Belgian retail giant, Colruyt Group, is challenging the status quo of the fitness industry in Belgium.

A third-generation family business, which started as a bakery in the early 20th century, has expanded to become a diversified eco-system which serves 85 per cent of the Belgian population across its network of supermarkets and brands such as Bike Republic and Dreambaby. In 2021 it moved into health and fitness with the acquisition of two health and fitness chains, Jims and Oxygen, making it the second largest health and fitness operator in Belgium, behind Basic-Fit.

Interviewed in the latest issue of HCM, Pieterjan Nuitten, the MD, says the company is creating a model that delivers personalised coaching at an affordable price: “Everyone starts their Jims journey with a body composition scan and a health and lifestyle assessment; special groups such as pregnant women have a further on-site health check to avoid any medical risks.

“We then use this data to create a personalised schedule that can be updated every three to four weeks. The trainer explains all the exercises and the programme goes into your app, allowing you to train independently.”

Also on offer is specific small group training, clustering those with the same goals together, for example including for pre and post-natal sessions; beginners’ workouts; strength training for women to break down the intimidation barrier; healthy back training and strength training for runners.

Even the normal group classes are arranged according to need. “If people are obese and want to lose weight, we prescribe fat-burning classes. If they’re a runner who wants to increase their mobility, we prescribe yoga and pilates. We don’t just give them the studio timetable and leave them to it. We look at their health data and their needs and we filter classes accordingly,” says Nuitten.

Originally low-cost gyms, the estate has been upgraded to offer a premium feel with club-in-club boutiques called Cubes, which offer a dedicated space for different modalities, such as boxing, cycling or ice baths. The price point is €29.99 a month just for the gym, €39.99 to include coaching and €49.99 including the Cubes.

Nutritional support is also provided. After filling in a profile on the website, users are linked to the Colruyt Group online supermarket, Collect & Go, where the landing page will offer recipe inspiration. Members can select the recipes they like, push them into their shopping basket, and by the time they’ve finished their workout, their groceries for the week will be waiting for them, based on the recipes they’ve chosen and tailored to their profile.

Integrations are also underway with Colruyt’s other brands for nutritional

supplements, pre- and post-natal retail and cycling, via its high street bike brand.

There are currently 37 clubs in Belgium and Luxembourg and the Colruyt Group aims to reach 50–70 health clubs by mid-2027. Some of the new clubs will be located on top of supermarkets and a couple of these projects are already in the pipeline.

“Having a gym conveniently located next to the supermarket is one thing,” says Nuitten. “But if members can do their workout and as they walk out, their week’s groceries are ready to be picked up... That’s when you really make a difference.”

Pieterjan Nuitten will be keynotimg at the HCM Summit in London on 24 October, talking about how the retailer is tapping consumer insight data to develop its fitness business.

Follow this link to secure your ticket for the summit.