What Van Boxtel Hoorwinkels does

Van Boxtel Hoorwinkels, now operating under the Audika brand, is a Netherlands-based hearing aid retail chain and a subsidiary of the Denmark-headquartered Demant Group. Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Waardenburg, the company runs 56 owned retail storefronts across the country, providing in-person audiology services, free hearing tests, product trials, fittings, and 5 years of complimentary aftercare (adjustments, cleaning, repairs) to individual consumers — primarily adults and seniors with hearing loss — as well as hearing protection products for occupational and recreational users.

The company's product portfolio is built around hearing aids and accessories sourced from two Demant-owned brands: Oticon (Intent, Zeal, Real, More, Opn S, Siya, Zircon) and Bernafon (Encanta, Alpha, Viron). These devices span multiple technology tiers and form factors — behind-the-ear, in-the-ear, and invisible-in-canal — and incorporate features such as AI-driven sound processing, 4D sensor technology (Oticon Intent), Bluetooth streaming, rechargeable batteries with up to 20 hours of runtime, and wind/sudden-sound suppression. Adjacent offerings include custom and universal hearing protection, batteries and maintenance accessories, and senior-friendly phones. All AI and silicon-level capabilities reside in the parent group's device brands rather than in proprietary Audika technology.

Audika's business model is direct-to-consumer retail with a structured 5-step funnel (symptom recognition → free hearing test → obligation-free trial → purchase → 5-year aftercare), augmented by a digital entry point via an online hearing self-test and SEO/social channels. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time device sales, split between Dutch healthcare insurance-subsidized 'zorgtoestellen' and unsubsidized 'vrije markt' premium devices, with a summer 2026 €0-for-two-care-funded-hearing-aids promotion in market. Pricing for non-subsidized tiers is provided upon consultation rather than publicly listed. As part of Demant Group's retail division, Audika operates as a private, non-listed entity with no independently disclosed revenue.

Name

Van Boxtel Hoorwinkels

Legal name

Audika Nederland

Website

https://vanboxtelhoorwinkels.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Audika (formerly Van Boxtel Hoorwinkels) is a Netherlands-based hearing aid retail chain operating 56 stores, selling Oticon and Bernafon hearing aids, accessories, and hearing protection to adults and seniors with hearing loss, as part of the Demant Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hearing Aid Retail

NAICS

Health and Personal Care Retailers (456)

akta.pro primary industry

Audiology & Hearing Services (ENT-Affiliated) (HLAKAMAI)

Keywords

• Hearing aid retail
• Audiology services
• Hearing care
• Hearing tests
• Hearing protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Waardenburg

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hearing aids sales: Van Boxtel Hoorwinkels (Audika) generates revenue primarily through the sale of hearing aids and associated accessories. Products are available as both care-funded ('zorgtoestellen') and free-market ('vrije markt') devices. A current promotional offer provides two hearing aids for 0 euros (covered by healthcare insurance under specific conditions).
2. Hearing aid accessories and batteries: Sale of hearing aid accessories including batteries, chargers, and senior phones. Accessories are sold as individual units.
3. Hearing protection products: Sale of custom and universal hearing protection products including earplugs for various use cases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Van Boxtel Hoorwinkels operates a chain of 56 physical retail stores in the Netherlands selling hearing aids (Oticon and Bernafon brands) directly to consumers. The business bundles hardware sales with complementary audiology services including free in-store and online hearing tests, professional fitting, and five years of complimentary aftercare.

