The Gazette November 2024

Time to celebrate

Dear colleagues,

As a loyal reader of The Gazette, you've probably already noticed: the cover and first pages are a little different from what you're used to. And as you leaf through the magazine, you'll discover even more of our staff magazine's new look. No, it's not a metamorphosis. It's a restyling in line with Colruyt Group's new house style, which will gradually be phased in for all our communications.

In addition to the new graphic design, we're also launching a new section where we respond to your questions (see p. 39). Do you have a question about our company, an initiative, a choice or way of working? Or do you want to know why Colruyt Group does certain things in its own way? Send your question by internal mail to GAZET or to gazette@colruytgroup.com. We may pick your topic and relieve you of your curiosity forever.

For the rest, The Gazette remains the same: a collection of your stories. In ‘Our vision’ we provide news from all segments of our company and how we look at current topics. In ‘Our profession’ colleagues talk about their job, their project, their team, etc. And ‘Between you and me’ shows the people behind that colleague. We're not changing anything to what for years has been the strength of our Gazette: a magazine for and by colleagues, that puts your day-to-day work in the spotlight and shares great personal stories.

Circulation: Dutch 21,500 copies - French: 15,000 copies

Chief editor Benoit Van Trimpont

Final editing Sara Van Cleemputte and Benoit Van Trimpont

Design Christophe Faut

Photography Katleen Van Den Eede

Picture editing: Joyce Vanhoutte

Publication manager Stefanie Geeroms

Published by: Colruyt Group NV • Edingensesteenweg 196, B-1500 Halle • Telephone: +32 (0)2 363 55 45

Do you have an idea for The Gazette? Share it with your correspondent (see p. 47) or send us your suggestion.

And finally, a word of thanks to the editors, designers and photographers who do their best every issue to bring you a beautiful Gazette five times a year. Together with them, I invite you to dive into this first restyled issue.

Enjoy the read!

WO 106580

Printed on FSC Mix Credit with partly recycled fibre.

Contact The Gazette via gazet@colruytgroup.com or send a direct to GAZET.

On the cover Order picker Mumin Ozpalabiyik celebrates 10 year anniversary of Retail Partners Colruyt Group.

Benoit Van Trimpont Editor-in-chief of The Gazette

5 questions about Okay City

Okay City is the new name for the city stores, formerly known as OKay Compact. The store in Berchem was the first to get the new sign on its façade; by mid-December, all 20 Compact stores will be converted.

Why was it decided to rename Okay Compact?

“OKay Compact no longer covered what it stood for,” says manager Gert Somers. “With a store area between 300 and 400 m² and roughly three thousand items you could hardly call our city stores ‘compact’. They're fully-fledged supermarkets in the heart of the city with everything you need for your daily shop. Okay City clearly conveys that it concerns Okay's city store format. The new logo also shows that the store concept belongs to the Okay family, and the light blue colour clearly sets it apart from Okay and Okay Direct.”

What does the conversion imply?

“It's not a complete make-over but a rebranding, with a new sign on the façades and window stickers, as well as a revamped look & feel in the stores and communication. Apart from that, we've been gradually adapting our store format to the needs of city customers for the last year and a half. This includes a different layout with fresh products at the front of the store, a high-quality assortment of on-the-go, ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat, our own price and promotion policy. Okay City is simply continuing in the same vein. At the start of 2025 all stores, in addition to the two classic check-outs will also have a self-check-out, where customers can scan and pay for their shopping themselves. The test in Ghent has been promising.”

How far do Okay City's ambitions extend?

“Every year, we want to open up to eight new Okay City stores, by 2025, that may be six or seven. Okay City is a key part of Colruyt Group's strategic plan for urban growth. In the coming years, that plan focuses on new stores in Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent, three cities where we're proactively looking for suitable Okay City sites. In other cities we're looking more at which opportunities come our way. For example, toward the end of 2023, we were able to open an Okay Compact in a new building in the centre of Halle.”

Does that mean we're only opening Okay City stores in cities now?

At group level, a specific urban development project has been launched which draws up detailed expansion plans for each city, and even for each district or neighbourhood. This takes into account the population profile, the competitive landscape, the availability of locations and parking, mobility, etc. Based on these criteria, we determine which store format best meets local customer needs. Quite often this is an Okay City, but there's just as much room for additional Colruyt stores and Collect&Go pick-up points, for example.

Why are cities so important for Colruyt Group?

To effectively build our group's future, we're focusing on developing our store formats in cities in the coming years. Urban environments attract many young people, students and young families. These are all consumers who are starting to shop independently for the first time. People at this stage of their life, do not have much brand loyalty yet. This is why it's important that our store formats are in their immediate surroundings and they get to know us early on.

Katleen Van Den Eede

3 questions for Bart Bosmans, coordinator of the Technical School

Our Technical School was founded five years ago. What exactly do you do?

Bart • “The Technics and Real Estate Technical School trains people with a passion for technology to become accomplished technicians, i.e. talented co-workers who lack the prior knowledge to immediately start working for us, as well as our own technicians, whom are continuously retrained. Our Technical School was established when we realised how increasingly hard it is to find suitable profiles to fill our vacancies. By training our own welders and electricity, mechanics and pneumatics experts, we've found a way around this. It also builds a bridge to schools and youngsters with a technical or scientific background by introducing them to engineering and science at Colruyt Group and to our job opportunities.”

How do you look back on those five years?

“With great satisfaction. A team of technical coaches and supporters put their heart and soul into training these future workers. It's great to get to work with people who are eager and motivated, and to make sure they acquire enough knowledge to work for us as technicians. In those five years, we've trained 50 co-workers and given them a job within Technics and Real Estate. That's 50 colleagues we would never have retained in a normal selection process. It's something we're incredibly proud of!”

What are the plans for the future?

“We want to keep doing what we're doing and build on it. This means training at least 10 technicians to work for Technics and Real Estate every year, and continue to offer our high-quality technical teaching modules. In the coming years, we also hope to launch two new lesson modules every year. This innovation should continue to draw people to the Technical School. In the long term, we'd also like to offer modules for engineers and master profiles.”

New step for sustainable savings programme

You may have already spotted it in our campaign on TV, online or in our leaflets, now running in collaboration with our store formats: our sustainable savings programme has been revamped. You can still use it to collect points in your Xtra app by buying products with Eco-Score A or B and using them to benefit one of our charities, or for a free Colruyt Group Academy webinar. Six new local initiatives have been added which means you can choose from health initiatives as well as environmental and community projects. You can now also temporarily use your points for free products with Eco-score A or B, currently from Alpro. If you put one of these participating products in your shopping cart at Colruyt, Okay or Spar you will not be charged for them at the check-out on presentation of your Xtra-app.

More red in the shelves

The electronic price labels in our Colruyt stores are turning a little redder again in response to quantity discounts at the competition. The prices are displayed in white on a red background (instead of vice versa), with the message ‘Reactie promo concurrent’ (Response promo competitor) above it. And the price per unit that the customer pays after deducting the discount is shown in a larger font. The red colour for a Colruyt promotion remains unchanged. The goal is to increase the visibility of our lowest prices and interesting promotions. Because customers are becoming increasingly promo-sensitive. Obviously our lowest prices policy remains unchanged: both black and red prices are always the lowest.

Colruyt Group continues to grow…

… in B2B

Solucious takes over Délidis from Groep Peeters-Govers. The company is known as a leading supplier of fresh meat, vegetables and fruit to professional catering customers. Peeters-Govers also cuts meat custom-made for its customers.

Solucious and Délidis will continue to co-exist and will strengthen each other, each drawing from their unique identity. Délidis' acquisition must be seen within Solucious' ambition to continue its growth in the catering industry. It also fits in with Colruyt Group's long-term strategy, which sees considerable growth potential in the B2B market. Délidis currently employs 83 people. And they all made the switch to Colruyt Group.

… in the city

Colruyt Group has acquired a 45.65%stake in BON, the gourmet bar offering highquality, home-cooked meals. BON has stores in Brussels, Antwerp and Liège and prepares delicious breakfast and lunches custom-made for city-dwelling customer. The take-over is in keeping with the strategic objective to grow in cities on the one hand and to focus even more on an on-the-go offer for customers.

BON's wide range includes freshly squeezed juices, smoothies, salads, sandwiches, hot meals and delicious desserts. From a central kitchen in Brussels, BON sends freshly prepared dishes to stores every day. It also delivers to homes or offices. Since 2023, BON products have also been on sale at Okay Compact.

Customer service staff honoured

In mid-September, the spotlight will be on our Customer Services. “The Day of the Customer Contact worker is an initiative of the federation of contact centres,” says division manager Cathérine De Noyette. “They launched the idea of having directors call the customer service staff that day. Our directors followed suit and picked up their phone to thank our 250 contact staff. They listen to our customers' concerns every day and answer almost two million questions every year. Now it was time to listen to them. And it did them a lot of good. We also received well-deserved thanks through other colleagues. Our contact staff felt appreciated which was the whole idea of course. More than 100,000 people work in this sector in Belgium, often behind the scenes. It was great being their listening ear for a change!”

Telex

• We can look back on our second mussel season with satisfaction. We managed to harvest about 40 tonnes of farmed mussels this year. 25 tonnes met the conditions for sale, 65% was sold by Cru and 35% by catering businesses.

• Retail Partners Colruyt Group supplying stores with a cooled batteryelectric truck for the first time. External transport partner Willy Dom, which uses the truck exclusively for RPCG, is responsible for the transport.

• The Fashion Store – the multi-brand clothing store that is part of Colruyt Group – has taken over the name of Belgian fashion brand Terre Bleue The take-over purely concerns the brand, not the stores.

• On 13 December, our regional office in Kortrijk. The lease will not be renewed, and given the systematically low occupancy, no alternative will be sought.

• Solucious delivery drivers have new outfits. You can recognise them by their fresh green polo shirts now: functional and stylish.

