Shopping as an experience

The Delhaize supermarket chain is one of the big food retail players. When the company renovated a supermarket in Melsbroek, Belgium, the investments included a new baking station in which the staff prepare snacks and baked products.

+The Delhaize company describes itself as a leading food retailer with approx. 6,637 shops worldwide, and around 369,000 employees. Its sales outlets serve around 50 million customers each week. Among other countries, the retailer is active in the USA, Europe (Belgium, Greece, the Czech Republic, Romania, Serbia & Luxemburg) and Indonesia, where the company operates various formats such as supermarkets, convenience stores, hypermarkets, specialist shops or filling stations. However, online retail is an important and growing sector for Delhaize. Nonetheless, the company also constantly invests in classical sales outlets, e.g. to distinguish itself from discounters and other competitors.

For example, the group has renovated the Delhaize supermarket in Melsbroek, very close to Brussels airport. The shop’s management also decided to renovate and redesign the baking station area. For example, new ovens were bought to enlarge the selection of baked goods for customers, as well as to offer freshly-topped bread rolls and snacks. The supermarket and its baking station are open six days a week. Customers can shop from 08:00 until 20:00.

Demonstration baking

A total of six instore ovens is available to the personnel. Staff use two DILA Dual 10/5 and one DILA 10/5, e.g. to bake-off dough pieces. The Dual ovens offer a special feature in this respect: these instore ovens have a glass panel at the back, allowing customers to see through the oven’s baking compartment and into the bakery area. The equipment of these instore ovens also offers various options such as the e.CLEAN.SYSTEM ® , radial fans or high-power steaming. Networking the ovens via FilialNet, together with loading systems and TOUCH control, are also available as options. Delhaize currently operates this new type of demonstration baking in around 20 supermarkets in Belgium. The company also arranged for employees to receive appropriate training from the German oven builder DEBAG. In addition to simply operating the ovens, of course, those responsible also considered it important that the results of baking should be correct.

The concept is well received by customers, and helps the retailer to achieve its aims of good baked product quality and a good price, combined with good service.

The management of the Melsbroek supermarket is pleased with the sales revenues generated by the bakeshop. For example, the company sells up to 400 freshly-topped bread rolls and baguettes each day (e.g. American basil for EUR 2.79). In addition, the market accepts individual orders from the nearby offices, and this service is also well received. Altogether, the market offers up to 50 different kinds of bread and around 60 bread rolls (e.g. a 55-g Kaiser roll for EUR 0.39). The selection also includes snacks and sweet pastries. The most popular product is tinned tiger bread, which is offered in the weight range from 400 g (EUR 1.99) to 800 g. The proportion of organic baked products is around 20% (e.g. a 400-g organic bread with olives for EUR 2.45). There is also a special shelf for gluten-free baked goods, and chiller shelves for cakes, gateaux and sweet slices or baked products with crème. The majority of the baked goods (par-baked or even green dough pieces) are provided by the supplier La Lorraine.

The focus on demonstration baking combined with highquality baked products and fresh preparation leads to numerous baking operations. The DEBAG ovens have given no problems so far. As explained by International Sales & Marketing Manager Georg Schulze: “Up to now, only the oven door seals needed replacing. These are highly stressed due to the large number of baking processes, which makes changing them a part of annual maintenance.” Thus shopping at Delhaize can continue to be an experience for customers. +++