Colruyt Professionals is opening its first Flemish branches in Ghent and Machelen

The company estimates that there is potential for about ten stores intended for a professional clientele in Belgium.

The Colruyt Group is observing growth in the B2B (business-to-business) market. Since the opening of the first Colruyt Professionals store in 2020 on an experimental basis, five stores have been established in Brussels and Wallonia.

Until now, Flanders was an uncovered area, but that is changing. Ghent and Machelen will respectively host a Colruyt Professionals store today and next Wednesday.

A Colruyt Professionals store is entirely designed to meet the needs of professional customers such as shopkeepers, resellers, restaurateurs, and associations with a VAT number. The aisles are particularly wide to facilitate bulk purchases. Customers must hold a Professionals Plus card to be able to shop there.

Jo Willemyns, Director of Food Retail at Colruyt Group, states that the group plans to open about ten stores in our country. "The demand from professional customers in Flanders for a distinct commercial offering is strong. The success of our stores in Brussels and Wallonia has confirmed our growth plans. The strong presence of night shops, convenience stores, and Horeca (hospitality) establishments in Flanders has also played an important role."

Another store will open this year in Alleur, in the province of Liège.