Corona measures
Originally the opening was planned for 1 April, but due to the impact of the Coronavirus we postponed the opening to 6 May. Of course, OKay Oudenburg is implementing measures following Government advice on Coronavirus. Our employees have been briefed about this and will provide appropriate guidance to our customers.
Commuter traffic
The new OKay store has a floor space of 648 m2 and is located on the site of the former garden centre 'De Vrijboom', between Ettelgem and the centre of Oudenburg. “We aim to attract local residents as well as people who want to call in and do their shopping on their way home”, says store manager Kelly Dobbelaere. “We hope to build up a loyal customer base who will value our wide range of products, our friendly staff and the lowest prices in the area.” The emphasis is on convenience for customers on the one hand, and sustainability on the other hand. For example, there are 50 parking spaces for cars, two of which have a charging station for electric cars and 25 parking places for bicycles.
Sustainability and energy efficiency
When planning and building our stores, we attach great importance to sustainability and energy efficiency. OKay aims to build its stores with the lowest possible environmental impact. For example, the new store has a basin that collects rainwater which helps to alleviate the sewage system as the rainwater is allowed to gradually seep into the soil. This also has great benefit for biodiversity. Moreover, the store is heated using residual heat from the refrigeration installation, instead of using a conventional boiler. With no need for fuel oil or gas, this is a 100 % fossil fuel-free store. In addition, the refrigeration installation works on propane – a natural coolant that is much more environmentally-friendly than chemical coolants and reduces CO2 emissions from refrigeration by 90 %. The LED lighting in the stores reduces energy consumption by 30 % and the 400 solar panels on the roof generating 80 kWh almost meet total energy consumption. The building is also extremely well insulated and the ventilation system recovers 75 % of the heat in the air.
Fresh and modern design
OKay Oudenburg is one of the new-generation OKay stores with a fresh, modern design. Wide aisles for fresh produce and large glass walls ensure a pleasant shopping experience. This highlights our wide range of fruit and vegetables, which are delivered fresh every day. The range of fresh products is one of OKay’s assets: fruit and vegetables, dairy, meat, cooked meats, fish and ready meals. The bakery has fresh bread every day and store employees bake high-quality pastries and bread products in the oven several times a day. OKay offers a broad mix of national brands, as well as its own brand Boni Selection and its discount brand Everyday. The neighbourhood supermarket also has a handy ‘Easy Cooking’ counter. It contains ingredients and meal kits to prepare simple meals, quickly and easily.
