On March 16, 2011—exactly 15 years ago— Albert Heijn opened its very first Belgian store in Brasschaat. In hindsight, this marked the beginning of a new era for the country’s food retail sector.
Turning Point
“It almost feels strange to say, but 15 years ago, in early January, I was standing in the parking lot of the very first Albert Heijn store in Belgium,” says RetailDetail founder Jorg Snoeck. “At that point, no one really knew exactly where that first store would open.”
