[In the picture] With Intermarché Express, Les Mousquetaires launch their urban offensive in Brussels

Today, in the heart of Brussels, the first Belgian branch of Intermarché Express—the urban retail format of the Groupement Mousquetaires—is opening. This new format aims to stand out with in-house prepared meals and low prices.

Focus on freshness and convenience

Don’t be fooled by the name: Intermarché Express is not a compact convenience store format, but rather a full-scale city supermarket. It’s worth noting, by the way, that the sign at this first location does not (yet) feature the Express logo. The store serves as a test bed for the new concept, which is largely inspired by the French model (of which there are now about 200 open) but also incorporates distinct local touches.

This city store, located on the site of a former Mestdagh, beneath The Mint shopping center and next to the De Brouckère metro station, spans 1,000 m², though the retailer is aiming for stores of around 800 m² for future locations. Thanks to a well-thought-out layout, there is still ample space for some 15,000 to 16,000 product SKUs. Right from the entrance, the emphasis on fresh and convenience is abundantly clear, with the “En Cuisine!” section offering in-store prepared items such as sandwiches, salads, wraps, and panuozzos, as well as pizzas and deli dishes.

Average spend is rising

Customers in a hurry—and there are plenty of them at this busy location—can pick up fresh and convenience items at the front of the store and check out immediately at the express registers. This store must be able to handle peak visitor traffic in sync with the metro schedule. At the back are the more traditional supermarket sections featuring dry goods, personal care, household items, and beverages.

In addition to convenience, Intermarché Express is also focusing on competitive pricing. The store aims to be the cheapest in its area. “Although we’ve lowered prices, we’ve already seen average spending rise recently. But we’re still going to test a lot of things here,” says Arnaud Meyrant, managing director of Intermarché Belgium, whom we spoke with Monday evening at the opening reception. Successful initiatives will then be rolled out to other Intermarché stores.

Strengthening presence in cities

This Intermarché Express is operated by Mohamed Boukamir, an experienced retailer who became an entrepreneur after stints at Delhaize and Mestdagh, with stores in Uccle and Saint-Gilles, among other locations. He is leading the development of the new store format.

Intermarché has previously outlined its ambitions for this brand: about twenty locations across the 19 Brussels municipalities and the major Walloon metropolitan areas by 2030. Several locations are in the pipeline for next year. With Intermarché Express, Les Mousquetaires primarily aim to strengthen their presence in city centers. The retailer has only been present in Brussels since the acquisition of Mestdagh, with eight stores. There is therefore still work to be done on brand awareness in the capital, both among shoppers and potential members.