Colruyt Group successfully concludes second Belgian mussel season

Colruyt Group is selling Belgian mussels from its own sea farm for the second year in a row. The group harvested about 40 tonnes of farmed mussels this year. Cru, Colruyt Group’s fresh market, and its associated eatery, Cuit, sold most of the mussels (some 65%). Through Solucious, the group’s food service specialist, Belgian mussels also made their way to about 20 Belgian hospitality businesses for the first time. Together, they account for sales of 25 tonnes of mussels, or about 25,000 servings of the classic moules frites.

The Belgian mussel season is almost over. These plump Belgian flavour explosions will be on the shelves at Cru, Colruyt Group’s experience market, until the end of September. Customers can also sample them at Cuit, Cru’s eatery, or at several Belgian restaurants until the end of September. It’s the first time hospitality businesses have been able to put Belgian ‘moules frites’ on the menu. How did the season go? That calls for some numbers:

About the harvest:

• The sea farm team harvested a total of 40 tonnes of mussels. After the necessary cleaning and sorting, 25 tonnes of ready-to-sell mussels remained. Cru sold about 65%, with hospitality businesses accounting for 35% of the volume sold. ​
• Captain and crew needed 34 harvest days, collecting 1,500 kilos of mussels on an average harvest day. On the 20th of June, the day before the start of the season, it was all hands on deck when 2,210 kilos of mussels were collected.
• The team not only harvested mussels this summer, but also worked hard on expanding the sea farm. One hundred new mussel lines were hung, bringing the total number to 140. These main lines float just below the water’s surface and will be fitted with mussel ropes in spring on which the mussel seed can attach and grow into mussels.
• The largest mussel farmed this summer measured 11 centimetres. Belgian mussels are characterised by a full shell. Imagine getting a mussel of that size on your plate!

About the sales:

• Belgian mussels were popular among Cru customers, with quite a few of them going back for more. In fact, one in four bought our Belgian mussels on several occasions, with 8% going back four times or more. The best customer bought as many as nine servings of mussels.
• Customers bought an average of 2 kilos of Belgian mussels.
• Belgians prefer to eat moules-nature. 90% of the mussel portions sold at Cuit, Cru’s eatery, were ‘moules-nature’. It was also the most popular preparation method in the hospitality sector.
• Saturday, 22 June, the official kick-off of the Belgian mussel season, was the best day at Cru, with 500 kilos of mussels sold. There was also a spike in sales on 21 July, the Belgian National Holiday.
• The best-selling restaurant was Taverne De Kolonie in As. De Spelleplekke in Koksijde and Bar Bask in Ghent complete the top three.
• Bar Bask in Ghent had the most original method of preparation, where chef Sam D’Huyvetter served mussels with ginger and turmeric.

What do customers and chefs think?

Shannah Zeebroek of Hotel du Parc in Ostend: “Belgian mussels really have the flavour of the sea, but very delicate, slightly salty and very soft… like a praline. For me, it is a logical choice to work with products from our own North Sea.” ​

Sam D’Huyvetter of Bar Bask in Ghent: “Belgian mussels have full shells, a smooth and creamy flavour, just the right salt balance, and a natural spiciness. These mussels truly are an amazing product.” ​

This is what the customers from hospitality businesses had to say:

• “Top quality, full and creamy.”
• “Amazingly flavoursome.”
• “The ratio of shell size to content ensures that small shells are not a problem.”
• “The mussels are not super-sized but that’s not a problem given the quality.”
• “Very good quality, the flavour is amazing.”
• “Very tasty, nicely shaped mussels.”