Revamped OKay Ertvelde reopens as a sustainable neighbourhood supermarket on 12 May

On Wednesday 12 May, OKay Ertvelde reopens after a thorough makeover. In 1998, OKay Ertvelde was the very first OKay store to open its doors. The store was now renovated in the latest generation style, with a refurbished freshmart, extra refrigerated cabinets and a renovated bread corner. There are also more places for bicycles on the car park. Store manager Natalie Hertoge and her team are happy to welcome their customers with respect for the current corona measures.

Friday, May 7, 2021

First OKay store

OKay Ertvelde opened in 1998 and thus became the first OKay store in the country. Thanks to a facelift and the modern organisation, the neighbourhood supermarket in Ertvelde is now one of the newest generation OKay stores. With an elaborate package of novelties and many improvements, customers at Ertvelde will enjoy a more pleasant and easier shopping experience.

Top team from the region

The greatest asset of OKay Ertvelde is its wonderful team of store co-workers. "I can count on a close-knit team of 19 co-workers every day," says store manager Natalie Hertoge. "A super team. All of them living in the area and having much experience. Some of our colleagues have been working here for 15 years!"

Extra refrigerated cabinets and handier bread corner

With its modern layout, the range of ultra-fresh products immediately stands out. "In our renovated freshmart, our fruit and vegetables are looking very well," says Natalie Hertoge. "Outside the freshmart, we added extra cooling cabinets so that tapas, cold cuts and pastries stand out even more. We also have a broad range of chilled drinks, handy for people on their way home, to school or to work."

Fresh bread is delivered to OKay Ertvelde every day and co-workers bake off quality rolls and buns behind the scenes. From now on, all these delicious products are presented on brand-new bread shelves. Natalie Hertoge: "Our new bread corner is ergonomic and much handier than before."

Easy to reach by car and bicycle

OKay Ertvelde is located along Aardeken, the road connecting Kluizen and Ertvelde. The car park has room for 61 cars. The bicycle park was expanded to 14 places. It also accommodates carrier cycles to make shopping by bike easier.

Low-energy store

Like the other Colruyt Group store formats, OKay attaches great importance to building sustainably and with a minimum ecological footprint. OKay Ertvelde does not use fossil fuels. The refrigeration system works on propane, a natural coolant that is much environment-friendlier than chemical coolants. This reduces CO2 emissions by 90% compared to a classic cooling system. And we recover the heat released by this system. "Rain water is collected in a wadi, a shallow water basin. We then allow the water to steadily seep into the ground, thus unburdening the sewage system," Natalie Hertoge explains.