Real baker’s oven
Spar Aalter has been completely gutted and updated, creating an extremely spacious and welcoming local store covering 1050 m². “We are the fresh supermarket of choice for our customers, and our fresh foods sections are now even more prominent”, says independent proprietor Annick. “To give an example, we will now be proving our bread in-store and then baking it in a real baker’s oven. We have moved the bakery to the front of the store, to make it something of a showpiece for us.” And tasty bread demands tasty toppings: Spar Aalter has an extensive cheese department with a good range of organic cheeses, as well as a cold meats department with home-made specialities. Local residents in Aalter have been enjoying the catering dishes and prepared meats for years already. “As our store used to be a greengrocer’s, we have also turned the spotlight on our fruit and vegetable section, which includes products from local growers.”
More than 32 years of experience
Annick and her husband Peter are the second generation to run the store, which has now been trading for 32 years. “Our parents used to be right in the centre itself. 38 years ago, they moved to this location, on an important approach road that has developed into the commercial heart of Aalter. So, it turned out to be a good move. We have really grown up with food; it’s more than just a passion, it’s our life.” In the meantime, Annick and Peter have built up a close-knit team of around 40 staff, who share their focus on welcoming customers and providing fresh food. And, as daughter Anne-Sophie joined them a few years ago, the future is in safe hands!
Conscious choice of environmentally-friendly technology
When it comes to sustainable technology, the store was already a trendsetter with heat recovery and LED lighting, but they are now going even further. “As the third generation is ready to take the reins, we thought it was important to make sure the store is ready for the future”, says Annick. “This time round, we replaced all our refrigeration units and chose an environmentally-friendly CO² system, combined with a heat pump. We also invested further in roof insulation. We stayed open as much as possible during the building work – we are very grateful to our customers for their patience and understanding, and we are very proud to show them the finished result.
