2023-09-23 15:54:00
Colruyt is a Belgian distribution giant whose history began in 1928 when a certain Franz Colruyt decided to deliver bread. He then expanded his offering to other foods. Since then, the group has always tried to diversify with a view to growth: energy, mobility, health… Here is an overview of the strategy of the group which has just announced the purchase of 57 Match and Smatch stores.
Beyond the well-known supermarkets, in recent years the Colruyt group has diversified into very different sectors for the general public.
Dreamland: toy stores. Dreambaby: stores dedicated to babies and toddlers. Bike Republic: a chain of stores for bike enthusiasts. Dats24: fuel distributor. Jims: fitness clubs. Newpharma: a Belgian online pharmacy. The Fashion Society: three clothing chains (Zeb, The Fashion Store and PointCarré).
Potential for synergies
Here is the explanation from the group’s boss, Stefan Goethaert, on this strategy: “It’s important to eat well, to move, to take certain products from time to time, supplements for example. All of these activities can make people feel better. We are convinced that there is really potential for synergies“.
Still far from the behemoths
Today, the group is expanding abroad with a few stores in Luxembourg and around fifty in France. The number of employees, and especially the turnover, remains well in line with its major competitors:
nearly 81 billion for Carrefour87 billion for Delhaize10.8 billion for Colruytor eight times less.
(2022 figures)
1695520926
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