Albert Heijn continues to create animosity on the Flemish food distribution market, believes Belgium director Raf Van den Heuvel. The retailer continues its growth with entrepreneurs, but has no plans to part with any branches: “They can already open on Sundays. »
“Sufficient critical mass”
Albert Heijn will open at least one new store in Belgium this fall: in Ranst in mid-November. This will be the fourth franchise store for entrepreneur Pieter-Jan Vaes, who already operates two Albert Heijn stores in Merksem and one in Schilde.
The fact that expansion is slowing down these days doesn’t really bother Belgian director Raf Van den Heuvel: “With 80 stores we have been past the inflection point for some time already, we have sufficient critical mass in Flanders for healthy operations. We continue to develop, there are enough projects in the pipeline, but it takes time. I am pleased that the new Flemish coalition agreement wants to reduce the processing time at the Council for permit disputes: it is now often more than a year, it should become less than nine months. »
“Opening on Sunday is not an argument”
The Dutch supermarket chain prefers to open new stores with entrepreneurs, but there is no question of franchising the 25 integrated stores: “We are satisfied with the performance of these stores. »
Moreover, opening on Sunday is not an argument in favor of franchising, explains Mr. Van den Heuvel: it is entirely possible to open branches on Sunday as well, you just need to find an agreement with the social partners on this subject. Only two supermarkets in the chain are not open on Sundays: Overpoort in Ghent, in a student area where there is little life on Sundays, and the Ring shopping center in Kuurne, which closes on Sundays. Bredene remains closed in winter but is open on Sundays the rest of the year.
“The hunger of entrepreneurs is great”
Finding franchise candidates is not a problem, although Albert Heijn mainly fishes in his own pond: “The hunger among our entrepreneurs is great. The advantage for us is that we know them well. We also have good experiences with Delhaize entrepreneurs who run an Albert Heijn in Willebroek, Tongeren and Ingelmunster. They know their market and see that the two brands work perfectly alongside each other – which is also the case in Saint-Nicolas or Leeuw-Saint-Pierre, by the way. »
The two store formats are very different in terms of concept, assortment and customer base, explains the director: “There is always some overlap, all supermarkets sell Coca-Cola, but we build our brand on products , Dutch prices and promotions. As a group, Ahold Delhaize has a lot to offer entrepreneurs. »
“Cover white areas online”
How are online activities evolving? “Coverage has expanded considerably in recent times. Today we serve around 60% of the Flemish market. Online and offline activities reinforce each other, deepening the relationship with the customer. At the same time, we use the internet to cover white areas: we are not yet represented in the Rupel region, but we already make home deliveries there. »
The retailer is also adopting an “online first” strategy in Leuven, awaiting a physical store – following the merger with Delhaize, the only store in the university town had to close in 2017.
“We make things happen”
Van den Heuvel is proud of the leading role that Albert Heijn plays on the Flemish market. “In September, I was struck by the number of colleagues who now offer freshness packs, green snacks, shock promotions or cheap bread. We make things happen. I feel good about the challenger role we play here, with the great Albert Heijn machine behind us.”
“Many initiatives come from the Netherlands, but we add our Flemish sauce. We listen carefully to our customers and constantly make adjustments. Our unique “tone of voice” is important to me. With the successful campaign “De Wereld in het Kleijn” (The world in small), we bring the Flemish into the world of Albert Heijn.” This campaign has just received a silver Effie, which rewards the most effective and impactful marketing and communication campaigns. The partnership with TV chef Jeroen Meus is also a success: “He has developed recipes with a real Flemish touch. It makes us want to continue the collaboration.”
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