• The fifth edition of CaraRock, the music festival for and by Colruyt Group co-workers, was held in the former Colruyt store of Alsemberg on 9 November. In our next edition, we'll reveal who won.

Drop by, we're open!

Third Colruyt professionals store

After Brussels, Colruyt Professionals is now also opening stores in Wallonia exclusively for professional customers. These stores have wider aisles, higher shelves, only use flat carts for big purchases, products on pallets, a cooling room for the fresh products and an assortment of 3,000 products custom-made for night shops, grocery stores, resellers, etc. The first store in Wallonia was opened in the former Newpharma warehouse in Wandre near Liège, and a second will be opened later this year in Charleroi. This will bring the total in Belgium to four. The ambition is about ten stores in Belgium. In this way, Colruyt Group will strengthen itself as a partner for the B2B-market.

Openings

25/9/24 Colruyt Professionals Wandre 30/9/24 Jims Leuven (Bondgenotenlaan)

2/10/24 Colruyt Prix Qualité Poligny 9/10/24 Colruyt Tienen (Beauduinstraat) 21/10/24 Jims Liège

23/10/24 Bio-Planet Sint-Gillis 6/11/24 Colruyt (+ Collect&Go) Aarschot 13/11/24 Okay City Ghent (Wondelgemstraat)

Reopenings

26/9/24 Spar Wolvertem 17/10/24 Spar Meerhout 23/10/24 Colruyt (+ Collect&Go) Herentals

28/10/24 Jims Leuven (Slachthuislaan)

31/10/24 Spar Zammel 7/11/24 Spar Lichtervelde

Ghent

Leuven

Liège

Herentals

Aarschot

Sint-Gillis

Wandre

Tienen

Poligny France

Wolvertem

Zammel

Lichtervelde

Meerhout

Sustainably grown flowers and plants

For a nice range of sustainably grown flowers and plants, Bio-Planet is the place to be from now on. “We're the only store to offer a range of plants and flowers with an organic or Environmental Floriculture Programme certificate,” says buyer Luc De Bruyne. “All our plants and flowers meet a unique charter in which all cultivation aspects are monitored: chemistry, substrate, water and social policy. It's a fundamental part of the YMPA brand, the first brand that really covers all aspects concerning sustainability. The charter also offers a clear plan to take new steps every year towards a genuinely pure product. In addition, Colruyt Group's expertise regarding the Eco-score will be used in a next phase to map the footprint.” Bio-Planet only sells locally grown flowers and plants, in a seasonal offer of 10 to 15 plants that changes regularly. This means the assortment in the store constantly changes.

Okay: first self-service checkout

At its local supermarket in Hoegaarden, Okay has started using its first self-service checkout. Through this checkout system, customers can scan their products themselves and complete payment independently. Unlike many competitors, the self-service checkout has no gates installed. At Okay, they operate on trust, allowing customers to leave the self-scanning area freely. A co-worker is always nearby to assist customers when needed. This year, we'll introduce the system in 10 Okay, Okay City and Spar stores. At the start of next year, we'll explore the possibility of expanding it to additional locations.

Recipe book of Colruyt Group Academy

Cooking together not only results in tasty meals, it also strengthens family bonds and leads to healthier eating habits. This is apparent from a recent survey conducted by Mama Baas (an online magazine, blog and community for and by mums) and Colruyt Group Academy. 89% of parents noticed that their children are learning new skills and 48% said it had a positive effect on their children's eating habits when they're allowed to help in the kitchen. To inspire households even more, Colruyt Group Academy and Mama Baas are launching a recipe book entitled ‘Wat koken we vanavond?’ (What's for dinner?). It features 40 child-friendly recipes that can be made together, with a focus on enjoyment, learning and eating healthier food together. It also contains valuable tips on how cooking with children is not only fun and instructive, as well as safety tips. The recipe book is available in most Colruyt stores.

Thanks, Bart!

A shift at the top in France: Bart De Schutter, director of our activities in France, is retiring at the end of this year. Bart started as a sales manager at Colruyt in 2008 and has managed our French business since April 2015. “I would like to thank Bart personally and on behalf of the management committee for his contribution and efforts for the group,” says our CEO Stefan Goethaert. “He managed to build our French business, taking into account economic realities and our group values.” Bart will be succeeded by Frenchman Christophe Garcia, who boasts considerable retail experience, including as former CEO of Match and Smatch in Belgium. Stefan: “We got to know each other better during the take-over of Match and Smatch and found him to be the perfect person to continue, together with the team on site, on the path Bart set out in France.”

Front runner in making the fish assortment more sustainable

Colruyt Group won not one, but two prestigious MSC Awards this year. These accreditations, in the ‘Best supermarket’ and ‘Best fresh fish supermarket’ categories, confirm our long-standing efforts to provide Belgian consumers with sustainable and responsible (fish) products. “We're proud to be receiving just reward for our efforts,” says sustainability specialist Annelies De Spiegeleer. “This accreditation is an incentive to make our assortment even more sustainable.” Or as one of the jury members put it: “Colruyt Group is the driving force behind making fish more sustainable in the Belgian sector.”

Thanks, Katleen!

The Gazette you hold in your hands is not just special because of its new look. It's also the very last showpiece of our photographer Katleen Van Den Eede for The Gazette. For years and countless editions of The Gazette, she made sure the perfect photo of every workplace and every co-worker was taken. Many colleagues who were captured by her lens can attest to how she has an uncanny knack of making sure people are at ease in front of her camera. Thanks, Katleen! We're going to miss you at the editorial office. But we hope you'll find as much enjoyment with your new challenge at Learning & Development.

Looking for 900 new talents

Colruyt Group is always looking for new talents. That's why we're launching an eye-catching hiring campaign at the end of the year, with a leading role for our very own co-workers. This campaign will highlight the wide variety of disciplines and job opportunities within the group. Because Colruyt Group is much more than just stores: technicians, supply chain experts, IT professionals and data analysts are just a few of the 900 profiles we're looking for.

We also draw attention to our corporate culture, which is future-oriented and about people. The campaign can be seen on digital channels and on posters along the road, in bus shelters and major railway stations across Belgium. It's the result of a constructive collaboration between Corporate Marketing and Recruitment within P&O, among others. Together they've worked hard to highlight Colruyt Group's strengths as an employer.

The magic behind our soup

133,000 litres a year! That's how much soup we serve in our canteens. All soup is expertly prepared by BCS, which also makes the fresh ready-made soup we offer in our Colruyt and Okay shops.

“Originally, Butterfly was a small family catering business in Mol, which over time became the first company in Belgium to sell large amounts of ready-made soup,” says sales manager Hugo Wits. “Our two sites in Limburg now employ 65 people: Beringen and Tessenderlo.”

“We sell our soups to shops, of course, but companies, hospitals, residential care centres, etc. are also big fans. And since the upgrade in 2022 they're even bigger fans. Flavour enhancers, preservatives, colourings and other additives were banned from our soups. To keep the delicious and full flavour, we worked on the recipes for two years: different vegetable and herb mixtures, other proportions, etc. Result: 100% natural soup!”

“And as a Belgian company we also try to work with Belgian vegetables as much as possible. Vegetables are deep-frozen immediately after harvesting, to ensure an excellent and stable quality and availability. We boil our soups at 90°C in large 1,200 to 3,600 litre cauldrons, after which we may or may not mix them, package them and let them cool down quickly to 7°C again. This process keeps them fresh for at least another 30 days. We prepare about 20 recipes and 235,000 litres every week! Part of that ends up in your canteen through Solucious. And yes, we think a punctual delivery is very important. I mean you wouldn't want to run out of our soup, would you? (laughs)”

Text: Benoit

Van Trimpont

Photo: Anja Magdaleens

We want to be the best retail partner for independent storekeepers in Belgium

Retail Partners Colruyt Group (RPCG) is celebrating its ten year anniversary this year. In fact, the launch of this brand new name coincided with the opening of a new company site in Mechelen. “If we continue to grow in our role as the best service provider for independent storekeepers, a bright future awaits us,” says managing director Johan Vermeire.

Johan, how did Retail Partners Colruyt Group come about at the time?

Johan • “A big part of our history coincides with Spar's. Spar ended up in Colruyt Group's hands in 2003 and was renamed Spar Retail under this licence. It was gradually incorporated into Colruyt Group over the ensuing years and we also became partners of other retail customers, such as Alvo. In 2014, this resulted in the name Retail Partners Colruyt Group, a name that encompasses these multiple partnerships better.

And around the same time, RPCG moved to a new site in Mechelen.

“That's true! The co-workers of the former sites in Ternat and Heist-op-den-berg were united in a new office building and distribution centre, close to the E19 in Mechelen.”

How has RPCG evolved in those 10 years?

“We were spawned from Spar, but RPCG has since become much more than that, and offers services to different customer segments. We're the retail partner of some 190 Spar shops, which we support from A to Z in running their business. We provide the assortment and deliveries of more than 50 independent Alvo stores. And deliver to more than 100 independent storekeepers every week. Specific support is provided for all these partnerships which makes RPCG truly unique!”

Has collaboration with the group also become more intense?

“Absolutely! Over the past 10 years, we've developed several synergies with Colruyt Group, that have resulted in a further

optimisation and modernisation of our operations. This includes the automation of our logistics circuit for potatoes, vegetables and fruit, the introduction of voice-controlled order picking, a far-reaching automation of the return centre, our first electric trucks, our new format and concept stores, the digitisation and optimisation of shop displays, etc. These are just a few achievements of recent years which - also thanks to the group behind us - sets us apart.”

And still you're considered to be an outsider in the group by the people in Halle.

“Maybe because we're in Mechelen, and not in Halle. But I don't think we're that different. The examples above prove that. Also, we're the second largest operating unit in the group, after Colruyt. We do almost the exact same thing, but with a different entrepreneurial vibe. Together with the independent storekeepers, we work on our future every day as partners, but of course they remain in charge of their business. Our organisation is structured differently as a result, with a focus on unburdening our independent storekeepers as much as possible.”

