Further growth in Wallonia
The province of Liège welcomes its first bio supermarket in Verviers, following the lead of bio supermarkets already established in Mons, Charleroi, Braine-l'Alleud, Huy, Jambes and Nivelles. The choice fell on the Conradt site, with its central location and ample parking options. The Verviers bio supermarket will also act as a collection point for Collect & Go, the online shopping service of Colruyt Group. Bio-Planet plans to open a second store in the province of Liège in the spring of 2019: more specifically in the city centre of Liège.
More than 6,000 products
On a retail surface of 650 m², customers in Verviers can find the complete range of around 6,000 food and non-food products. Bio-Planet offers everything that can be found in a supermarket, with the additional added value that the supply is organic and ecological. Customers can also find an extensive range of fresh meat, cheese and veggie products. These are cut on the spot by Bio-Planet’s own skilled staff, then prepared and packaged in convenient portions for customers to serve themselves. “Our customers can select the quantity themselves and can immediately see the price on the packaging. This way they can do their shopping faster, more efficiently and more independently”, says Jo Ghilain, business unit manager of Bio-Planet. “All ingredients, nutritional values and allergens also appear on the label. In this way, we can respond to the tendency of consumers to look for extensive product information.” In addition to self-service, Bio-Planet employees are on-hand to give advice and for specific customer requirements.
First fossil fuel-free store for Bio-Planet
Like every Bio-Planet, the Verviers store is built in an environmentally friendly way. Nevertheless, Bio-Planet has gone one step further this time. This is the first time that an entire bio-supermarket operates without natural gas or heating oil. The retail spaces are heated using the residual heat from the environmentally-friendly propane cooling system. “This technology reduces the store's greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 90% compared to stores with a traditional heating installation”, explains Jo Ghilain. “The ventilation system also recovers 75% of the heat in the air. And an air curtain at the entrance keeps out the cold air.” The electricity is 100% green and is supplied by Eoly, the sustainable energy specialist within the Colruyt Group. Using skylights in the roof maximises the available daylight, while the LED lighting provides 30% less energy consumption. There is also a buffer for rainwater to ensure optimal recovery and reuse, for example for the toilets. And a green facade stimulates biodiversity.
Grand opening
Bio-Planet has organised a launch party on Tuesday 27 November from 5 to 8 pm, to welcome the local residents of Verviers to the new store. The store officially opens on Wednesday 28 November. The store’s opening times will be Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 7.30 pm. On Fridays, the store will be open until 8 pm.
