Leuven (Brussels Morning Newspaper): Solikoop and Welcome To My Garden won an award at the Ghent Winter Circus, presented by Lynn Van Royen. Solikoop offers discounts of up to 40% for low-income shoppers, while Welcome To My Garden has 7,000 gardens in Europe for free camping, charging €36 annually.
Solikoop and Welcome To My Garden recently won a prize at the Ghent Winter Circus, with the award presented by actress Lynn Van Royen. Solikoop is a network of social grocery stores in Leuven, and Welcome To My Garden is a platform from Brussels that lets people open their gardens for free camping spots for slow travelers. Solikoop has a unique pricing system where customers with low incomes can get discounts of up to 40% on fruits and vegetables, while others pay regular prices.
What unique pricing model does Solikoop use to promote inclusivity in Leuven?
According to Kirsten Saenen, co-founder of Solikoop, their store allows everyone to shop without feeling judged by using the same customer card, which helps decide prices at checkout. It has been said that this system is unique in Flanders. Solikoop plans to expand in Flemish Brabant so that everyone can have a store nearby. The platform Welcome To My Garden lets garden owners offer free camping spots for travelers exploring by bike.
Welcome To My Garden started in 2019 when Dries Van Ransbeeck and Manon Brulard from Brussels took a bike trip to Tokyo. They loved the hospitality in 21 countries and wanted to share that in Belgium. Dries first offered his parents’ garden for camping, and soon many others joined in. Now, there are 7,000 gardens in Europe where travelers can camp for free. Campers pay 36 euros a year to request as many spots as they want.