“We're the group's biggest operating unit, after Colruyt. We do almost the exact same thing, but with a different entrepreneurial vibe" - Johan

“It's not easy being an entrepreneur in this day and age. We need to support independent storekeepers as much as possible” - Johan

Does that relationship with storekeepers sometimes cause resentment?

“Yes, of course. With our Colruyt Group goggles we often only think about efficiency. But sometimes the storekeeper doesn't want to think about efficiency. They just want to sell their products. And this can cause some resentment. But over time they realise they'll also benefit. Fortunately, we have a good relationship with our independent storekeepers, and we listen to each other's concerns. The independence of the storekeepers is very important to me. This also means that RPCG has high demands of its independent storekeepers. They need a strong entrepreneurial spirit. We're not looking for managers, but for entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, they are harder to find.”

What arguments do you use to convince people to become independent storekeepers?

“If you want to be an independent storekeeper and have a passion

for fresh food, you've come to the right place. We provide reliability to our storekeepers in terms of doing business, supported by Colruyt Group's strength. And at Spar Colruyt Group you really are independent: you can add your own touches as to how you want to run your store and the image you want to create. We also provide good advice and expertise to our storekeepers, both in terms of finding the right locations, and running their store. For us it's all about the storekeeper.”

What role does RPCG want to play in the retail market?

“We want to be the best retail partner for independent storekeepers in Belgium. This means we need to provide the best possible service to people. And we need to come true on the arguments listed above. We have to take us much work out of their hands as possible to give them the freedom to do business and build their business sustainably.”

And do we do that?

"I think so. New independent storekeepers regularly come knocking at RPCG's door. Only recently we took over stores from competitors in Wenduine and Wevelgem. We're seen as a valid partner. Although there is room for improvement of our collaboration model.”

A magical family day

“RPCG's 10 year anniversary could not go by unnoticed. This is why we organised a proper family day at our Mechelen site,” says Steffi Van Heester, who coordinated the event. “All RPCG co-workers and their family were invited to a magical circus day. Based on a route through the buildings, coworkers' relatives were given an insight into our workplace. The children really enjoyed the animation: face-painting,

circus workshops, a bouncy castle, etc. Participants enjoyed the warm atmosphere at the food and drinks stands we provided with our suppliers, not forgetting the orchestra and fire breathers. We saw lots of happy faces among the 2,000 attendees, especially when every colleague got to go home with a goodie bag. (laughs) We're happy that we managed to get so many enthusiastic colleagues together. A great day!”

Is that RPCG's main ambition currently?

“We still need to grow more in this role of best service provider. Our purchase expertise and logistics – key skills for a good retailer – are based on Colruyt's DNA which makes us a very robust partner. But being a storekeeper now is challenging. We need to provide extra support to independent storekeepers, help them do business without any hitches and give them the tools that allow them to focus on their store: their workers, their production, their community, etc. If we can excel in all this, our future is bright.”

Scan the QR and experience the atmosphere of this magical family day

Is one of RPCG's ambitions to grow in terms of the number of stores?

“There are lots of stores in Belgium already, but there's still room for growth. We don't want blind growth though, we want sustainable growth. It has to be profitable for the independent storekeeper and for us.”

It seems like you're ready for the next 10 years. “Absolutely! I noticed that during our family day as well. All RPCG co-workers really want to go for it.”

The feeling to be a part of something

What do diversity, inclusion and equality mean?

“Diversity refers to the differences between people,” says Lieze. “Colruyt Group takes a broad view on this. Think of both visible and less visible characteristics, such as language, age, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc. Inclusion is about the feeling of belonging and being able to be yourself, within a culture of mutual respect. Equality means that everyone gets equal opportunities, for example to work at Colruyt or to grow.”

“The more diversity, the more difficult it is to work together,” admits Lieze Vermote.

“But also the more we can learn from each other!” From the Co-worker VAK centre Lieze knows everything about diversity, inclusion and equality at Colruyt Group.

What makes diversity so important for us?

“Colruyt Group has always had a person-oriented culture with a focus on values such as respect and togetherness. Due to staff shortages, we deliberately started recruiting from various groups in logistics about 30 years ago. This is what General Manager Victor Luickfasseel said in 1992: “I have no objections against hiring migrants. (...) If someone wishes to recruit an immigrant, or a Moroccan, or an Italian or a man or a woman, this person has to find out whether this person is fit for the job, will execute it correctly and is integrated and accepted in the group. (…)” In 2023, we laid down our vision on diversity, equality and inclusion in a policy framework. Diversity is not only a necessity nowadays, but also an enrichment that makes our organisation grow.”

Are we as inclusive as we want to be?

“Compared to other retailers we're not doing badly, it's just that sometimes they're more transparent about it than we are. In terms of language programmes we're doing well, we have a lot of experience with this. However, limited language skills may still stand in the way of one's career growth. Few women in management is a challenge many companies face. We tackle this by raising awareness and eliminating barriers, without imposing quota. Of course, we can't simply get rid of our current directors for the sake of diversity. (laughs) We also manage to make nice-looking inclusive commercials, like the one we did for Boni. For our youngest colleagues – who are not adverse to job hopping – activities are organised together with the Young Grads community activities, so they really feel part of Colruyt Group.”

Do you have any tips for organisations who want to improve their inclusion and diversity policy?

“Everyone has prejudices, unconsciously, I do too. My advice is to engage with co-workers. Take interviews to identify the real barriers in your organisation. We also did this with colleagues in our stores, our central services, Supply Chain, etc. Don't turn inclusion into a temporary hot topic but ingrain it into your day-to-day human resources policy, marketing strategies, creative workflows, etc. That way it'll come naturally.”

What are the main points of our policy?

“Our policy is aimed at equal opportunities and increasing opportunities for people in a vulnerable context, in keeping with our sustainability goals. We focus on diversity in gender, age, language and culture, among other things. We want to create equal opportunities by experimenting with blind hiring: during the application process we don't look at the candidates' personal details to reduce the risk of unconscious prejudices. To create opportunities we work with organisations such as the Network against Poverty, Women in IT, and Enimo for language coaching. In addition, all co-workers have access to courses to increase their opportunities in society and on the labour market. We're revising our training offer to provide more bespoke courses.”

How can co-workers contribute?

“Prejudices are almost inevitable. That's why it's important to respectfully talk to each other to get to know each other better. Let's focus on what we have in common and what connects us. Everyone has to be able to be themselves, but also show respect for others. Any tension or incidents due to diversity need to be addressed quickly. Do you feel discriminated? If you do, contact your superior, The Connection (doc770.693) or the counsellors (doc 1.033,975).”

In this way, we help to contribute to a better society, step by step.

Diversity in practice

Down to business at Okay Zwevegem

At Okay, you're greeted with a smile every day, particularly so in Zwevegem. A couple of times a month, Dylan Derveaux joins his colleagues in the store. Minor detail: Dylan has Down's.

“I work at Okay every Friday and twice a month on Thursday. My mum and dad are very happy I can work here. They shop here as well and know how nice the store is. Many people from the neighbourhood recognise me and my colleagues are also very nice. And if I've not put my uniform on right, Charlotte (Van Severen, editor's note) or Kim (Declercq, editor's note) will straighten my collar or button up my apron properly.”

Convinced collaboration

Dylan did not apply spontaneously or attend a job day. Okay Zwevegem works closely with non-profit organisation Group Ubuntu, which helps vulnerable people find jobs. Ubuntu put Dylan's carer in contact with store manager Patrick Duyck. “We trust each other through and through now,” says Patrick.

“Ubuntu even asked me to give a lecture about our close relationship. It was a real eye-opener for the attendees, who learned that someone with a disability is also an asset in the labour market.”

The piece fits

Patrick can't help but gush when talking about Dylan. “He is very pleasant and above all very sociable. A while ago, I was posted to Comarkt for 3 months. Dylan didn't even want to go back to the shop if I wasn't there. (patting himself on the chest) That goes straight to the heart. He feels good in the team and - importantly for me - the team feels great with him. They share my vision and show commitment and fun, so big thumbs up to them as well! Thanks guys!”

Differences make us stronger

To find out how inclusion and diversity work in practice, visit the sites of Solucious in Bornem and Lot.

“At Solucious, you'll find dozens of nationalities and all ages and cultures under one and the same roof, says ChristelMaes, sustainable entrepreneurship coordinator. “Over the years, our co-workers are starting to reflect society more and more. To reach as wide a group of candidates as possible more easily, we cooperate, for instance, with nonprofit organisation JES Brussels, which supports underprivileged youngsters.Our vacancies have also been rewritten to reach a more diverse audience.”

Everyone's an ambassador Christel likes to look ahead: “At the end of this year we're launching an ambassador network of colleagues who'll brainstorm about ways to understand each other better. I'm looking forward to this, because anyone can become an ambassador. Have you watched the TV show Eerste Keus on VRT 1? We're going to interview our business unit manager Yves Vandenbrande in the same way. You're not sure what you need to do to solve a problem? Yves will answer in group. No filters, face to face. Hopefully this will remove some barriers.”

Focus on the inside

In terms of inclusion, Solucious team co-ordinator Esther knows all about it. “I'm a black woman who was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and manage a team of mostly men. Think about it. (laughs) I'm now following French classes so I can communicate more easily with everyone. They appreciate that. After a while, you get to know your team members so well that you automatically look at the personality behind the gender or skin colour. I think that's the best way to treat each other respectfully.”

Building bridges with words

Being able to express yourself properly at work is crucial. This is why we organise language programmes for new employees.

