Ranking · East Flanders · NACE 47
Retail trade: the largest employers in East Flanders
As of 14 Nov 2026, 2,478 companies in Retail trade (NACE 47) in East Flanders report employees in recent accounts (financial years 2023 to 2026). The 10 largest employers account for 3,689.7 FTE, out of 20,301.4 for all of them; median headcount is 2.7 FTE. ALDI leads with 1,092.3 FTE (financial year 2025).
Top 50 · Retail trade · East Flanders
Ranked by average headcount (FTE) reported in the latest filed accounts (accounts less than 3 years old).
| # | Company | Total assets | Revenue | Equity | FTE | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ALDI 9420 Erpe-Mere | €116.9m | €614.2m | €15.7m | 1,092.3 | 2025 |
| 2 | Hedin Automotive 9100 Sint-Niklaas | €175.2m | €632.7m | €51.5m | 643.3 | 2025 |
| 3 | Torfs L. 9140 Temse | €68.0m | €172.5m | €36.7m | 521.9 | 2025 |
| 4 | Wibra België 9140 Temse | €15.8m | €67.4m | €5.53m | 273.0 | 2025 |
| 5 | Coop-Apotheken 9000 Ghent | €31.2m | €85.3m | €12.9m | 227.1 | 2025 |
| 6 | Sint-Lievenspoort 9000 Ghent | €44.0m | €2.36m | €28.7m | 222.0 | 2025 |
| 7 | Voluit 9940 Evergem | €18.9m | €2.27m | €7.51m | 206.2 | 2025 |
| 8 | Standaard Boekhandel 9100 Sint-Niklaas | €131.1m | €182.6m | €75.4m | 202.0 | 2025 |
| 9 | Domocura 9500 Geraardsbergen | €4.27m | €6.14m | 260,283 € | 154.3 | 2025 |
| 10 | Garage Valckenier 9300 Aalst | €71.2m | €263.0m | €14.4m | 147.6 | 2025 |
| 11 | American Clothing Distribution 9940 Evergem | €52.4m | €33.7m | €13.0m | 143.6 | 2026 |
| 12 | Kringwinkel Zuid-Oost-Vlaanderen 9500 Geraardsbergen | €8.68m | €3.86m | €5.18m | 136.6 | 2025 |
| 13 | Stroom 9300 Aalst | €8.16m | €5.37m | €7.10m | 127.3 | 2025 |
| 14 | Huur EEN Stuur 9800 Deinze | €3.97m | — | 899,459 € | 124.6 | 2025 |
| 15 | MIG Motors 9810 Nazareth-De Pinte | €68.8m | €149.9m | €6.33m | 117.3 | 2025 |
| 16 | Takko Fashion Belgium 9620 Zottegem | €4.38m | €14.9m | €2.37m | 112.1 | 2026 |
| 17 | Pharma Force 9051 Ghent | €15.7m | €23.1m | €11.2m | 105.4 | 2024 |
| 18 | Signpost België 9160 Lokeren | €46.2m | €55.3m | €11.3m | 95.6 | 2025 |
| 19 | m-accent 9900 Eeklo | €7.26m | €2.75m | €6.35m | 91.9 | 2025 |
| 20 | ADL-More 9880 Aalter | €53.8m | €25.7m | €2.75m | 84.4 | 2025 |
| 21 | Meat Atelier 9790 Wortegem-Petegem | €7.23m | €31.1m | −€6.75m | 81.6 | 2025 |
| 22 | Geevo 9800 Deinze | €8.74m | €42.9m | €3.07m | 79.3 | 2025 |
| 23 | Meerschman 9320 Aalst | €22.0m | €77.2m | €6.34m | 77.4 | 2025 |
| 24 | Euro Shop Sint-Niklaas 9100 Sint-Niklaas | €4.95m | — | €2.93m | 77.3 | 2025 |
