One year after acquiring 54 Match and Smatch stores in Belgium, Colruyt Group has announced the final formats that will welcome customers by 2027. In total, 21 new Spar Colruyt Group, 14 Okay, 10 Colruyt, 6 Bio-Planet and a Cru market will be created.
The transformation was initiated quickly: in just eight weeks, 39 stores had already been converted to Comarkt/Comarché. Seven more were temporarily closed to adapt to the new formats, while the Belsele store did not reopen. Currently, 33 stores still need to be transformed.
The conversion process, spread over three years, represents a real logistical and organizational challenge. “We are fully on schedule,” said Annicq Balcaen, operations business manager, emphasizing the importance of training new employees.
All Match and Smatch employees have had the opportunity to stay with the group, maintaining their previous salary conditions and choosing the brand they want to work for. The expansion strengthens the presence of Colruyt Group in Wallonia and Brussels.
Balcaen called the experience “a mutual learning journey,” requiring great adaptability from both the staff and the organization. About half of the 1,000 former Comarkt/Comarché employees have yet to be relocated to their new stores.
