Collaboration between Jims and Colruyt is major step for Colruyt Group as food and health retailer
With Move & Save, we are the first Belgian retail group to link a fitness subscription to shopping credit for healthy food at the supermarket. The collaboration between Jims and Colruyt Lowest Prices is a milestone in Colruyt Group's ambitions as a food and health retailer. Pieterjan Nuitten (driving force behind Move & Save), Lisa Colruyt (responsible for Health & Well-being) and Geert Elen (sales director at Colruyt Lowest Prices) shed their light on this important step.
What is the idea behind Move & Save?
Pieterjan: "The idea is actually very simple. We know that exercise and a balanced diet are good for your health. And that the effect is even greater when you combine the two. But that's where the problem lies today. Figures from Sciensano show that barely 7% of all adults eats enough vegetables, and only 19% of young people exercise enough."
"What do we do with Move & Save? We link exercise to healthy food. For 15 euros a week, up to three people from the same family can go exercise at Jims. If they go work out at least three times a week, whether together or separately, they receive five euros of shopping credit to spend on Colruyt's fruit and vegetable range. This allows families to save up to 20 euros of discount per month while exercising. Physical activity is therefore rewarded directly at the checkout."
"I got the idea when I was prospecting in Portugal, where the interaction between food retail and fitness has been tried and tested for seven years. The supermarket and fitness chain of the SONAE group successfully apply a cashback system there. We are taking it one step further by applying the discount specifically on healthy food."
Geert: "At Colruyt Lowest Prices, we see how important fresh food is in our customers' daily shopping basket. This category continues to grow in importance and Move & Save is boosting this: the discount deliberately only applies to fruit and vegetables. Like this, we make the link between exercise and healthy food very concrete, when customers make their choices."
We link exercise to healthy food. Physical activity at Jims is rewarded directly at the Colruyt checkout.
Families can collect their discount very flexibly by working out. Why this choice?
Pieterjan: "We could have made it mandatory that every family member has to go to the gym at least once a week, but we deliberately didn't do this. Obliging people would be very patronising. Whereas we are convinced that working on your health starts from an intrinsic motivation."
Lisa: "Exactly. This formula fits in perfectly with how our group views health: making progress step by step. It doesn't matter whether one family member goes three times, someone goes twice and another person once, or that each family member takes one turn. That's what's good about Move & Save: you do it together, parents and children (as from 14, Ed.). This turns exercise into something social as well: you motivate each other, make time for it together and consciously choose healthy habits. In times in which we are all looking for ways to reduce our own screen time and our children's screen time, being active together is a positive alternative. With this subscription, we are bringing together exercise, healthy food and healthy habits."
According to the latest figures from Statbel, most Belgian families are single-person households (36.5%). In Brussels, it's even almost half of the families. Aren't people living alone being left behind too often?
Pieterjan: "At Jims, we have very attractive formulas that are often used by people living alone. Indeed, with Move & Safe we are targeting families with children. A fairly new target group for our fitness brand, that is strongly represented among Colruyt customers. At the same time, it makes sense for the purpose of the initiative: building healthy habits, which works very well in the context of the family."
Lisa: "Absolutely! Healthy habits are often created through the interaction in a family. Parents who exercise more and eat healthier, set an important example for their children at home. But we see the opposite as well: especially in terms of sports and exercise, it's often the young people who set a good example and encourage their parents. It's precisely this mutual interaction that makes the family context so powerful. Like this, not only are we able to make a difference today but we can also contribute to a healthier generation of tomorrow."
Parents who exercise more and eat healthier, set an important example for their children at home. But we see the opposite as well.
This collaboration makes Colruyt Group's ambition to be a food and health retailer very concrete.
Pieterjan: "That's correct. With Move & Save, we join the strengths of three brands. Jims provides the motivation to exercise, Colruyt provides healthy food and Xtra brings the two together at checkout. Together, they create added value that one brand alone can never offer. And we are the first in Belgium to do this. I'm personally very proud that we are assuming this pioneering role."
Lisa: "Of course, our brands have had a complementary offer in terms of food and health for a long time. Customers apply the inspiration they can find during a webinar on healthy food by Colruyt Group Academy when they are going through Colruyt's wide range. It's certainly not the first time that we've set up collaborations in our group. Think of Bio-Planet and Colruyt Group Academy that work together in the prevention of diabetes type 2. Or Jims' sports profile test, that is linked to recipes and Collect&Go's shopping list."
Geert: "An ambition only has real impact if you can translate into people's daily lives on a large scale. That's where the power of Colruyt Lowest Prices lies. With our network of over 270 stores, we can reach a lot of families on a weekly basis, while they are making concrete choices: during their grocery shopping. If you really want to make an initiative such as Move & Save accessible, you need this proximity and daily relevance."
The ambition to connect food and health started five years ago with the acquisition of Jims. How do you look back on the journey so far?
Lisa: "When we took over Jims and Newpharma as well, we felt that our customers really had a need for solutions that make health more accessible and simpler. In addition, social problems put more pressure on the healthcare system: an ageing population, rising healthcare costs and a lack of structural ways to prevent health problems. Many of these problems can be avoided by making small and feasible changes to your lifestyle. We listened to what is going on in society and what customers really need, and we started to do business in a targeted manner based on that."
Pieterjan: "Five years later, we can only conclude that these were the right choices. Customers are looking for ways to maintain more energy, be fitter and feel better about themselves. Feasible goals, of which they think Colruyt Group can help out with. That is our role: to help people start small habits that can make a big difference. By making a healthy lifestyle feasible, affordable and applicable in daily reality."
Colruyt can reach a lot of families on a weekly basis, while they are making concrete choices: during their grocery shopping.
Pieterjan, you're taking a new step in your career at Colruyt Group as the managing director of Collect&Go, Xtra and Retail Activation. Do you have some last words for Jims?
Pieterjan: "That they go for it! (laughs). I'm very proud of the journey we've made with Jims and a piece of my heart muscle will always remain with Jims. We've grown into a solid brand, and we have set up strong partnerships within and outside the group. Did you know that we are now the largest provider of physiotherapy, pre-natal and post-natal coaching, and that we collaborate with 16 hospitals to guide their patients? It's these collaborations that I think we should continue to focus on. Starting a positive movement in terms of health can't be done with just one brand. We do it together. With all our brands, our colleagues, our partners, our members and the customers at the group's food brands. The concept behind Move & Save has always been my dream at Jims and brings together what we've been working towards in recent years. Are you in?"
