Christmas markets: a very profitable end-of-year festivities

For the past few weeks, Belgian towns and cities have been buzzing with activity thanks to their Christmas markets, some of which last barely a weekend. In Brussels, the largest of these, now called Winter Wonders, has become a huge economic enterprise and an essential part of the lives of the food businesses that have a stall there.

Vismet © Brussels Major Events

The Winter Wonders festival has been unfolding in the heart of Brussels since November 28th and will continue until January 1st (January 4th for the ice rink and Place de Brouckère). This major event attracted 4.2 million visitors last year, 35% of whom were foreign tourists. In 2025, for its 25th edition, Winter Wonders, organized by Brussels Major Events (BME), a non-profit organization affiliated with the City of Brussels, will feature 238 stalls. The event is so popular that some businesses have to wait several years before their applications are accepted.

“From one year to the next, the turnover is indeed quite low,” confirms Baptiste Cruysmans, Operations & Project Coordinator at BME. “This proves that having a chalet here is a profitable venture. Even if, sometimes, during the first two years, some vendors are still finding their audience. Departures are never due to profitability issues but rather to retirements or relocations that make coming to Brussels more expensive. Feedback from the field indicates a strong customer loyalty. For this reason, some vendors refuse to have their locations changed from one year to the next. They are afraid that they won't be found anymore given the length of the route. Why decide to move them? Besides specific problems, there may be a desire to move the chalets to give visitors the impression that the market is renewing itself, even if the vendors remain the same.”

€5,700 minimum for a food stand

Chalet rentals bring in approximately one million euros for BME. Following a well-established classification system: 2,200 euros for artisans, 3,900 for resale products, 4,100 for food products (honey, jams, etc.), 5,700 for a stand selling food and non-alcoholic beverages, and 7,020 for stands selling hard liquor. This price for a single chalet (the price is simply doubled for a double chalet) includes a free electrical connection. An additional connection costs 200 euros, but 900 euros for a 32-amp connection or 1,600 euros for a 63-amp connection. Then there are the so-called promotional chalets, such as the one for Brasserie Caulier on Place Sainte-Catherine.

“We’re paying €23,000 this year for a double chalet,” explains Hugo Destailleur, B2C Manager of the Péruwelz-based brewery. Caulier, whose flagship product is Paix Dieu, generates 80% of its revenue in Northern France. “For the past few years, we’ve held a classic pop-up in the heart of Lille, coinciding with the Winter Wonders festival. Last year, we rented a mansion and offered merchandise, a bar, and light refreshments. It was a huge success, generating €250,000 in revenue. We doubled that with Paris this year, but it’s very complicated in the French capital because we’re not well-known enough there, and the costs are four times higher.”

In fact, in regions where the range is little known, Caulier notes that the foot traffic from Christmas markets is essential for the stand to be profitable and to give the brand recognition.

“Our arrival at the Winter Wonders festival four years ago stemmed from this strategic approach,” continues Hugo Destailleur. “Given the omnipresence and financial power of AB InBev and HLS, penetrating the Brussels hospitality market is very difficult. Our presence on Place Sainte-Catherine gives us enormous visibility, especially since the location is very high-quality, with Mer du Nord across the street and the stand with wood-fired salmon cooking right next door. This year, the goal is €150,000 in revenue, and we're off to a good start. We sell about forty 20-liter kegs every two days. Not bad for €5 beer. Besides that, merchandise (caps, socks, gift sets with glasses, etc.) accounts for 20% of our revenue. This includes the famous Christmas sweater (it costs €55, editor's note) , which sells out in three weeks.”

Pay the end-of-year fees

Like most food stalls, Caulier employs students to minimize staffing costs and ensure the chalet remains open every day from opening to closing (12 pm to 10 pm, with a grace period until 11 pm on Fridays and weekends), rain or shine, even if the market is deserted. Sales remain highly dependent on the weather. Following two rather gloomy weekends, the overall trend (figures up to Friday the 12th) indicated a 30 to 40% drop in sales on average. It's far too early to draw any conclusions, especially since the last weekend attracted huge crowds.

“We only ever talk about the weather among ourselves,” smiles Maxime Paran, owner of the three Forcado Portuguese pastry shops in Brussels and operator of a chalet on the Vismet. “But all things considered, it all balances out. Initially, the former owners of Forcado came to the market to make a name for themselves. Today, it’s become a very profitable business. I’ll admit, the five weeks of market time have become essential for my company. They allow me to pay my staff’s 13th-month bonuses and end-of-year bonuses.”

During the Winter Pleasures season, Forcado increases production usually intended for pastry shops and B2B clients.

“On an average market day, Thursday, I bring seven tubs,” continues Maxime Paran. “That’s 350 pasteis de nata, 90 pasteis speculoos, 90 pralines, and 40 honeycomb pastries (at €3 each, you can imagine the daily sales figures – Ed.) . All fresh daily and homemade. For managing the stall, I work with my usual 30 staff members, including 12 students. I always get stressed a month before the market starts, trying to manage the schedule, but we always manage. Even though I’m very happy with my figures, I’ve noticed that at the Winter Delights market, it’s all about impulse buying. And in that respect, those who do show cooking do better.”

Managing the rush

Show cooking is exactly what Kroket, located just behind Forcado on the Vismet, offers. Chef Alexandre De Groodt presents four flavors in the form of simple croquettes or placed in a hamburger (an original formula that is very popular).

“Each week, we sell around 2,000 mini-croquettes at the market,” explains Alexandre De Groodt. “The end of the year is already very busy for us, and the Winter Wonders festival adds another layer of strain. To get through this period, we increase production with the help of a few additional flexi-job contracts. Not to mention the three people who are always working at the chalet. To avoid long lines and manage stock optimally, I've reduced the menu. Even so, since everything is handmade and production on the four machines takes time, we freeze the products to guarantee stock and manage unexpected rushes on certain days. I won't hide from you that the revenue generated (the croquettes are sold for between 6 and 8 euros, editor's note) allows us to meet our end-of-year obligations, including social security contributions.”

Faced with mounting expenses, Alexandre De Groodt has just closed his restaurant. With his partner Benjamin Losseau, he is now focusing on event catering, including Winter Wonders and summer festivals, as well as B2B services. The quality of his croquettes has made him a preferred supplier for some of his former restaurant colleagues and other business clients. They supply an average of 5,000 croquettes each week, which explains the significant revenue generated in the market.