Trends for the End-of-Year Celebrations at Colruyt Group

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Bubbles, prawns, turkey, and gourmet… These classics will remain popular for the upcoming festive season, but they are increasingly being accompanied by trendy variations and alternatives, such as plant-based and alcohol-free options. For example, you can now enjoy a fully vegetarian gourmet meal, and it’s becoming more common to toast with alcohol-free alternatives. Cooking at home remains popular, but people are also opting for the convenience of ready-made dishes. Both hobby cooks and takeaway fans will find what they’re looking for in Colruyt Group’s food stores. ​

It can be something special

Christmas and New Year are the moments when we like to pamper our guests with culinary delights. For this, customers can have luxury seafood platters custom-made at Cru, as well as meat platters from Dierendonck or cheese platters from cheese expert Van Tricht. Bio-Planet, on the other hand, offers organic Zeeland oysters from the Oosterschelde, while Colruyt Lowest Prices offers raw lobster tails, super tasty and easy to eat.
​Colruyt stores see a strong 40% increase in the sale of smoked fish in December, especially salmon, but also halibut, trout, and salmon trout. Customers are choosing larger prawns in December than usual, buying significantly more than average. Last year, 140 tons of prawns were sold in December, along with 45 tons of shrimp, each amounting to three-quarters more than the average... The sales of lumpfish roe even see a tenfold increase in the last month of the year.

Little extras en Christmasanticipation

Anyone looking to treat their guests to an exceptional festive meal doesn’t necessarily need to choose the most expensive ingredients. Small indulgences, such as premium sauces, spices, or side dishes – so-called ‘little extras’ – are enough to add a festive touch that greatly enhances the ‘status’ of a dish. This is especially popular among millennials and Generation Z and fits perfectly with the growing trend of the ‘hybrid consumer’, who combines smaller luxury purchases with everyday budget-friendly buys. This consumer also enjoys getting into ‘Christmas anticipation’ or extra excitement and indulgence in the run-up to the big celebration. Advent calendars filled with mini-care products or treats are perfect for this. A striking novelty is the countdown calendar from Tony Chocolonely, where the proceeds go to provide cocoa farmers with a fair income.

Vegetables and fruit in the spotlight

Colruyt Group notices that customers are increasingly eating plant-based foods, a trend that is more prominent in Flanders than in Wallonia and stronger in cities than in rural areas. It is therefore logical that vegetables are playing a more prominent role in festive menus, sometimes even as the centerpiece. A classic at the festive table is endive, with sales in December easily increasing by a quarter, including from field-grown endive with its fuller flavour. In the festive month, Colruyt sells an average of 400 tons of fresh mushrooms, including wild mushrooms, portobello, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms. These more special types are gaining popularity as an umami-rich alternative to meat or fish. New and festive in the assortment is eryngii, or king oyster mushroom, a hearty mushroom that grills and bakes easily. All mushrooms are gaining popularity, both as versatile vegetables and, of course, as the perfect meat alternative, which fits into the ‘shroomboom’ trend.
​During the festive month, double the amount of fresh herbs are sold, and mini-vegetables traditionally do well. Think of cherry or snack tomatoes, endive for connoisseurs, mini cauliflower, or colourful carrots, all with fine flavours, perfect for a colourful garnish. Dishes can also easily be made festive with some mixed sprouts, edible viola flowers, and exotic fruits such as physalis, pitaya, or pomegranates. Fresh figs go perfectly with varied (cheese) platters, and cranberries remain popular in sauces or as a compote with game and poultry dishes. In December last year, Colruyt sold nearly 18 tons of fresh cranberries.

