Colruyt Launches Bel'Mer Mussels in Stores with a 90 Ton Harvest
Starting July 2, Colruyt Group will market its Bel'Mer mussels for the first time in over 300 sales points of its brands (Colruyt, Okay, Spar). This fourth year of harvesting in the North Sea marks the scaling up of a marine farm whose research began in 2015 and whose harvesting started in 2023.
An Anticipated Harvest of 90 Tons for the Belgian Market
This year, Colruyt Group anticipates a harvest of more than 90 tons of Bel'Mer mussels, a significant increase from the 6 tons collected in 2023. The marine farm, which spans 1 km² (a quarter of the total project area), now has 38 km of mussel ropes and two boats, the most recent named 'Moules-Frites'. The group employs eight full-time staff at the marine farm, supplemented by seasonal workers during peak periods.
A Localized Processing Chain Nearing Completion
Colruyt Group manages the entire supply chain in Belgium: marine production off Nieuport and processing in Nieuport itself. In June 2026, the City of Nieuport awarded a warehouse from the fish market to the distributor, allowing centralization of purging and processing activities. Stefan Goethaert, CEO of the group, states that this infrastructure will make the chain 'truly entirely Belgian' next year, except for the processing currently done elsewhere.
An Investment Born from Maritime Research in 2015
The marine farm project emerged in 2015, with support from the Blauwe Cluster and the European Fund for Maritime Affairs, Fisheries, and Aquaculture. In 2020, Zone C in the marine spatial planning was allocated to the group. Colruyt Group relies on several local SMEs for daily operations. Bel'Mer mussels will be sold at a price of 8.49 euros per kilogram.