Last financial year, more than 880 co-workers followed language classes in the group. One of them is Maryam Marmada of P&O who only speaks Arabic at home, learned English and French on her own and is now following Dutch classes. “The classes started last summer and it's going well, even though I say so myself. Traditional language classes teach you the grammar, rules of spelling and tips to have a chat. In my language programme the focus is on my own situation. This means I know what is being said at meetings and there are fewer misunderstandings. A tip? The classes are pretty intense. Don't be afraid to ask a colleague a question in a common language when you haven't entirely understood something or you're not sure about the job content. Use a new language as much as possible. It's okay to make a mistake, as long as you're willing to learn.”

Investing in language skills

“For our Dutch-speaking Colruyt stores, in addition to the regular offer of group and individual classes we've also organised language programmes for people who want to work at Colruyt, but don't speak Dutch well,” says learning solution adviser Simon Boes. “We worked across departments and positions, from selection managers to storekeepers and colleagues in the store. We invest in their language skill through a mix of intensive classes and a language buddy. Since the spring of 2023, 12 Colruyt co-workers have already followed one of these language programmes. At the moment this is only running in the Flemish stores, but we'll be able to use the knowledge we gained for other regions. We're already experimenting with a language programme for non-Dutch-speaking office workers. Any team managers who want to be pioneers can always contact me.”

Fine Food Market

Of course, Colruyt Group's production activities go back much further in time. We've been roasting coffee and bottling wine since 1937. But since 2014 the activities of our food production departments – meat, salads, cheese, coffee, wine and bread – have been grouped under Colruyt Group Fine Food. 10 years in other words. An anniversary that we obviously celebrated. “We can be particularly proud of our work and the products we make every day, driven by passion for our trade,” director Gunther Uyttenhove comments. “That's why we toured our Fine Food Market along our sites in Ghislenghien, Zele, Lokeren and Stroppen. Fine Food staff prepared tastings for their colleagues at all these sites. Everyone was also given a shopping bag that they could fill at the market with their own specialities to enjoy at home.”

Photo: Katleen Van Den Eede

Fighting seasonal flu together

Free flu vaccinations are available again this autumn. Isabelle Bosmans, head of the Health & Safety department, explains how and why we do this: “The health of our co-workers is important to us.”

Why do we offer all co-workers a free vaccination?

Isabelle • “Proactive flu vaccinations fit in our focus on occupational health and safety. We want to avoid as many coworkers as possible from falling ill not only because it impacts the organisation, it also badly affects the person who is ill. Flu is often underestimated. Anyone who's ever had flu knows it can make you very ill. This is why for years we've been offering our co-workers a flu jab of our own accord for years.”

The procedure for store co-workers is slightly different this year, isn't it?

“True! We're using the same system as last year for our logistics, production and central services colleagues: they have to fill in an online registration form to choose the time and location of their vaccination. We're testing a new approach for store co-workers this autumn. We'll be referring them to a pharmacy near their home, or their GP. A share of the vaccination cost is reimbursed by the health insurance, and

15,500

the other part is reimbursed by Colruyt through an expense allowance. This system is more flexible – a co-worker is able to make an appointment wherever and whenever it suits them –and ensures a more easily accessible approach.”

What was the reason for this test?

“Every year the number of store co-workers signing up for the flu jab dropped. Up until last year, a central store per region was chosen where store co-workers could get their flu jab at an agreed time. Unfortunately, the distance proved to be a problem for a lot of co-workers. We're curious about the first results of this test. The results will be evaluated in depth and used to see how we organise the flu jab campaign next year.”

In this way, we help to improve everyone's health step by step.

Focus on ergonomics

That's how many coworkers completed the latest mobility survey, which studied how they cover and experience their commute. The survey confirms that more than a third of our colleagues chooses a sustainable means of transport every day: from electric bicycle to public transport or carpooling. Or on foot. Another 10% of co-workers say they opt for a sustainable alternative when the opportunity arises. “We're very happy with these figures,” says Antoon Vander Putten, Employee Mobility coordinator. “Colruyt Group's mobility policy is that co-workers are able to get to work through efficient, multimodal and affordable means. Examples include our bike-to-work and carpool programme, but also the opportunity to work from home. Our staff values this because it has given us a 7.5 out of 10. But we're still thinking about how we can make improvements.”

October was ergonomics month again this year.

“Looking after your body by using the right work methods, is important all year round of course,” says Sofie De Vroede, Health & Safety staff member.

“In October, we put this in the spotlight again with easily accessible tips and actions to work more ergonomically. They're aligned with every target group in the company to create situations that are recognisable to everyone. For instance, we worked with Jims to make exercise videos for office co-workers, that help them to incorporate short, active moments during the day. We also launched an awareness campaign in our distribution centres and informed colleagues about ergonomic aspects they can control, with pictures of specific work situations. Because to reduce the strain on your body, it's important to apply correct movement techniques.”

At the heart of Cru...

The very first Cru opened in Overijse on 29 November 2014. This means our experience market can blow out 10 candles on its artisanal cake. At the time, a couple of pioneers shared ‘founding father’ Jean-Pierre Roelands' dream. The passion for their job, the products and the people is still very obvious.

… for the last ten years

Els Geyskens Administrative worker

“No-one has worked longer at Cru than me. (laughs) I was even involved in the choice of the name. Did you know ‘Raw’ and ‘Puur’ were also in the running? I've been doing the administration since the beginning. But I also order products for the markets and check the invoices. What I like doing most? Replying to customers' emails. It's great to know what's on their minds! I also love being with the colleagues I work with. Our buyers' knowledge and the pride they take in the products are incredible! When I go to Cru myself, I always buy grain bread, steak tartare and cream cakes. I can't stop eating them.”

Jan de Bruycker Central bakery chef

“Before I started at Colruyt I was a baker for 22 years. When Jean-Pierre asked me to help set up the Cru bakery, there were no doubts. I remember when we went to look at a property in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw together. “Can you start a bakery here, Jan?” he asked. I drew a plan on Friday and on Monday the technicians started working. We moved to Fine Food later. Our bakers carefully prepare the doughs, including for Els' grain bread, which we deliver to Cru unbaked. We work without enhancers or fats, and with stone-milled flour. You need to have a passion for the craft to guarantee the right quality. Retiring next year? I'll definitely do two more years!”

Eldrid Vindevogel Buyer

“After my food culture & communication studies I started working at Cru immediately. And I'm still not thinking about leaving. I went from market assistant to buyer of prepared meat, cheeses, beverages and fish. As a hobby chef myself, I like working with quality products. It's an honour to select them for our customers. In doing so, I mostly follow my gut feeling, sometimes literally when we get to taste. (laughs) One of our best products? Our soy sauce! It comes from Japan and is wood aged. With a back story like that, you know it has to be good. The end-of-year period is extra special. We all help out at the markets to provide the best service. That's when you can tell you have amazing colleagues!”

Stefaan Allinckx Commercial coach

“As a foodie and former owner of a tearoom, I like people to enjoy good food. And at Cru I can do exactly that. It's no coincidence that I went from store manager and promoter at Colruyt to experience manager and now commercial coach for the markets. In effect, I support and train market staff. Fruit and vegetables are my thing, but I also do meat, fish, prepared meat and flowers. You know what I really enjoy? The product training. The other day, I visited Karel Vaes, our fruit grower in Limburg, with some colleagues. I've never known anyone to speak so passionately about apples and pears! And we need to convey this passion at Cru to our customers. And when I can do that, it's job well done.”

Lode

Somers

Butcher at Cru Ghent

“I was self-employed for 30 years before I started at Cru. I make sure the meat we buy is of the highest quality. And it's something I'm very proud of. I was involved with the start-up of all the markets. Now I mostly work behind the service counter in Ghent. Being a ‘mentor’ of young butchers gives me great satisfaction. My best memories are when Cru Overijse opened. We organised a barbecue and were serving suckling pig on the beautiful terrace. We didn't know what the turnout would be and how people would react. But what a success! And the atmosphere among customers and colleagues was great. The slogan then and now: ‘We do it differently and better, or we don't do it’. And that's still how I see it.”

Yves François Seller Cru Dilbeek

“The fact that I met my wife at Cru Wijnegem is a high point for me. (laughs) And working at the market is pure nostalgia for me. I used to sell milk and dairy produced by our family farm during the holidays as a 14-year old. I like to talk. I like to tell the stories behind our products. Have you come to buy meat at Cru Dilbeek? You'll not only go home with the meat. I'll also tell you about the quality, varieties, recipes, etc. I'm only happy when customers leave with a ‘wow’ feeling. Proud? Of the route we've covered together at Cru over the last 10 years. We started from nothing and now look at all the products, stories and knowledge we have. Wow!"

Text:

Nele Geeroms

/ Photo: Katleen Van Den Eede

A new look for your mailbox

The switch to a new mail system will run from this autumn to next summer. Once your department is up, you'll no longer receive emails through our portal, but through Outlook. A brief explanation of the how and why of this major change.

Why are we switching?

“Our portal mail system is outdated,” says project manager Lars Arron. “We developed it in-house about 15 years ago and soon the technology will no longer be supported. Implementing our own updates would be too expensive. In addition, the system is not very suited to our current way of working. Due to more people working from home there's more of a need for remote collaboration. And this is a lot easier with Outlook. And don't forget that Outlook is one of the most commonly used mail programs in the world. This means most new co-workers will already be familiar with it, which will simplify their onboarding. Furthermore, Outlook regularly launches new features to increase the efficiency which makes us future-proof."

Who will this impact most?

“All co-workers have their own mailbox and will therefore switch to Outlook. Still, the biggest adjustment will be for people who often launch entire processes by email or use com numbers immediately after sending. The fact that Outlook is separate from processes and archiving will take some getting used but it actually makes more sense, and I'm sure it will run at least as efficiently in time.”

What's new?

Easy transition to other Microsoft applications such as Teams, Sharepoint and OneDrive

Application to read and reply to emails on a mobile work device

Customisable layout, filters, etc.