Product overview

Audika (formerly Van Boxtel Hoorwinkels) operates as a hearing healthcare retailer offering a comprehensive portfolio of hearing aids, diagnostic services, and aftercare. The core offering centers on branded hearing aids from Oticon (Intent, Zeal, Real, More, Opn S, Siya, Zircon) and Bernafon (Encanta, Alpha, Viron) families, representing various technology tiers from premium AI-powered devices to standard models. These hearing aids are available in multiple form factors including behind-the-ear (BTE), in-the-ear (ITE), and invisible-in-canal (IIC) styles. The company complements its hearing aid portfolio with professional services including free in-store hearing tests conducted by certified audiologists, online self-assessment tools, and 5 years of complimentary aftercare including adjustments, cleaning, and repairs. Additional offerings include hearing protection products (custom and universal), hearing aid accessories, and senior-friendly phones. The product portfolio is unified through Audika's retail service layer, with the hearing aids serving as the core products and services/support functioning as essential complementary offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000+ satisfied customers helped across the Netherlands
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Oticon (Demant Group)coreTechnology or IntegrationOticon, a brand of the Demant Group, is the primary hearing aid technology partner for Van Boxtel Hoorwinkels/Audika. The company offers a full range of Oticon hearing aids including Oticon Intent (with 4D sensor technology and AI), Oticon Zeal, Oticon Real, Oticon More, Oticon Opn S, Oticon Siya, and Oticon Zircon. Oticon hearing aids feature advanced AI-powered sound processing, Bluetooth connectivity, rechargeable batteries, and wind noise suppression.
• Bernafon (Demant Group)coreTechnology or IntegrationBernafon, also a brand of the Demant Group, is a key hearing aid technology partner. Audika offers Bernafon hearing aid models including Bernafon Encanta, Bernafon Alpha, and Bernafon Viron. These devices feature real-time sound processing, excellent speech clarity, and Bluetooth connectivity for modern device streaming.
• Demant Group (parent company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVan Boxtel Hoorwinkels was rebranded under Audika, which is part of the Demant Group — a global hearing healthcare and hearing technology company. The Demant Group owns both Oticon and Bernafon hearing aid brands, providing Audika with access to proprietary hearing aid technology, innovation pipelines, and a global hearing care network. The Demant Group's gedragscode (code of conduct) is referenced on Audika's website.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Hans Anders: Dutch value-oriented optical chain that has expanded into hearing care with in-store hearing tests and hearing aid offerings; competes on price-conscious Dutch consumers and physical-store convenience.
• Hidden Hearing: European hearing aid retail chain with Dutch presence, operating dedicated audiology clinics with free tests and multi-brand fittings; comparable business model and target customer demographic.
• Audionova: Hearing aid retailer active in the Netherlands (part of Amplifon Group) with multi-store coverage and audiology-led service; directly comparable store-based retail model and product portfolio.
• Specsavers Hearcare: Optical retailer that bundles audiology services in its Netherlands stores, combining eye-care footfall with hearing tests and hearing aid sales; directly comparable retail channel and consumer targeting, though hearing is secondary to optical.
• Amplifon: Global hearing aid retail leader headquartered in Italy with thousands of stores across Europe, the Americas, and APAC; directly comparable to Audika in-store service model, audiology-led sales, and multi-brand hearing aid offering, but at far greater scale.
• Schoonenberg Hoorcomfort: Dutch hearing aid retail chain with a multi-store footprint in the Netherlands; directly competes with Audika on store coverage, brand portfolio (Phonak, Unitron, Hansaton), and audiology services within the same geographic market.
• Beter Horen: Netherlands-based hearing aid retailer offering free hearing tests, fitting, and aftercare across multiple locations; competes head-to-head with Audika for the same Dutch senior consumer and benefits from similar insurance reimbursement dynamics.
• Pearle Opticiens: Major Dutch optical chain (GrandVision/EssilorLuxottica) that has added hearing care services in selected stores; competes for the same Dutch retail footfall and senior demographic, combining optical and hearing purchases.

Regional players

• Geers Hörakustik: Large German hearing aid retail chain (Sonova-owned) with several hundred stores across Germany; highly comparable in-store audiology model and Demant-competitor (Sonova) parent backing, though operating primarily in Germany rather than the Netherlands.
• KIND Hörgeräte: German hearing aid retail chain with a multi-hundred-store footprint offering free tests, fitting, and aftercare; closely comparable audiology-led retail model, though focused on the German market rather than the Netherlands.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@audikahoorzorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/audikahoorzorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/audikahoorzorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Van Boxtel Hoorwinkels