From Porco Tonatto to Plant-Based

For the celebration, we like to try a new recipe, a surprising combination, or presentation, sometimes inspired by trendy chefs like Ottolenghi. New products that combine the best of both worlds are handy in this regard. For example, nostalgic flavours with a modern twist, like a sugar-reduced or triangular version of the classic Yule log. Or variations such as Colruyt’s porco tonatto: an alternative with pork for the classic vitello tonnato made with veal.
​We are also seeing more plant-based alternatives for traditional shrimp or cheese croquettes. For example, there are croquettes and snack balls with oyster mushrooms (from Just.) and seaweed (from Nomet) at Bio-Planet, which also has many more plant-based innovations in store. What about a vegan truffle-flavoured pâté made from pea protein or vegan cheese fondue made from fermented cashew nuts? Or queen’s bites with fried seitan and even plant-based alternatives for chocolate mousse or camembert? Bio-Planet aims to make the holidays enjoyable for everyone, including people with specific dietary preferences or needs. They will find adapted recipe ideas and a wide range of plant-based, lactose-free, gluten-free, sugar-free and alcohol-free products.

Festive shareables

In times when many people report feeling lonely, it is heartwarming to prepare, cook, and share a celebration together. Those looking to enhance the feeling of connection should opt for a menu with festive yet small, shareable and accessible dishes and snacks. Moreover, it is also easier to cater to everyone’s preferences: meat, fish, veggie or vegan. For the aperitif, think of (puff pastry) snacks from the oven, shellfish, croquettes, crispy prawns, gyoza, and so on. In the last 14 days of the year, Colruyt sells over 600,000 packages of oven snacks, two-thirds of which are sold in Flanders.

At the table, gourmet always creates a festive atmosphere and remains a true holiday favourite, especially during New Year’s. Once again, The Colruyt butcher's department offers complete meat and poultry packs in various price ranges. All components are also available separately, ideal for putting together a gourmet platter to personal taste. The most popular are the varied meat platters: in December 2023, Colruyt sold about 250 tons of meat for gourmet. In addition, gourmet options with fish and vegetarian gourmet are also on the rise. ​
​Another mood maker is, of course, raclette, which creates a sense of cosiness and brings people together at the table. In the second half of December, Colruyt generates more than a quarter of its annual raclette sales. This savoury cheese dish is most popular in Wallonia and Brussels, where the sales volume is double that of Flanders.
​A fun dessert to share is Terry’s Chocolate Orange, a chocolate ball in the shape of an orange that you break into segments with a tap on the table. Very popular across the Channel and exclusively available at Colruyt Group!

Tasty and easy

For those who don’t want to be in the kitchen all the time during the holidays but want to be with their guests as much as possible, Colruyt Group offers a wide range of dishes, from budget-friendly to luxurious, ready-made or with short preparation times. There are complete menus for customers who prioritise convenience, as well as endless combinations for those who prefer to put together a unique holiday menu themselves. The expectation is that the sale of ready-made dishes will continue to grow, with favourites such as potato gratin and mashed potatoes, but also game dishes, classic turkey dishes, or pork tenderloin with various sauces. New starters at Colruyt include mushroom risotto, Diabolique prawn dish, and the Tarte Tatin with scallops.

One in three Chooses 0.0%

Alcohol-free or low-alcohol drinks continue to gain importance for festive moments. ​ From a health perspective, people are becoming more conscious about whether or not to drink alcohol. Moreover, the realisation is growing, especially among younger people and families, that alcohol is not necessary to have fun. In 2023, one in three Colruyt customers bought an alcohol-free alternative, compared to one in five the previous year. Colruyt also sees that customers are increasingly exploring multiple types of alcohol-free options. Someone who regularly drinks alcohol-free beer will more readily try an alcohol-free aperitif or spirit and vice versa. However, there are regional differences. For example, the consumption of non-alcoholic wine in Belgium grew by over 30% in 2023, but this growth was particularly stronger in Flanders than in Wallonia and Brussels.

Just like their alcoholic counterparts, alcohol-free bubbles are in high demand during the festive period. In December 2023, sales of alcohol-free bubbles were 60% higher than in December 2022. New at Bio-Planet is the sparkling Opia Chardonnay from the South of France, while Colruyt offers beautiful ciders from Gran Baron, Freixenet, and Stassen. Sales of alcohol-free wine and aperitifs such as vermouth, gin, and even tequila see a significant increase during the festive period. New at Okay are aperitif drinks for mixing and ready-made cocktails from the Belgian brand Odett and the Danish manufacturer Ish.
​The alcohol-free and low-alcohol beers perform well throughout the year. Colruyt saw their sales increase by more than a fifth in 2023 and now offers more than thirty different types, ranging from pilsners and thirst-quenchers to beers to savour. Finally, more refined or complex sparkling soft drinks are currently very trendy and will also be popular during the year-end celebrations. New to this range are, among others, Fevertree ginger beer in cans, as well as energy drinks from Crazy Tiger and Bomba.

