Bio-Planet to open its first store in Luxembourg

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

On Wednesday 21 February, Bio-Planet, Colruyt Group’s organic specialist, is opening its first supermarket in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The store is located in Gasperich, a suburb south of Luxembourg City, at the same location as a Colruyt Lowest Prices store. Like Colruyt Lowest Prices, Bio-Planet sees considerable potential in the country.

What has drawn Bio-Planet to Luxembourg?

Luxembourg ranks third in the sale of organic products in Europe, so there is clearly a market for an organic retailer. “Consumers in Luxembourg are generally more inclined to choose organic products because of high public interest in a healthy diet and sustainability,” explains Jan Van Holsbeke, Business Unit Manager for Bio-Planet. “And those values align perfectly with Bio-Planet. We can also occupy a unique position. The organic market in Luxembourg is currently primarily made up of a few specialised supermarkets, smaller organic retailers and conventional supermarkets with an organic product range. Bio-Planet, on the other hand, can position itself as a combination of an organic specialist and supermarket, with the most extensive product range in the market under one roof. Another motivation to step across the border is that the standard of living is quite a bit higher than in Belgium, especially in and around the capital. So, we see considerable potential in Luxembourg and hope to expand to three stores in the future. Over 20 years of experience in this sector in Belgium and the fact that Colruyt Group has been active in Luxembourg for some time now gives us confidence of success.”

Largest organic supermarket in Luxembourg ​

The store concept coincides closely with the most recently opened Belgian Bio-Planet stores. With features such as a green façade and charging facilities for electric bikes, the site is designed with sustainability in mind. A total surface area of 515 m² and range of 3,500 products makes the store the largest organic supermarket in Luxembourg. Incidentally, the product range is largely the same as in Belgium, showcasing fresh food like fruits, vegetables and bread. And customers can find a large selection of vegan and vegetarian products on the shelves. An extensive selection of lactose- and gluten-free products also makes Bio-Planet the ultimate choice for those with various food intolerances. Package-free shopping is also encouraged by the bulk refill stations with products such as unpackaged nuts, granola and dried fruit. ​

Custom range tailored to Luxembourg’s residents

Jan Van Holsbeke continues, “Considering the fact that customers in Luxembourg attach great importance to the origin of their food, our range also includes a number of relevant local products, such as beer, bread and fresh meat. We have already signed agreements with eight suppliers in Luxembourg. All bread and baked goods, for instance, will be supplied by the local organic bakery Tartefine and we also exclusively offer a number of wines from the famous Clos Jangli winery.”

Efficient collaboration within Colruyt Group

The Bio-Planet store in Gasperich is favourably located in a lively residential and office area close to the Cloche d’Or shopping centre. It is adjacent to the Colruyt Lowest Prices store, which opened its doors more than ten years ago. Both points of sale share the same storage space, which is clearly cost-efficient. Customers can place orders online via Collect&Go and then pick them up at the collection point next to the store. Colruyt Group also aims to combine deliveries from Colruyt and Bio-Planet as much as possible to ensure efficient and sustainable transport. Bio-Planet has established a separate circuit for the delivery of local products. Non-refrigerated food products are transported from the new Colruyt distribution centre in Dudelange in Luxembourg. Refrigerated local products are delivered directly to the store from suppliers.

Staff of eight

This brand-new Bio-Planet will have a staff of eight employees. Jan Van Holsbeke continues, “A number of employees with a key role have been working for us since September of last year. They were primarily trained in the Colruyt stores in Luxembourg, which have quite a few similar systems and processes to those at Bio-Planet. These employees also spent time working in the Belgian Bio-Planet stores getting familiar with the product range, typical culture and customer approach of our organic supermarket.”

Practical

Adress

Boulevard Friedrich Willhelm Raiffeissen 5 ​
​2411 Gasperich ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
​Luxemburg

Opening hours

Mon.-Fri.: 8:30 am to 8 pm.
​Sat.: ​ ​ 8:30 am to 7 pm.
​Sun.: ​ closed