OKay opens brand-new sustainable local supermarket in Waasmunster

On Friday 13 August, OKay will open its 140th store in Waasmunster. In the practical local supermarket, customers can find everything they need for quick, cheap and easy daily shopping. The shop covers 645 m² and is built with sustainable techniques and material. Store manager Karien and her team of 10 are happy to invite the local residents to the opening of their new neighbourhood supermarket.

Monday, August 9, 2021

Fresh and modern design

OKay Waasmunster is the 140th OKay store in Belgium and the 22nd in East Flanders. "My team and I are very proud to run this store and are looking forward to hearing and seeing all the reactions." 

The local supermarket is part of Colruyt Group's new generation of OKay stores and has a fresh and modern design. Karien: "In the freshmart, the wide aisles ensure a pleasant shopping experience. Our broad range of daily fresh fruit and vegetables can really stand out." The fresh product supply is one of OKay's assets: fruit and vegetables, dairy products, meat, cold cuts, fish and ready-to-eat meals. "Outside the freshmart, we also placed a tapas stand with a wide range of meat, fish and veggie snacks to spend a nice aperitif evening with friends."

Fresh bread is delivered every day and the co-workers bake off high-quality rolls and pastries several times a day. All these delicious products are presented in a handy bread rack. Karien: “Our bread corner has a highly ergonomic design and is very user-friendly for both the co-workers and the customers." The frozen food department is equipped with chest-type freezers with glass lids, enabling customers to find their favourite products in no time. 

Easily reachable

The new OKay store is located at the connecting road Schrijbergstraat 110. "It is ideally situated, as it is the only OKay supermarket within a 10 km radius", Karien says. "The local residents are looking forward to the opening and we are very eager to welcome them." The car park has room for 50 cars and is equipped with a charging post for electric cars. Customers who come by bicycle can use the spacious bicycle shed, which also has room for cargo bicycles.

Minimum environmental impact

Like the other Colruyt Group store formats, OKay attaches great importance to building sustainably and with a minimum ecological footprint. “We do not use fossil fuels at OKay Waasmunster", Karien explains. “We generate our own energy by means of solar panels. The heat released by the refrigeration system is recovered, thus reducing the CO2 emissions of the heating process by 90%. In addition, the LED lighting consumes 30 % less electricity and the refrigeration system works on propane, a natural coolant that is much environment-friendlier than chemical coolants. This reduces the CO2 emission of the refrigeration process by 90% compared to a classic cooling system.” 

Furthermore, the paint used for the store's front breaks down pollutants in the air. Under the influence of sunlight, this paint converts nitrogen oxides, ozone and harmful organic substances into nitrate and oxygen. The rain dissolves and washes away the nitrates.

To welcome their customers safely as from 13 August, the co-workers took the necessary measures against the coronavirus. 

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