Dutch wholesaler Sligro is set to follow its rival Ahold and establish its first outlets in Belgium next year.
It made its announcement in an interim management statement to announce its first half figures, in which it posted a 1.1% sales increase to €1.27 billion.
In the statement, Sligro said that it believes 'there are opportunities for Sligro to establish a position in Belgium with a combination of cash & carry outlets and delivery service'.
It added that 'it shall be concentrating over the next few years on growing organically in Belgium and the start-up of two new type IV outlets with delivery facilities in Flanders. We expect to open the first of these in the autumn of 2016'.
Sligro operates supermarkets, foodservice and cash & carry outlets in its native Netherlands.
Commenting on its first half performance, Koen Slippens, chief executive, said, "The macroeconomic indicators point to further recovery in the Dutch market. In the supermarket channel we are already seeing signs of this and sales continue to pick up. There is also a certain amount of recovery in the foodservice market but it is still rather sluggish."
© 2015 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones
