[In the picture] Sligro wows with 12,000 sqm of food experience in Ghent

Sligro says it has completed its infrastructure to serve the Belgian foodservice market in the best possible way, after the reopening of its Ghent location. However, the company leaves one opening for another addition…

Three new flagships

After a thorough renovation, Sligro has officially reopened the doors of its Ghent location. The 12,000 sqm store employs 45 people and serves 28,000 restaurateurs, caterers and other food professionals from the region every year. As many as 60 % of local restaurateurs source their fresh ingredients and food items here, the Dutch company boasts.

As the major renovation of this former Sligro-ISPC store is completed, the foodservice wholesaler now has three major flagship stores in Belgium that follow their latest shop concept, as the Ghent store joins the ranks of those in Antwerp and Liège. “This is an important moment”, spokesman Wilco Jansen told RetailDetail. “Our infrastructure to serve the Belgian foodservice market in the best possible way, is now complete. We now have a good geographical spread to be close to customers everywhere.”

Nationwide coverage

After starting in Antwerp, Sligro had planned to grow from city to city – just like it had done in the Netherlands. However, the company soon found out that the permit issues in Belgium are of a different order. “Thanks to the opportunities that presented themselves to grow through acquisitions, we now have a nice national coverage.” Jansen leaves one exception open: “In time, we might also want a shop in the Charleroi region.”

The nine Belgian stores Sligro acquired from Metro will continue to operate under the Sligro-M banner. They are smaller outlets that sell mainly food to the hospitality sector, while the larger Sligro experience stores appeal to a broader target group of hospitality businesses and SMEs. Sligro supplies Belgian customers from delivery hubs in Evergem, Rotselaar and Maastricht.

Local layer

Roughly one in three products in the fixed food range of 13,000 items has a Belgian origin. Sligro supplements that range even further with typical regional specialities. “We have a retail background, so we keep a strict lead on the concept, but customers do demand a local layer in addition.”

A special feature in Ghent is the large cheese department, which is carried out as a real separate speciality shop in the shop – in a separate room with the ideal temperature, but with glass walls for visibility and accessibility. An idea of shop manager Kurt Neyrynck.