| 25 | Garage - Carrosserie Siegfried De Mey & Zonen 9990 Maldegem | €25.9m | €81.6m | €9.09m | 76.1 | 2025 |
| 26 | Oogwereld België 9100 Sint-Niklaas | €25.8m | €15.2m | €2.72m | 75.5 | 2025 |
| 27 | B-Connected 9300 Aalst | €3.42m | €11.3m | 159,882 € | 75.3 | 2025 |
| 28 | Just Russel 9031 Ghent | €18.8m | — | €13.3m | 72.4 | 2025 |
| 29 | Delhaize Watersport 9000 Ghent | €8.63m | — | 749,432 € | 71.2 | 2025 |
| 30 | B.C. 9600 Ronse | €5.13m | €31.0m | €1.27m | 70.8 | 2026 |
| 31 | o2o 9000 Ghent | €149.0m | €169.3m | €17.2m | 69.5 | 2025 |
| 32 | Geefi 9850 Deinze | €8.05m | €42.8m | €3.56m | 69.0 | 2025 |
| 33 | Kempes 9051 Ghent | €7.55m | €5.70m | €1.16m | 68.3 | 2025 |
| 34 | Thoen Center 9300 Aalst | €32.5m | €62.1m | €7.89m | 65.6 | 2025 |
| 35 | Atelier Charlier Vlaanderen 9500 Geraardsbergen | €5.06m | €21.1m | 786,155 € | 64.8 | 2025 |
| 36 | Bilia Verstraeten 9080 Lochristi | €25.3m | €67.6m | €13.5m | 60.1 | 2025 |
| 37 | Maes - de Wilde 9130 Beveren-Kruibeke-Zwijndrecht | €2.35m | — | 969,848 € | 58.2 | 2026 |
| 38 | Superette Ronse 9600 Ronse | €3.49m | €27.4m | 598,020 € | 57.6 | 2025 |
| 39 | Euro Shop Maldegem 9990 Maldegem | €3.93m | — | €2.68m | 57.4 | 2025 |
| 40 | Garage en Carrosserie Vanhoecke 9100 Sint-Niklaas | €24.7m | €100.6m | €14.2m | 55.2 | 2025 |
| 41 | Garage J. de Groof 9120 Beveren-Kruibeke-Zwijndrecht | €30.8m | €67.9m | €3.60m | 55.0 | 2025 |
| 42 | Delhaize Eeklo 9900 Eeklo | €2.10m | — | 362,054 € | 54.8 | 2025 |
| 43 | De Cirkel - Maatwerkbedrijf 9160 Lokeren | €3.61m | — | €3.12m | 54.3 | 2025 |
| 44 | Smartmat 9000 Ghent | €26.2m | €85.8m | €15.0m | 53.1 | 2026 |
| 45 | Cyclobility 9690 Kluisbergen | €17.9m | — | €2.58m | 53.0 | 2025 |
| 46 | Delhaize Wondelgem 9032 Ghent | €6.36m | — | €1.53m | 52.9 | 2025 |
| 47 | Delhaize Heusden 9070 Destelbergen | €7.38m | — | €1.08m | 52.0 | 2025 |
| 48 | Van Eyck Sport 9300 Aalst | €19.9m | €23.2m | €15.0m | 51.5 | 2025 |
| 49 | Flamant Design 9500 Geraardsbergen | €21.1m | €17.4m | €4.92m | 50.7 | 2025 |
| 50 | Hedin Automotive TL 9100 Sint-Niklaas | €9.14m | €38.6m | −€7.59m | 50.1 | 2025 |
Ranking based on each company's own annual accounts (statutory, not consolidated): a subsidiary and its parent appear separately, and the ranking differs from lists based on consolidated group accounts. Headcount reported by the company for all its sites: the jobs may be located elsewhere.
“—”: not published. Small companies (micro and abridged accounts) do not have to publish their revenue.
