Peter: "In the Netherlands, the first Jumbo supermarket opened in 1996. Today - almost 30 years later - the counter stands at over 700 shops, accounting for a market share of over 20%. As Managing Director of Jumbo Belgium, I was here right from the start to help launch the shop in our country, with the opening of a first shop in November 2019. Today, we welcome our customers in 30 supermarkets, 20 of which are our own branches. We opened a dozen branches in 2022, and we plan to maintain that growth rate in 2024 and 2025 as well. With about 50 supermarkets by the end of 2025, we will have written a nice growth story."
"At the start of our launch in Belgium, we opted for rapid growth. We pushed the accelerator hard to boost our market penetration in the sector. In 2023, we are more likely to go for sustainable growth, with a critical look at new locations and available infrastructure. This approach impacts our growth rate, but it also ensures more local anchoring and focus on sustainable business values. And we think that's very important."
Peter: "The focus on self-employed entrepreneurship - i.e., through franchises - is closely aligned with our corporate values. Local commitment and authenticity, combined with a winner's mentality and taking initiatives to offer customers the best products and service: these are the elements we want to see in both our existing and future franchises. We want to be close to the customer with our shops – making them feel more than welcome to do their daily shopping with us. We give our franchisees all the space they need to add their own touches in the shops for an outstanding customer experience."
Peter: "In Belgium, we sometimes find it hard to navigate the complex and slow-working licensing policy. The tangle of legal proceedings - brought by neighbours or competitors – sometimes complicates the search for new sites."
"In addition, the current inflationary market is creating tension with some of our stakeholders. That situation is a big challenge for all retailers. In any case, we always try to make proper purchasing arrangements with our suppliers, while not losing sight of our customers' interests either. That’s why we don’t just automatically pass on all price increases today."
Peter: "I am convinced that we are making a difference with Jumbo Belgium! We do this thanks to a unique combination of an extensive and high-quality product range, competitive prices, a pleasant shopping environment, and dedicated staff who give their best to our customers, who also greatly appreciate our local anchoring. That anchoring is part of our Jumbo DNA."
Peter: "Over the past few months, our chain has been featured regularly in TV reports, courtesy of Wout Van Aert and Max Verstappen, among others! Their phenomenal sports performances boost our corporate image. At the same time, they show that victories are only possible thanks to teamwork and perseverance. This mentality also applies in our offices and shops: the collective is more important than the individual. By putting our shoulders to challenges together, we are realising fantastic projects within Jumbo. We are happy for each other’s victories, which gives everyone the necessary energy to continue to take care of our customers."
Peter: "We find that our customers are putting sustainability in shopping higher and higher on the agenda. Jumbo is rolling out a broad sustainability policy, with various elements shaping this policy. Several aspects, for example, are our in-store offer of organic and healthy products, efficient waste management, and the most economical use of energy. But we’re also focusing on animal welfare, good employment practices, and - once again in the spotlight - our local commitment. We encourage our Belgian shops to support small local initiatives, such as a school or a residential care home."
"On a corporate level, it’s also very nice to be supported and inspired in terms of sustainability by our Dutch colleagues, who draw the big picture."
Peter: "BDO's experts have become fine sparring partners for us in setting and achieving strategic objectives. One of the strengths of the BDO team is their multidisciplinary knowledge and experience. For example, BDO played an important role in the development of our franchising model, expertly guiding our entrepreneurs in various areas, such as administration, taxation, accounting and human resources management. Thanks to this professional support, our franchisees have managed to successfully launch and expand their shops."
"For us, BDO is a real partner that actively helps us think and doesn’t fall into standard answers. Thanks to their practical experience, the teams understand perfectly which areas of concern in business operations are priorities for us, and also how to anticipate potential bottlenecks. And last but not least, there is the pleasant personal contact, with great mutual respect."
From Jumbo headquarters, we now head to Zelzate, where champagne corks were popping at the end of June 2022 on the occasion of a new Jumbo shop. At the helm of this 5th supermarket in East Flanders is franchisee Danijel Vidović, an entrepreneur at heart. We’re curious: what is it like to run an independent Jumbo shop today?
Danijel: "Ever since I was 18, I have been working as an executive in the retail sector. At a young age, I was a branch manager of a Dutch Jumbo store, among other things. What makes my job as a franchisee for the chain so enjoyable is the healthy mixture of support from the parent company, warm family values, and the freedom I get to build my shop as an entrepreneur. Within the corporate chalk lines, I have enough space to make my own business decisions in terms of product range, marketing and personnel management, for example. This makes my job very varied and educational, as well as challenging. However, thanks to short lines of communication with management - including Managing Director Peter - I always get quick answers to my questions."
Danijel: "As Peter points out in this interview, local anchoring is a top priority for us. Thanks to the opening of our shop, about 100 people from the region - my current team - found a new professional challenge. Our customers love shopping in a supermarket that feels warm and cosy. In our branch, the traditional coffee machine that you find in every Jumbo shop has received an upgrade: now, there’s a table next to our machine, making this area a real meeting place for our customers. So, we offer much more than fresh and competitively-priced produce. We are happy to walk the extra mile for every customer!"
Danijel: "With a team of 45 permanent staff and 45 working students - and therefore a mix of young and old talent - it’s all-hands-on-deck every day to provide every customer with an unforgettable shopping experience. Being customer-friendly, actively listening and showing understanding for each other are important elements. Add to this a good atmosphere on the shop floor, sufficient attention to internal training, and a safe shopping environment, and you have a nice cocktail of energisers. As a branch manager, I make sure the team spirit is maintained with fun team-building activities, from go-karting competitions to convivial barbecues."
Danijel: "In our branch, we are investing heavily in digital tools to help our staff and customers work and shop more efficiently. For example, we recently installed digital shelf labels, eliminating the need for our shop staff to manually replace price labels. Our hand-held scanners also make shopping a lot smoother and more pleasant, as our customers save a lot of time at the checkout. Moreover, thanks to these investments, my team has more time for personal contact with the customers. So, taking repetitive tasks out of our hands lifts our service to another level!"
Contact Dirk Vandendaele using the contact details on the right at the top of the page.
Contact Christof De Witte using the contact details on the right at the top of the page.
