the Christmas period.
– In December, our sales can quadruple compared to the weakest month of the year. The logistics chain must be able to scale accordingly. Just like public transport during rush hour, it is difficult to dimension capacity for peak demand without costs skyrocketing. We need smart solutions that balance capacity, quality and cost.
For Cervera, the solution has been careful planning and close collaboration with Posti.
Forty robots improve quality
Posti is a Finnish logistics company offering a complete range of logistics services for businesses across the Baltic Sea region. In Sweden, the company previously operated under the Aditro Logistics brand before rebranding as Posti in 2025.
– We have worked together for many years and have now outsourced our entire e‑commerce logistics to Posti. It has worked very well. As we expand our e‑commerce operations in Finland, Posti becomes an even more important partner, thanks to its deep knowledge of the Finnish market.
A key part of the collaboration is Posti’s investment in a modern robotic warehouse at Arlanda.
– Warehousing, handling and distribution costs, combined with quality, are decisive factors for competitiveness today. We rely completely on this to be able to deliver on our customer promise, says Hans Redig Bolin.
A scalable logistics setup
Christoffer Carlsson, Site Manager at Posti’s Arlandastad facility, is responsible for the collaboration with Cervera.
– Our close dialogue has allowed us to build a structure that fits Cervera’s flows very well. To handle seasonal variation, a scalable environment is required, not only in terms of facilities, but also equipment and staffing. We have strong capabilities to scale operations in response to seasonal peaks, economic fluctuations and business expansion. This joint effort is a key success factor for our customers.
Both Posti and Cervera are also strongly committed to reducing climate impact. Solar panels on warehouse roofs, fossil‑free transport services and recyclable packaging materials are examples of initiatives introduced over time. In addition, there is the craftsmanship itself.
– Packing crystal glass and a cast‑iron pot in the same parcel is not easy. It requires the right packaging and smart solutions, without compromising on environmentally friendly materials.