More pet products on shelves: Belgian supermarket chain wants to hear from industry

While it already sells a range of dog and cat food, the second-largest Belgian supermarket chain is looking to broaden its product offerings and add premium pet products to its shelves. 

“We want to improve and broaden our assortment to ensure that our clients find their preferred products in our stores,” a Delhaize spokesperson tells GlobalPETS.

The supermarket chain acknowledges that it wants to participate in the country’s increasing pet ownership trend. Delhaize also found that a higher volume of products have recently been sold in this category. 

According to the Belgian Association of Pet Food Manufacturers (BEPEFA), almost 60% of Belgians owned a pet last year, 3% more than in 2022 and 8% more than in 2021. 

Save the date

Those pet companies interested in showcasing their products will be able to do so in pitch sessions that will take place on 2 and 3 May.

To facilitate its renewed strategy, the supermarket chain has partnered with product discovery platform RangeMe, where applicants can showcase their products to the purchasing team at Delhaize. 

Delhaize buyers will then be able to explore “new and innovative products that meet their needs,” such as origin, certifications, distribution and private label capacity, with the platform also allowing streamlined and centralized communication between suppliers and buyers.

“As the pet category continues to evolve, this platform allows the buying team to quickly find and evaluate suppliers, allowing them to stay at the forefront of this fast-growing market and achieve positive results faster,” says Clayton Kilkenny, Director Europe at RangeMe.

Delhaize has a network of 764 locations in Belgium and offers 20,000 products, including 8 private-label brands.