Retail trade across Belgium → All sectors · East Flanders →
Other sectors · East Flanders
- 01 Crop and animal production, hunting and related service activities376
- 02 Forestry and logging14
- 10 Manufacture of food products536
- 11 Manufacture of beverages40
- 13 Manufacture of textiles110
- 14 Manufacture of wearing apparel33
- 16 Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials115
- 17 Manufacture of paper and paper products41
- 18 Printing and reproduction of recorded media115
- 20 Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products105
- 21 Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations22
- 22 Manufacture of rubber and plastic products86
- 23 Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products148
- 24 Manufacture of basic metals36
- 25 Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment429
- 26 Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products51
- 27 Manufacture of electrical equipment56
- 28 Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c.155
- 29 Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers37
- 30 Manufacture of other transport equipment12
- 31 Manufacture of furniture113
- 32 Other manufacturing70
- 33 Repair, maintenance and installation of machinery and equipment146
- 35 Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply24
- 37 Sewerage21
- 38 Waste collection, recovery and disposal activities87
- 41 Construction of residential and non-residential buildings824
- 42 Civil engineering353
- 43 Specialised construction activities2,546
- 46 Wholesale trade2,074
- 49 Land transport and transport via pipelines738
- 50 Water transport18
- 52 Warehousing, storage and support activities for transportation163
- 53 Postal and courier activities27
- 55 Accommodation147
- 56 Food and beverage service activities1,693
- 58 Publishing activities71
- 59 Motion picture, video and television programme production, sound recording and music publishing activities72
- 61 Telecommunication15
- 62 Computer programming, consultancy and related activities686
- 63 Computing infrastructure, data processing, hosting and other information service activities42
- 64 Financial service activities, except insurance and pension funding530
- 66 Activities auxiliary to financial services and insurance activities435
- 68 Real estate activities595
- 69 Legal and accounting activities695
- 70 Activities of head offices and management consultancy557
- 71 Architectural and engineering activities; technical testing and analysis442
- 72 Scientific research and development71
- 73 Activities of advertising, market research and public relations151
- 74 Other professional, scientific and technical activities79
- 75 Veterinary activities64
- 77 Rental and leasing activities114
- 78 Employment activities76
- 79 Travel agency, tour operator and other reservation service and related activities63
- 80 Investigation and security activities10
- 81 Services to buildings and landscape activities378
- 82 Office administrative, office support and other business support activities183
- 84 Public administration and defence; compulsory social security13
- 85 Education120
- 86 Human health activities769
- 87 Residential care activities115
- 88 Social work activities without accommodation138
- 90 Arts creation and performing arts activities71
- 92 Gambling and betting activities18
- 93 Sports activities and amusement and recreation activities182
- 94 Activities of membership organisations73
- 95 Repair and maintenance of computers, personal and household goods, and motor vehicles and motorcycles216
- 96 Personal service activities306
Municipalities with the most companies in the sector · East Flanders
- 9000 Ghent596
- 9100 Sint-Niklaas (Nieuwkerken-Waas)244
- 9300 Aalst207
- 9880 Aalter (Lotenhulle, Poeke)168
- 9200 Dendermonde (Appels, Baasrode, Grembergen, …)164
- 9160 Lokeren (Daknam, Eksaarde)154
- 9140 Temse (Elversele, Steendorp, Tielrode)150
- 9800 Deinze (Astene, Bachte-Maria-Leerne, Gottem, …)140
- 9700 Oudenaarde (Bevere, Edelare, Eine, …)139
- 9120 Beveren-Kruibeke-Zwijndrecht (Haasdonk, Kallo, Melsele, …)131
- 9600 Ronse (Renaix)100
- 9050 Ghent (Gentbrugge, Ledeberg)97
Frequently asked questions
Which is the largest employer in Retail trade in East Flanders?
Among companies, ALDI, with 1,092.3 full-time equivalents reported (financial year 2025).
Are all the jobs located in the area?
Not necessarily: headcount is reported by the company for all its sites, and the company is ranked by the address of its registered office. 2,478 out of 5,454 companies in the sector report employees there.
Why does this ranking differ from other lists?
It uses each company's annual accounts as filed with the National Bank, not consolidated group accounts. A holding, a subsidiary or a purchasing entity can therefore appear separately. Only companies whose latest accounts are less than 3 years old are ranked.
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Active companies (legal entities) that have filed at least one set of annual accounts, based on the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises and the National Bank of Belgium. The sector is the main activity in the register; the municipality is that of the registered office. Data updated on 14 Nov 2026.