Search engine to quickly find mails in your own inbox

Built in translation tool

What's different?

1. No com numbers

The unique number referring to a (series of) email(s) will no longer be visible in your mailbox. However, you'll still see com numbers in our archive on portal, as all new internal emails will be 'searchable' here every half hour. The concept of ‘confidentiality’ remains in place.

2. Only informative templates

Informative templates can be copied to Outlook or another program (see doc 1.279,966).

Templates that require action, and therefore have a process attached, are transferred to ‘ServiceNow’. This application can be found in the bottom left of your portal start page.

3. Own subdivision

In Outlook all emails are sent immediately – which we call(ed) ‘a direct’. This means subdivisions such as ‘copy’, ‘memo’ and ‘external mails’ no longer exist.

TIP: by using filter rules, you can still distinguish between ‘copy’ and ‘external mails’.

4. No paper emails

Via portal, you could choose to have your emails printed. That's no longer possible in Outlook. Printing them at work is possible, but please think about the environment before you do.

What support is provided?

The project team created an easy-to-read guideline allowing you to get to grips with it at your own pace. All documents and more are also available on Sharepoint.

• Prepare and get started in maximum 7 steps: doc1.282.489

• Basic training: doc1.278.724

• Tips & Tricks: doc1.287.424

Do you want to know who your contact is in case of questions, or when you're switching to Outlook? Go to colruytgroupcom. sharepoint.com/sites/ComCol/, click ‘Projects’ and ‘2Connect’ and choose ‘Who is my SPOC?’ or ‘When am I switching?’

“It will be far more efficient”

“The transition comes on top of your daily work. That's not always easy,” says Nina Willequet, who with five Finance colleagues tested Outlook and attended the corresponding training before the project was effectively launched. “Going over the training documents seems to be a lot of work, but they give you a good idea of what to expect. They're definitely useful. Everything went super smoothly for me. However, if you receive a lot of emails, it will look like your inbox exploded. Converted chats don't remain grouped. This means they're shown as separate mails in Outlook!* My tip: immediately after the switch make time to organise everything and set up your own structure. Setting up handy subdivisions takes some thought.”

“What will many colleagues have to get used to? A mailbox without com numbers! They were really handy. But for the rest I really like outlook. Working with external parties is also much better. They'll now receive our mails without weird characters! (laughs) We must also remain aware of the other tools to be implemented, for example the calendar or collaboration. It's a shame we can't use all the possibilities now, but certainly in that bigger picture work will be much more efficient.”

*New Outlook emails that belong together will appear grouped though (editor's note).

Demo clips, frequently asked questions (FAQ), specific courses?

Scan this QR code!

Text: Sara Van Cleemputte

/ Photo: Katleen Van Den Eede

Low-energy stores

Jointly, we go to great lengths to avoid and reduce energy consumption. For instance, only low-energy stores have been built for over a decade now. They excel in more economical cooling techniques, heating and lighting. Koen Maes of our sustainability team takes some of the initiatives out of the dimmed spotlight.

Lower room temperature and heat recovery

Since the autumn of 2022 the room temperature of all Colruyt, Okay and Bio-Planet stores is set at 17 °C. “Per 1°C we lowered the temperature, our energy consumption dropped about 7%,” says Koen. “Savings amounted to as much as 465,972 euros a month. And 157 of these stores use the heat released by the refrigeration of the fresh market. Koen: “You can compare it to the heat at the back of your fridge at home. This technique means a quarter of our food stores don't even use fossil fuels anymore. The total proceeds amounted to 366.000 euros."

Dimmable LED lighting

For several years now, we've been systematically replacing TL-lighting with LEDs.“They use less energy and last longer,” confirms Koen. “Another major advantage: they're easier to control. This ranges from movement detection in the transit and social areas, to dimmed lights before and after opening hours. Also on the car park. This light control has reduced power consumption in the stores by 50%. At Bio-Planet, a sensor dims or switches off the lights close to roof domes when there is sufficient daylight. Handy!”

Plastic door curtains at the fresh market entrance and exit

“We know not all customers are fans of the plastic door curtains,” laughs Koen. “But on the one hand they ensure the refrigeration uses less energy and on the other hand less energy is needed to heat the rest of the store. In addition, 11% less refrigeration is required than with an air curtain.” This results in an annual reduction of 211,328 euros in terms of energy. Cost savings help us to guarantee the lowest prices. This is something our customers are fans of.

No refrigerated fruit and veg

“In just about half of all Colruyt's fresh markets, we've switched off part of the refrigeration,” Koen continues. “We do that for products that don't actually need to be stored cold, like fruit and vegetables. The refrigerated 3°C zone will automatically provide enough cool air. And that's enough.” For those 125 Colruyt shops, this amounts to 162,000 euros a year.

Your impact

In addition to an energyefficient infrastructure, your contribution also helps save energy. This includes keeping doors shut, de-icing freezers, turning the heating down a degree or turning off the lights. Thank you!

In this way, we help to improve everyone's health step by step.

Chest freezers with adjustable cooling

You don't see it and yet it makes a big difference. Koen: “The frequency-controlled motor allows us to adjust the power of the deep-freezers at Colruyt and Okay update. Specifically: instead of always running them at full power, we now look at the need. A chest freezer that is opened frequently and therefore heats up faster will be cooled faster. If it stays closed for a long time, less power is needed and thus less consumption, up to -20%.’

Sparring with independent storekeepers in the Algarve

Getting to know each other better on a personal level, exchanging experiences about running their stores, forging strong bonds, and fun of course. That, in a nutshell, is why some 50 independent Spar storekeepers went on a five-day study trip to the Portuguese Algarve together.

Why a study trip?

Traditionally, a study trip is one of the highlights of the relationship between Retail Partners Colruyt Group, our operating unit, and the affiliated independent Spar Colruyt Group storekeepers. “Just like the well-attended Spar trade fairs and our sector evenings, the study trip is all about networking and connecting,’ says Spar executive assistant and organiser Ann Leuckx. “The event offers our storekeepers opportunities to learn from each other and share experiences from their day-to-day practice with each other and our staff, which include product and business advisers. This edition involved a lot of new young storekeepers who undoubtedly received a lot of tips and tricks from their colleagues.”

Surpassing my wildest dreams

True to tradition, this edition also included many tourist excursions and game activities with a competitive element. Ann: “Experience, cooperation and communication are key to these team activities. We work in small and varying groups, which benefits mutual contact. Of course, we also make sure there's time to relax and enjoy the hotel, swimming pool and local cuisine. After all, running a store is hard work. For some participants, this five-day trip from Monday to Friday is the only time of the year they're not actively working on their business. That's why we do everything we possible can to turn the trip into a success. It should be a unique experience that surpasses the participants' wildest dreams.”

What's the cost?

With more than 100 participants, the Spar study trip is a big investment. It's partly financed through point savings systems: the independent storekeepers can save points throughout the year, for instance by purchasing certain products or putting displays in the store. The savings points can be converted into certain benefits, including a budget for the trip.

Lasting moments

Retail Partners Colruyt Group and the Spar storekeepers look back on a successful trip with plenty of surprising and lasting moments. “The jeep tour, the visit to the Lagos caves or the farewell moment with Brazilian singing and dancing spring to mind. You rarely experience these things if you travel alone,” Ann knows. “Having such a unique experience together strengthens the connection and the feeling of belonging to that special Spar family. And it gives you energy to go for it again when you're home.”

“Great organisation, from start to finish”

“My wife and I have been going on these study trips for more than 20 years,” says Bert Snykers, independent storekeeper of Spar Neeroeteren. “We make sure we can go, circumstances permitting of course. In Portugal, it was more conceived as a ‘holiday’ and that's fine for us. We liked the location and the event was well organised from start to finish. We felt very comfortable with everything. The downside of the well-filled programme was the lack of free time. During the activities in mixed groups, you get to know new people. That's interesting, but next time we would like more storekeepers from Limburg please!”

“Like being part of a family”

“This is my second study trip,” says Grégoire Adam of Spar Quaregnon. “And again the organisation was amazing. Much more than last year, the focus was all about connection. The whole premise of the stay in the Algarve was less theoretical, which came as a slight surprise. This meant there was more time to get to know the other storekeepers better, experience nice moments together and of course find out how their business is going. The trip was also an ideal time to exchange views with Spar directors and managers. There was a lot of interaction, and I came away with a feeling of belonging to the same family of storekeepers.”

60+ newbies

More over-60-year-olds than ever keep working. With 1 out of 10 employees being over 60 in Belgium, they even outnumber 25 to 30-year-olds*. Alain Roggen, store co-worker at Colruyt Merksem, and Michel Trauscht, team leader at Fine Food Meat, are also in their sixties, but are newbies in the company.

Gentlemen, you've only found your way to Colruyt Group now! What was it you used to do?

Alain • “I took over my grandmother's supermarket when I was a young man and ran it for 42 years. I converted it to an American and Mexican foodstore. I was the first to import products such as Oreo and Corona into Belgium.”

Michel • “I was active in the logistics sector at airports. My last job was as a team leader at 3W+, a social non-profit organisation supported by the Flemish Government.”

How did you end up at Colruyt?

Michel • “My job at 3W+ ended, but I still wanted to work. My wife is 11 years younger, I didn't want to stay at home alone. I contacted the VDAB (Flemish Public Employment Service) who put me in touch with Fine Food. Following the new leadership programme they're looking for team leaders. And I have experience in this.”

Alain • “The glory days of my store were over. I sold the store, but didn't feel like retiring yet. I went to Randstad and on the same day I had an interview at Colruyt Merksem. An hour later I was outside again holding my safety boots. The deal had been sealed. (laughs)”

It didn't take long! Are you happy that over-60-yearolds are given opportunities at Colruyt Group?

Alain • “Absolutely! I didn't think it would be so easy. I only wanted to work on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. I'm very grateful to Colruyt.”

