The closures mark the end of the chocolate and candy chain’s presence in the country after months of financial and supply difficulties linked to the collapse of its German partner.
The final stores to close were located in Amoreiras, Colombo and Vasco da Gama in Lisbon, as well as Via Catarina in Porto, Cascais and Sintra, according to Eco.
When the closure was first announced in January, the owner of Pingo Doce said around 60 employees, most with permanent contracts, would be offered opportunities within other companies in the group. Jerónimo Martins has now confirmed that eight Hussel employees who chose to remain within the group were integrated into Pingo Doce, taking on operational roles.
According to the company, the priority throughout the process was to guarantee job stability for employees.
The decision to discontinue Hussel in Portugal followed the 2024 bankruptcy of Germany’s Hussel GmbH, which had previously held a 49% stake in the business. The collapse ended the partnership behind the Portuguese operation and created major supply chain problems, while rising costs, especially rents, made the business increasingly unsustainable.
Jerónimo Martins eventually became the sole owner of Hussel Ibéria, but the company still posted losses of almost €900,000 in 2024. The situation was made even harder by the continuing rise in cocoa prices, driven by lower production in key producing countries, climate-related harvest issues and increasing environmental regulation.