Foodmaker becomes available exclusively at Jumbo stores in the Netherlands

Starting this week, Foodmaker ready-to-eat meals will be available exclusively in more than 700 stores of the Jumbo supermarket chain in the Netherlands. This is the company’s second attempt in the Netherlands, this time involving influencers.

“Logical next step”

“The Netherlands, and especially Jumbo, is a logical next step,” says CEO Lieven Vanlommel. “We see with our Belgian, French, German, and Austrian retail partners that consumers are increasingly choosing fresh, healthy meals that actually taste good. With Jumbo, we’ve found a partner who understands the story.”

Six Foodmaker products will hit the shelves in 700 Jumbo stores. Fifty stores will carry a more extensive range of twelve products, primarily salads and wraps. The deal with Jumbo follows shortly after a similar agreement with the Austrian supermarket chain Billa. The company has long-standing partnerships with Delhaize in Belgium and Luxembourg, Rewe in Germany, and the French chains Monoprix and Franprix.

This European expansion is no coincidence: last year, investment fund Kharis Capital came on board with a minority stake. The fund, which already holds stakes in Quick, Burger King Belgium, and O’Tacos, is set to assist with the international rollout, including not only retail but also Foodmaker’s own restaurants.

Second attempt in the Netherlands

For Foodmaker, the partnership also represents a new opportunity in the Dutch market. A few years ago, the company collaborated with Albert Heijn, but that partnership did not yield the desired results.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foodmaker salad bars disappeared from about a hundred Albert Heijn stores. “Sales were growing, but Albert Heijn preferred to focus on growth with its own private label, ”Vanlommel explained to De Tijd.

With top athletes as its figureheads, the second time should be the charm: Foodmaker is now enlisting speed skaters Kjeld Nuis and Joy Beune as ambassadors. Both top athletes are lending their names to the brand during the launch.