Inaugural GFS Congress: A Mix of Fresh Data and Spiced Ideas to Feed the Future of Foodservice

The very first – and sold-out – Gondola Foodservice (GFS) Congress took place on October 1st at the Faculty Club in Leuven. While the weather was foggy, the speakers wasted no time in providing clarity. Foodservice remains an area that is still (too) little studied, warned Amaury Marescaux, CEO of GFS. Reliable data and events like this one are essential to remedy that.

Many players are vying for a slice of the pie. The foodservice sector in Belgium is worth approximately 15 billion euros. This market also holds numerous marketing opportunities for brand development, Amaury Marescaux observed. But one of the major problems lies in the lack of… reliable data.

Gondola Foodservice intends to fill this void, notably through this congress – which occurred exactly six months after its launch. "We want to connect people with data," explained the co-founder and CEO. And profitability is also a key concern: a quarter of restaurants have negative cash flow, and meal delivery is up to five times more developed in neighboring countries.

Clearly, there is significant work to be done.

Excellence in a Niche Market

The first keynote speaker, Annick Van Overstraeten, brought deep expertise in the Belgian food industry, with executive experience at Leonidas, Quick, and Lunch Garden – “ups and downs included,” as she put it. Since 2020, she has served as CEO of Le Pain Quotidien. Backed by investment firm Cobepa and new shareholder M80, Van Overstraeten has led a successful turnaround.

Some stores were closed or handed over to franchisees, and a disciplined strategy was implemented, built around five pillars: Product, Brand & Communication, Data & Technology, Operations & People, and Portfolio Management. Each pillar is reviewed and optimized on a two-year cycle. The approach is paying off: Le Pain Quotidien is back in growth mode.

In addition to the six existing markets, seven new countries were conquered in 2024. This year, a total of 36 franchised locations are opening this year, thanks to strategic partnerships with Lagardère, Avolta, Areas, and travel retail specialist SSP.

The ambition? 500 stores in 30 countries by 2030.

“Will we get there? Maybe not. But you need ambition to reach where you want to go,” Van Overstraeten said. “We’re slightly more expensive, but we use healthier, higher-quality ingredients. There’s demand for that, even if we’ll always remain a niche player.”

Store or Restaurant? Why Not Both?

Peter Isaac, Managing Director of Jumbo Supermarkten Belgium, joined Gondola CEO Pierre-Alexandre Billiet for a fireside chat on the growing convergence between retail and foodservice. Jumbo has already rolled out 15 Foodmarkt locations in the Netherlands and recently opened its first in Ghent.

The concept combines daily grocery shopping with fresh, locally prepared meals – produced in in-house kitchens – for dine-in consumption at the Foodcafé or for takeaway.

“We’re blending the charm of a restaurant with the efficiency of a supermarket,” said Isaac. While the store offers a strong culinary experience, it doesn’t operate in the evening and isn’t intended to function as a full-service restaurant – unlike, for instance, Italy’s Eataly chain.

« Trust the process »

Former field hockey star turned coach John-John Dohmen closed the event by drawing parallels between sports and business. “A winner is just a loser who never gave up,” he said.

Dohmen offered an inside look at the long and often winding road that led the Belgian national hockey team – the Red Lions – to Olympic gold. The journey took years, and while setbacks were part of the process, interim victories – first Olympic qualification, European championship, world title – laid the groundwork for their ultimate success.

His recipe: a shared dream, relentless hard work, and a solid strategy. But above all, trust the process. A winning team is built on individuals who go above and beyond while playing their role – and on leaders with different, but complementary profiles.