Michel • “I wasn't sure I'd still find a job at my age. But look: Colruyt Group values older workers.”

How are you managing all this new information?

Alain • “It's quite an adjustment you know! I'd never had colleagues before, never even worked for an employer. I found it quite daunting. But for no reason: my fantastic colleagues took me by the hand. And I still enjoy going to work. On the other hand, the job of store co-worker is physically challenging. I can feel it in my back, knees and feet in the evening. But that doesn't outweigh the satisfaction I feel by being able to keep working.”

Michel • “True, I occasionally help out in production. Believe you me, you can feel you're not 20 any more. (laughs) For me a lot of the work was new: I'd never worked in shifts or in a production environment. Let alone the meat sector. I only knew meat and charcuterie from having it on my plate. (laughs) That was quite the challenge. But I do my best and step by step I manage.”

Alain • “I was most afraid of learning how to use the checkout system. But in the end it was fine. I quite enjoy doing it now.”

Michel • “True, it's not easy discovering all the systems. Fortunately, my mentor Renaud Foucart is very patient. (laughs)”

Does having experience help in your new job?

Michel • “Absolutely! I already had the skills as a team leader. I also enjoy the social contact. But I'm still learning new stuff every day.”

Alain • “They didn't have to teach me how to deal with customers of course. I can tell by the connection I have with many customers.”

How is it to work with colleagues who are a lot younger?

Alain • “It's great having different generations working together. I'm not kidding! It creates a great working atmosphere. And I learn a lot from my colleagues who are 30 years younger.” Michel • “In fact I really enjoy it. I have children in their twenties. In other words, I know how to deal with these young guys.”

How much longer will you keep working?

Michel • “Normally until 2027. I don't have a problem with it. Hopefully my superior doesn't either. (laughs)”

Alain • “Since I've been doing this job I have a lot less stress. I don't know when I can retire, but it doesn't matter. I'm having fun. As long as I can continue working at Colruyt, I'm not going anywhere. (laughs)”

* Source: Acerta Consult.

“It's great having different generations working together. And I learn a lot from my colleagues who are 30 years younger.”

- Alain Roggen (60 years old, started in June 2023)

“I wasn't sure I'd still find a job at my age. Colruyt Group values older workers.”

- Michel Trauscht (63 years old, started in August 2024)

With special thanks to the Tram site in Schepdaal.

Text: Benoit Van Trimpont /

Photo: Katleen Van Den Eede

A company of families

Two generations, seven family members. They all took a different route, but ended up at the same place: Colruyt Group. Read the story of the Thienpont De Coster family, one of the families where Colruyt DNA is passed on from generation to generation.

Stacy Decoster, Jan's stepdaughter

“My mum, Christel, showed me the way to Colruyt. I started as a student worker in 2003. Two years later, I graduated from secondary school and was faced with the choice: continue in the care sector or the security of a permanent job at Colruyt. It didn't take me long to make the decision. After six months I was given the responsibility of launching Collect&Go in our store in Geraardsbergen. And 19 years later I'm still here. I live around the corner, my child's school is a minute down the road. I'll probably stay for several more years!”

Els Thienpont De Coster, Jan's sister

“After a couple of years in the public sector I decided to follow in my brother's footsteps. I've always looked up to him and saw how satisfied he was with his job and employer. I took the plunge and started at the Collishop depots in 1991, I currently work at the Colruyt store of Geraardsbergen. And I've not regretted it for a single minute! My son was a student worker here, my father-in-law worked here and I'm working with Stacy, my step-cousin, now: our entire family is Colruyt.”

Jan Thienpont De Coster, pater familias

“After a career spanning 43 years I'm retired now. I started here in 1981, when I was 18. Colruyt was my first and only employer. And gave me plenty of opportunities. I'm very grateful to them for that. After my time as store manager I worked as a work simplifier and in recent years I was responsible for store furnishing. I've really enjoyed every job I worked in! And that enthusiasm seemed to have been infectious for my family.”

Bert Thienpont De Coster, Jan's son

“We grew up with Colruyt. As children, my sister and I sometimes helped with the time schedules. Not in terms of content, but colouring them with our highlighters. And sometimes we had to go to the store with our dad at night when the burglar alarm was triggered. In our pyjamas! (laughs) Maybe it's not surprising that I ended up at Colruyt Group as well then (in 2014). After completing a traineeship, I'm now a junior solution analyst.”

Femke Thienpont De Coster, Jan's daughter

“My first student job? Not at my dad's store, but at Collishop, where aunt Els used to work. That was in 2003. We commuted there together, had lunch together, talked about our day, etc. It's so nice when you know someone on the shop floor. And yes, I stayed with Colruyt Group and found a job in central services. I worked elsewhere for two years. Family parties were not the same: suddenly I couldn't join in with the conversations anymore! Well, we weren't having any of that so I went back. (laughs) Now I'm a management assistant at Retail Services.”

Robin De Vriendt, Jan's son-in-law

“My first work experience at Colruyt Group was in 2004, as a student worker at Okay. I've been here for 12 years now with a permanent contract, and I currently work as a quality officer at the Quality assurance department. Femke and I didn't meet here. (laughs) In fact, she's the reason I ended up here. I used to work for a supplier of Colruyt Group, so I knew the group quite well. Femke convinced me to apply for a job here. Sometimes she jokes that working at Colruyt Group was a precondition for our relationship.”

Christel Francq, Jan's wife

“I've also worked for Colruyt Group since 1981, currently at Symeta Hybrid. In other words, Jan and I had known each other as colleagues for 30 years, when we bumped into each other again at a New Year's reception. We were both single and had agreed to just stay friends. But we didn't. (laughs) Our group of friends includes many Colruyt Group people. It's quite inevitable we often talk about work. The partners who don't work for Colruyt, try to steer our chats and introduced a piggy bank: anyone who starts talking about Colruyt has to put in a euro. (laughs)”

Lili Vanden Wijngaert / Photo: Katleen Van Den Eede

Together against food waste

Optimising our production, smart stock management, food surplus donations, etc. Across the organisation, we seize opportunities to combat food waste.

Donating surpluses

Collecting money for the Food banks

We've donated food surpluses to the Food banks for many years: we're best-in-class in this domain as food retailer. This allows us to combat food waste and take up our social responsibility. Because everyone is entitled to (healthy) food. Through an annual customer campaign we also provide financial support: for their operation and to buy extra food on top of the donated surpluses. And this year we handled things differently. Corporate marketer Caroline D’haens says: “Making donations more accessible and reaching more people were the main goals. With advertising on the

shopping carts at Colruyt Lowest Prices, Okay and Collect&Go we ran a very visible campaign. At Bio-Planet we used posters to publicise the campaign, sometimes digital, and told store co-workers to actively ask customers whether they wanted to donate two euros at the check-out. Co-workers were also able to make a donation in the canteen of their workplace. Thank you to everyone who contributed to turn it into a successful campaign!” On 21 October we'd collected 85,000 euros. Amazing!

Reducing

waste streams

Smart scales measure waste

Solucious is helping Arteveldehogeschool with a research project. They're testing whether smart scales can help to reduce waste streams. Amélie Withaeckx, project manager at Solucious, explains how it works: “We joined forces with the Wilgenveld canteen co-workers and put a rubbish bin on the scales where the sandwiches are prepared. A camera was hung above it which took a photograph of all the waste that is thrown away. This is done to recognise the type of waste. Without any impact on the workers, we monitored how much of which type of waste is thrown away. They're very efficient but we're hoping to get valuable insights into the purchase behaviour. For example, buying tomatoes in smaller packaging to use up an opened box before the due date. Towards the end of December we'll evaluate the project and in case of positive findings look at the next step: test the smart scales at our hospitality customers and help them to combat food waste.”

Optimise production

Efforts at Fine Food Combating food waste starts in production. Fine Food Cheese's efforts were great. “There's no food waste here. Everything is sold or reused,” says process engineer Bart De Groodt proudly. “For the last three years the CBS software system has allowed us to work with data about any loss when cutting our cheese. Process improvements, adjustments to the machines and training of our operators have resulted in 3% less cutting loss, another 8% to go in other words. Any leftovers are processed

into ground cheese mixes for our customers, butchers' shops and the colleagues of Fine Food Meat. The rest goes to a company that turns it into animal feed. No cheese is lost here!” Els De Braekeleer, Fine Food Bread manager, adds: “Our food leftovers invariably also find a new use. Pastries are donated to 'Voedzaam'. Other surpluses are sold to be processed in products, such as sausages. Bread is ground for FeedValid, which uses it for cattle feed.”

Who am I?

Jurgen Vandenberghe

What do I do?

Heavy rolling stock technician at Technics

In the grease pit

Every day, in our garage at Hellebroek, Technics co-workers are busy working on the fleet of cars and lorries. Jurgen and his four colleagues look after our lorries, trailers and terminal tractors. “I've been doing this with my heart and soul for 20 years already.”

“I ended up in car mechanics through my father André. First in a garage. And when he retired after working at Colruyt Group for 14 years, I took his place in the rolling stock department. It was clear from the start: these big guys are really my thing! I won't be going back to regular cars in a hurry. (laughs) I'm still using my dad's toolbox. Some of these tools were his. Of course I cherish them.”

