Dutch supermarket group Jumbo grew in the first semester, due in part to its expansion in Belgium, according to the group’s latest half-year results, published on Wednesday.
Jumbo aims to have 27 stores in Belgium by the end of this year. Its growth in the first quarter was due mainly to the restaurant chain La Place, which benefitted from the lifting of coronavirus measures. However, the expansion of Jumbo in Belgium also contributed.
The supermarket group’s turnover in the Netherlands remained at the same level while its online turnover also remained the same as during the corona years.
Jumbo now has 21 supermarkets in Belgium and six more are to be added this year. Moreover, the number of Jumbo stores in Belgium operated by franchisees appears set to increase.
Jumbo wants to open 100 stores in Flanders in the long term, and it also wants to grow in the Netherlands.
This expansion has to do not only with new stores, but also with the renewal of branches. In addition, Jumbo says it will expand its distribution network to be able to supply an expanding network of stores.
The supermarket chain registered an overall turnover of close to €5.5 billion in the first half of this year, up just under €5.4 billion for the corresponding period of last year.
General Director Frits van Eerd was satisfied with the figures, especially “in light of the challenging market conditions.”
“In the first weeks of 2022, we still had to deal with restrictive Corona measures and then with the consequences of the situation in Ukraine,” he said in a statement.
Jumbo also mentioned on Wednesday that the so-called ‘kletskassa’ or chat checkout counter, which its supermarket in Balen, Antwerp, is the first to have in Belgium, will be installed in other Belgian supermarkets.
Customers who have time and would like to have a chat while checking out can go to such counters.