Festive drinks: East Flanders leading the way

When we say 'celebration', we think of bubbles, and of course, champagne. The quintessential festive drink sells around eight times as much during the year-end period as it does in an average month. Notably, of all the Flemish provinces, East Flanders consumes the most champagne, while in Wallonia, the province of Hainaut takes the lead. While champagne sees the biggest surge in the festive period, other sparkling wines remain, in terms of volume, a whopping nine times more popular than champagne. For instance, Spanish cava has accounted for more than half of all sparkling wines sold in Belgium in recent years. All Belgians combined purchase about one million litres of cava during the year-end period. New at Colruyt this year is the Cava Rambla Brut, ideal as an aperitif. Italian prosecco follows at a respectable distance, but has been performing slightly better each year, particularly in the French-speaking region.
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​Another staple at the festive table is, of course, wine. The share of New World wines continues to rise, while France’s share has declined but still accounts for 40% of all wine sold in Belgium. What stands out regionally is that during the holidays, Flemings tend to open more white wine, whereas Walloons prefer red wine.

Beer enthusiasts will find a variety of limited-edition, exclusive products at Colruyt, such as the La Trappe Dubbel trappist beer, a unique collaboration between three breweries. Or the winter and Christmas beers from brands like Troubadour, Rochehaut, and Bon Secours, which are always beautifully packaged in 75cl bottles, making them perfect for gifting. An interesting new addition to the beer boxes is a set of six blonde Belgian beers with a low alcohol content.
​The year-end period is also the peak season for the sale of aperitifs and strong spirits, with Colruyt selling no less than 1.4 million litres in December alone. Belgian strong spirits are increasingly popular, including an excellent selection of exclusive gins and single malt whiskies.

Preparations for the end of the year start in... January

• Preparations for the holidays always start a year in advance with an analysis of the results from the previous year: how did it go, what were the highlights, and are there any lessons learned? From January to March, our product group managers (responsible for overarching product groups such as beverages) analyse the previous year’s data to determine trends and the assortment together with buyers and the marketing department.
• We work with a multidisciplinary team on assortment, marketing campaign, and localisation. On top of that, customer service carries out a seasonal evaluation.
• In spring, the buyers start looking for the products that were determined for the end-of-year assortment. In doing so, they take price and taste into account. Additionally, end-of-year products require special packaging or larger stocks. This requires more follow-up from the buyers. The purchase of private label products asks for a different approach than that of national brands and starts a bit earlier.
• In November, stores gradually receive their deliveries. We prioritise products with the longest shelf life. Some items arrive earlier so customers can discover them before the holidays. This helps to better manage stocks and avoid crowded stores. It also offers more comfort to customers during the busy period.
• To get products to the stores on time, transport is significantly scaled up. As many as 50 extra drivers are deployed for the end-of-year period. Expansion of rides: around 1,000 trips are made every day, which amounts to about 200 more rides per day than usual.
• To cope with the large volumes, we traditionally call on employees from the central services who are invited to work in the stores for a few days. This allows us to welcome and assist customers with their shopping during the holiday period.
• It is therefore important that every employee knows what the end of the year at Colruyt Lowest Prices entails and is well informed to help the customer as best as possible: what message do we want to convey to the customer, what is the assortment, etc. In addition, each branch is asked to organise a tasting for the employees so that they can get to know the end-of-year assortment for themselves. A tasting guide and video provide additional information.
• The marketing process of the end-of-year products:
  • In mid-November, the first part of the marketing material is set up in stores. This encourages customers to start their holiday shopping early. The end-of-year assortment is also available on the website.
  • At the end of November/beginning of December, various decorations and flags are set up in the stores. Customers receive a holiday guide by mail with recipes for all tastes. This guide is also available in-store at the checkout.