“We're responsible for the maintenance and repair of all trailers and terminal tractors in our hangar. We only carry out small repairs on the trailers, like replacing the tyres or fixing the lights. Sometimes we also have to hit the road for corrective maintenance or to man the pit stop where drivers pass for a quick repair. The atmosphere here is great! We help each other out when necessary. And you have to because it's hard work. Brake discs easily weigh up to 45 kg, brake calipers 35 kg and a wheel up to 100 kg. Sometimes you can use a hand. (laughs)”

“The best thing about my job is the variety. In the autumn we're working on getting the trucks ready for the winter. But it's always busy here: we have about 1,000 trailers, 45 terminal tractors, 6 street sweepers and 40 trucks. Of these, a maximum of 7% are allowed to be inactive for maintenance and repairs. So yes, our four colleagues in Ollignies and we have our hands full in our grease pit. (laughs)”

Text:

Benoit

Van Trimpont

/

Photo: Katleen Van Den Eede

Charles Greer's question Charles Greer

Regional manager Namur for Colruyt Lowest Prices

“More and more Belgian consumers go to the supermarket on Sundays. Sunday morning is becoming the most popular shopping moment of the week. Is Colruyt Group considering – like many of our competitors – keeping its stores open on Sundays?”

“It's true that Sunday has become a far more important shopping moment,” says Jo Willemyns, COO Food Retail. “Sundays used to be for emergency purchases, now more and more consumers are getting all their shopping on Sunday. There's no need to beat around the bush, we feel it. We know that customers who would normally shop at Colruyt, now go to the competition on Sundays.”

“And yet quite a few of our stores are already open on Sundays. Take Spar, OKay Compact /City and Cru. And in the summer our Colruyt stores at the coast and in the Ardennes are open. Extending this to all our shops is mainly a matter of weighing up whether it's worth the effort. Because opening on a Sunday costs a lot of money, especially if the stores are not operated by independent store workers. If we were to open all our stores on Sundays, the costs would be higher, and our turnover would not necessarily be higher.”

“Yes, of course we're closely following our customers' expectation in this respect. And if Sundays are becoming more important to them, we should not be blind to this. We're not excluding it, but there are no specific plans to do this at the moment.”

Do you also have a question about our company, an initiative, a choice or a way of working? Mail them to GAZET or gazet@colruytgroup.com.

Text: Benoit Van Trimpont

/ Photo: Katleen Van Den Eede

Cindy Coolens, internal Bakery expert at RPCG: “

I remember counting down to midnight at 10 p.m. Like a real new year's party!”

An exuberant end-of-year fair

“It was quite an exuberant party,” remembers Cindy Coolens – Bakery, Cheese and Charcuterie consultant at Spar at the time, now internal Bakery expert at RPCG. “It must have been October 2010, because I was still relatively new to the company. The day started with an end-of-year fair, where independent Spar storekeepers were able to sample the festive assortment. There were booths along the route where suppliers of the different departments were able to showcase their specialities: aperitifs, snacks, meat, fish, cake, desserts, etc. My job was to offer guests samples from our cheese assortment. It was important to pamper these storekeepers, because based on what they tasted here, they decided on what to sell from the assortment. Orders where placed then and there. Some went home with carts laden with gifts from the suppliers! (laughs)”

I remember counting down to midnight at 10 p.m. Like a real new year's party! (laughs) Everyone went absolutely bonkers. I was smart enough to sleep in Mechelen that night. However, the party didn't carry on into the early hours: most storekeepers had to work the following day.”

“This unique edition was held at the Nekkerhal in Mechelen, a massive hall. Unfortunately, this end-of-year formula was a one-off. Now it's smaller-scale. Spread over two days the storekeepers come to us to sample our festive assortment. All the things Colruyt Group can to do help independent storekeepers are also presented then. Only recently, Bike Republic also had a booth. You can't really compare it to the 2010 edition. Maybe we should do it over again… (laughs)”

Do you have any fun pictures you would like to share with us? Please send a mail to gazet@colruytgroup.com or a direct to GAZET.

“A dinner was scheduled after the fair followed by a dance party where the couple of hundred attendees were able to strut their stuff: internal store workers, the Spar management and independent storekeepers with their partner or store managers. Everyone received a party box with hat, festoons, hooters and confetti.

Spar's end-of-year fair in 2010 turned into a huge dance party.

Between you and me.

Growing up in hell

“I was born in Baghdad in 1990 when Saddam Hussein was in power. In that same year the Gulf War also started. Since that time, Iraq has always been unsettled. And unsafe. I experienced that first-hand. I saw and experienced a lot of aggression. As a 12-year-old boy, I had to go to military school to become a soldier. Later, I was kidnapped twice. Once by al-Qaeda because my father was a police officer. He had to pay a 50,000 dollar ransom. A second time because I had expressed myself as an atheist, and therefore not a practising Muslim. That's why they jailed me.”

Away from the ongoing violence

“At the ago of 24, I'd had enough and I fled. I first flew to Turkey: as an Iraqi, you can stay there temporarily without a visa. Through people smugglers, I was able to arrange a boat to Greece. Three times we had to try: once we were caught by the police, a second time the boat turned out to be broken even before we'd left, the third time we finally succeeded. We were stuck in a small boat for 28 hours, until we ended up on some Greek island. The smugglers just left us on the beach in the middle of the night.”

From Iraq to Hasselt

With more than 100 nationalities, Colruyt Group is a friendly melting pot of cultures. Sinan Al-jumaili fled the aggression in his home country of Iraq after a perilous journey to a safe haven in Hasselt in 2015.

Terrified

“We were soon picked up by the police. We didn't have any papers, just some money and our mobiles. We had to leave Greece as soon as possible. In vans and on foot we managed to get across the border. It was very scary and I was terrified. I slept in a forest for days together with a family with children. You could hear the wild animals around you. And I walked through the Balkans for days. Until we got to Austria. I was able to buy a passport and an identity card from a Spaniard I came across. It helped me to get on a plane to Brussels. 17 days after arriving in Greece, I was finally in a safe place.”

Permanent job

“After two years in a refugee centre Caritas helped me find a home in Hasselt. Finding a job is very difficult if you don't speak the language. While I was doing volunteer work in the food and drink industry and helping the elderly, I was also following Dutch classes. You guys sure have

a difficult language! (laughs) But I understand it now. It allowed me to go to a job day at Colruyt Hasselt. And with success! I'm very proud of my job here at the fresh market.”

Hospitable Belgium

“People in Iraq are very sociable. Many Belgians are rather quick to pass judgement as soon as they see someone. We're not all terrorists, you know! But for the rest Belgians are very friendly and hospitable. The most important thing is that I'm safe here. In Iraq, I was constantly afraid of explosions or being arrested. I won't go back, it's too dangerous. My dream? To study business management. And maybe I can open my own store there. Imagine: store manager of the first Colruyt store in the Middle East. How amazing would that be! (laughs)”

Text: Benoit

Van Trimpont

/ Photo: Anja Magdaleens

The kick of hitting your limits

Quick and acrobatic

Anyone who works out at Jims in Zottegem or Ghent has already noticed that club manager Siebe Duthoy effortlessly jumps well above the stacked plyoboxes during his training sessions. And yes, he also likes to throw himself about outside the confines of the gym as well. With the necessary explosiveness, and great precision. Fortunately.

“I combine ‘parkour’ and ‘freerunning’. It's not just about getting from one point to another quickly, but also about the creativity you use in the process. With somersaults, jumps over and on walls, or from one obstacle to another, for example. It has to be impressive. I use everything I encounter - be it stairs, walls, benches, or railings - as a tool. I look at my surroundings with a different view. When I'm walking through Leuven, and I'm standing by some staircase, my mind is already making mental notes: I can use this, I have to come back!’!”

Sticking to the ground

“The cool thing is that anything goes, even during a competition. In gymnastics, there's a clear ideal, with a certain number of points. In parkour, it's not like that. It's all about freedom, anything goes and everyone has their own style. What does matter is your landing technique. You're only awarded points if you ‘stick’ your landing perfectly, i.e. you cannot slide. A lot of major, less official events exist as well: from mapped routes with fixed challenges to, say, playing tag with obstacles. (laughs)”

Weird looks

“When I started out, parkour was still unknown. I was impressed by the somersaults of breakdancers, and tried to imitate clips of ‘tracers’. It started with jumping over the same wall in thousands of ways. Day. After. Day. After.

Day. After. Day. I got some weird looks, but I got better, and two years later I was teaching. When one my students says ‘I can't do that’, I simply answer: ‘yet!’. You can do anything if you take the time to practise. When I think how I used to train, I notice that what seemed challenging or impossible then, now feels like a warm-up. Four metre high back flips seemed like a win at the time.”

One fall … and a broken wrist

“For 11 years I'd never had a bad accident, but three years ago I tried to jump towards a high wall and had to place my hands to break my fall. I broke my right wrist and tore the ligaments of both wrists. You have to stay in control and perfect all the techniques to minimise the risks. But they'll never go away entirely.”

Don't be afraid to go for it

“It's not just about body control, it's also a mental challenge. The danger is when you panic. Sometimes you know something is physically feasible - on the ground you would cover that distance without any problem - but you mustn't be afraid to go for it. To jump from one roof to another, you have to make the click in your head and trust that it'll work out. You have to go outside your comfort zone and be on the verge of 'freezing'. You have to train that too. That's how I overcame my fear of heights, by the way. It really is about overcoming obstacles in every sense of the word.”

“The danger is when you panic. You need to have trust in your abilities” - Siebe

How a cycling dream can end up with a stick in the spokes

For almost ten years P&O co-worker Liena Vanderheyden (25) worked on her cycling career. Successfully so: in 2018, she was able to compete against the big guns, including Jolien D’hoore and Marianne Vos. Until a reduced blood flow in her groin caused a problem, but did not dampen her love for competitive sports.

Talented and ambitious

“As a 16-year old junior and lightweight I was one of many at the 'kermis' cycling races. But I worked hard to catch up with the other girls on what I was lacking. I noticed that climbing in particular was easier for me than the rest of the peloton. I trained with the boys of cycling club Royal Cureghem Sports and after a while turned the tables: I was able to hurt them on climbs! Training camps in Spain, cycling up to 17,000 kilometres a year and combining it with my studies, etc. I was really going for it. In my first year with the elite women I ended in the top 10. The start is less explosive in the longer races and that's more my thing. I was competing against icons such as Jolien D’hoore and Marianne Vos. People always gave me a strange look when I tell them that on a good day I'd end seven minutes behind Vos. There was certainly room for growth, but that's where it ended.”

