EXKi: a new concept and new branding to accelerate the recovery ?
- Gondola Foodservice
- 21 hours ago
- 2 min read
The natural food chain is launching a completely redesigned concept in Brussels. This key step comes as EXKi has just completed its restructuring and is embarking on a new phase of expansion under the leadership of its new CEO, Xavier Royaux.
E XKi is opening a new chapter. Just a short time after Xavier Royaux took the helm, the chain is launching a completely revamped "fast-casual" concept and will immediately implement it in two Brussels restaurants: the Bourse (Stock Exchange) location on December 10th, and the Eurostar terminal at Brussels-Midi station a week later. These two openings bring the number of E XKi locations in Belgium to 34 and symbolize the start of an active phase of recovery and investment, after several turbulent years.
A modernized identity to reaffirm the brand's DNA
The press release describes a complete overhaul of the positioning: new visual identity, color palette (Easy Green, Raw Green, Vitamin Orange) and redesigned logo around a stylized carrot, modernized interior architecture, natural materials, simplified customer journey, self-check-out modules and reworked culinary offering, notably through new sandwiches prepared on site and new matcha drinks.
This evolution is based on several months of testing and an analysis of internal data to strengthen consistency, operational efficiency, and perceived freshness. For EXKi, the goal is to offer a clearer and more immersive experience, while remaining true to its core values: "tasty, healthy, and sustainable."
A refocused expansion strategy and an increased role for travel retail
The choice of the first two locations is not insignificant. The Bourse location targets the local urban consumer, while the Brussels-Midi Eurostar station location immediately exposes the new concept to a substantial international flow of customers. Travel retail is presented as a strategic pillar of the future model: increased visibility, more predictable sales volumes, and support for franchise development.
EXKi also plans to strengthen its presence in France (where the brand already has 31 points of sale) and in Flanders, where a master franchisee is expected to support the deployment, on the model applied in Wallonia.
A recovery under tighter governance
The brand modernization and accelerated expansion are taking place within a context of profound transformation. The company is emerging from a difficult period marked by losses of €1.8 million, high short-term debt, and the closure of several points of sale. A €15 million investment from Iris Capital enabled the restructuring to begin and simplified the internal organization.
With the arrival of Xavier Royaux, former Chief Marketing Officer of McDonald's France, and the recent appointment of Pierre Toutel as COO, EXKi is now focusing on a direction geared towards growth, operational efficiency, and brand strengthening. "These two openings symbolize the new chapter we are writing," emphasizes the new CEO, who sees this revamped concept as the foundation for accelerated European expansion.
EXKi aims to consolidate its foundations, reassert itself as a leading player in the natural fast-casual market, and attract an urban and international clientele seeking a healthy, fast, and more experiential offering. After years of turbulence, the brand seems ready to play a new tune, one that is clearer, more structured, and decidedly growth-oriented.