End of her dream

“From 2019 the results were disappointing. I couldn't explain it, because I was training well, some weeks up to 20 hours. But still I was unable to finish the race: after five minutes I lost all the strength in my left leg. After buying a watt meter, the difference in strength between my left and right leg was very noticeable. But it wasn't until 2023 we found the problem: a constricted artery in my left leg. This meant surgery and six months of rehabilitation. And a warning of the doctor to boot: if you keep racing you'll need surgery again within a year for the same problem on your right leg.”

Love for competition

“When I see cycling on TV, I'm torn. Could that have been me? How far could I have got? I'm still looking for a new balance because cycling was my life. I need to find a replacement. I have the mentality of an elite athlete: not doing any sports for a week feels weird. I'm reviewing my options now. For example, I already completed a duathlon in Halle. Struggling, that competitive feeling, the adrenaline, flirting with the limits of your body, etc. I just can't get enough of it!”

Old love doesn't rust

‘Things you do yourself, are usually done better’. This is what Hans Schollaert, division manager at Technics thinks. He has three sturdy old-timers in a garage in his back garden: Frieda, Maurice and Devon. When Hans talks about his cars, his eyes glint almost harder than his cars.

Courtesy of mother-superior

“When I bought Frieda, the dark grey 1976 Volkswagen Beetle, she was a run down white model with as many as 300,000 kilometres on the meter. Owned by the convent of Berlaar, where sister Frieda was the designated driver. Hence the name.” Hans went for a full restoration where he repairs every part single-handedly to its former glory. “From the smallest screw to overhauling the entire engine and the paintwork, I did it all myself. A massive undertaking, but that's what makes every project so special.”

Keep it in the family

The 1983 Mercedes W123 240D drives on a mix of diesel, lubricants and emotional memories. “The car has always been my granddad's. We didn't have to think long about the name Maurice. And although he's the ‘youngest’ of the collection, that's the car I'm most attached to. Even if someone were to come knocking at my door tomorrow with a huge offer, Maurice isn't going anywhere. The enjoyment and the memories linked to this car are priceless.”

Allergic to electronics

“Only the 1975 T2 Volkswagen is still missing some parts. I want it to be ready by the summer of 2025 at the latest.

If you want to use original parts it takes time. I mean, don't come to me with an electric engine. I draw the line at modern day classic cars, which will be old-timers in a couple of years, when software or electronics are involved. When a part is broken, I want to hold it in my hands to repair it. All the time spent tinkering, mending and fiddling and observing the pure technique with your own senses, is what makes an old-timer so fascinating.” Hans christened the van Devon, after the typical Devon roof. This is the only part he needed to enlist help for. “And it turned out that help would come from my motherin-law, a lovely person, who knows her way around a sewing machine. I drew the pattern and she made it.”

Next project

Three old-timers is already quite something, what other oldtimer would you like to get your hands on? A Ford Mustang, a Porsche 911 or another Volkswagen? Hans already has his answer ready: “Not an American car in any case, it's very hard to find original parts here. And they take up too much space. How about an Austin Mini or a Citroën 2CV, I've got room for those in my little barn (laughs).”

I would like to put Tanja, one of your co-workers at Colruyt Nieuwpoort in the spotlight. She's always helpful, smiling and dedicated. I remember once paying for my shopping with lots of coins because that was all I had. To mask my embarrassment, I told her: "I forgot my bank card. Is it okay if I pay with these coins?” With a friendly smile she answered: “Of course, sir, money is money.” She gave me a couple of cents back, to which I said: “Phew, I'm still rich. But real wealth comes from gestures such as yours.” “I'm only doing my job,” she said. For me this was important: it's the story of values which unfortunately are neglected today.

Fenzar

Hello!

I want to congratulate you on the new Colruyt store in Lessines. Even though it's not very big, it's very pleasant and popular. Now I don't need to go to Ath every time. Thank you and keep up the good work!

Your Safari cookie has a white glaze with black stripes, although everyone knows that zebras are black with white stripes. Please explain. Is there a white safari animal with black stripes? Thanks in advance!

Simeon

Hello! Today my friends and I had breakfast at OKay Compact in Elsene, and guess what? We were given two bags of potatoes for free! Because we were en route to Antwerp for a day out, we decided to bring the spuds as our taciturn travel companions. We had so much fun and wanted to share these photographs with you! We hope you can use them for your social media :-) Thank you for making our trip all the more enjoyable!

Regards,

Giulia, Charlie and Lorenzo

I'd like to thank the Colruyt Group Academy for the two fantastic camp days. It was a great first experience for us (not for the workshops but for the camps) and both the kids and parents (with workplace) felt great. We're sure to come back, what a fantastic concept! Thanks also to the sweet monitors and reception people for the great contact. We'll spread the word.

Today I was helped at the check-out of Bio-Planet Dilbeek by Clément and I was blown away! He deserves a bonus, such a friendly and pleasant smile, an added value for the store: customer-friendliness! He makes my day!

Clean and well equipped gym with very skilled personnel. As soon as you arrive at Jims Zottegem, you're welcomed with a smile. Not matter what your question, they have the answer. They always try to be ready for you, whether it's for assistance, an exercise or a simple chat. A very personal and friendly approach, which is lacking in a lot of commercial gyms. In short, the ideal place to work on your health today.

Hello,

Presenting Bio-Planet

Bio-Planet was a guest at the Menopause day of Libelle magazine in Mechelen. Their presence fits in the new strategic framework of our organic supermarket in which women’s health is one of the spearheads. Bio-Planet presented (care) products for women and was able to present itself to this very interested and relevant target group.

Run with Okay

As many as 90 enthusiastic colleagues from the Okay stores and central services ran the Ghent 10 Miles in September. Not only did they push their sporting limits, they also strengthened the team spirit. Great performance, colleagues!

Bio-Planet Mol is buying

For seven years now, customers from Mol can go to their local Bio-Planet for all their organic purchases. This anniversary obviously deserved a celebration at the start of autumn. “Both we and our suppliers treated our customers to a drink and a snack,” says business manager Chris Pelgrims. “A great day for them and our entire store team!”

Starting shot for Bike Republic Asse

Cycling enthusiasts from the Asse region can now visit Bike Republic's new local shop. At the opening event, business unit manager Wim Teerlynck welcomed funny Sporza duo Bert De Backer and Bavo Mortier and the mayor, who festively opened the 30th store of our bicycle specialist.

Doing that bit extra for the Pride Parade

“Party at OKay Compact in the Scheldestraat in Antwerp,” says store coordinator Karen Rogiers. “The store was on the route of the Antwerp Pride Parade. And so we took it up a notch: extra stock, refrigerators and beverages were supplied, colleagues of other stores helped out and in the transit we made a drinks stand that supplied people on the street with water, beer, red bull and cava. And this worked out great seeing the weather was beautiful that day. It was all hands on deck, but it was a massive party with a lot of happy, joyful and loving people. A day (at the office) not to be forgotten in a hurry.”

Fraternising in India

A delegation of the Xtra team co-workers visited their colleagues in India for a week to take a closer look at their operations. They discussed the further planning for the further development of Xtra. But the visit also helped to strengthen ties, to really get to know each other better and … to surprise the Indian colleagues with an Xtra cup!

Struggling on the work bike

“This summer I cycled up the Mont Ventoux on my Collect&Go bike,” says Kris De Jonge, store co-worker at Colruyt Averbode. “On the Bedoin side, the biggest incline. I'm proud of my time: in 1 hour and 34 minutes I reached the top and cycled down again. Those Colruyt bikes are going places!”

Teach them young …

“At the start of the new school year, the local school visited our store,” says Guillaume Vuylsteke, assistant store manager of Okay Houthulst. “The children are learning about shopping and were each assigned a product they had to look for in the store and pay at the checkout. A Boni-fruit juice, a banana and a cookie were the perfect end to the visit!”

Hats off!

Colruyt, Collect&Go and Solucious' summer campaign to thank youngsters for their hard work during youth camps, not only proved popular among sports associations and youth associations. The Colruyt Eupen store co-workers were also enthusiastic. And rightly so, because we take our hats off to them too!

Grandpa in for a welcome surprise

“During the First-class wines tasting session in Beveren, our wine adviser Dirk Vancauteren was paid a surprise visit,” says Jan Veyt, account manager for professionals at Colruyt. “His two grandchildren in appropriate work clothing! Dirk is a great colleague and Colruyt to the core. And of course above all a proud grandfather!”

Tomorrow's Colruyt co-workers

Sometimes you can't start early enough: the daughter of Latoya Van Den Broeck, butcher at Colruyt Kontich, is very young still, but is already interested in The Gazette. She has great taste if you ask us!

In support of De Warmste Week

“Het Kleurloze Kasteel is not a book, it's our project for De Warmste Week,” says Katrijn Verhaeghe and Alice De Bruykere, sales persons at Colruyt Komen and Ypres respectively. “It's an imaginative and adventurous story about friendship, courage and growing up. We wrote and drew it with great enthusiasm and made it with sincere intentions. And most importantly: on 23 December we'll transfer our royalties to De Warmste Week, which this year is supporting initiatives to combat solitude. Maybe you'd like to buy our book for yourself or someone else…”

Available from publishing house StoryLand.

Ready to party

Not much longer before we'll all be tucking into copious amounts of food again. Of course our store formats will be showing off their delicious festive seasonal specialities. Through leaflets, social media and online campaigns, Colruyt, Okay, Bio-Planet, Spar and Cru aim to inspire customers to create a festive menu. The photographers and stylists in our Marketing Communication Services studio have already spent months in a wintry festive mood to picture all this deliciousness. Allow us to already wish you a merry Christmas and happy new year!

Photo: Katleen Van Den Eede