The Barn, an organic food market

Two young guys who are passionate about nature, Julien de Brouwer and Quentin Labrique, had been pondering launching their own start-up for a while. In May, finally, they opened their covered organic barn in Etterbeek.

The concrete floor and the metal roof still bear witness to a distant past when cars used to be repaired here. Using more than 500 wooden pallets, the two went to work to organise the space in a sustainable way. The beams of the racks were used to make a long, sturdy table, on which a variety of rustic breads are shown to advantage.

The Barn aims to be accessible to the general public, so it intends to offer the most competitive prices possible. The goal is to banish packaging and to support sustainable production in Belgium. You tap your own oil and you scoop rice, pasta, seeds, dates, Himalayan salt, or biscuits from dozens of large barrels into your own bowl or cloth bag.

You buy what you need, as much as you consume, so bye-bye overproduction. The vegetables come for the most part from the fields of farmers and cooperatives in the province of Flemish Brabant. You can also add fresh dairy products, fruit juices, and the occasional beer or wine to your shopping list – all organic.

The Barn aims to be about more than just consumption. Signs alongside the produce let you know where it comes from, while a seasonal calendar informs you that it’s best not to buy strawberries in November. The consumer, in the opinion of the people behind The Barn, could do with some re-education in relation to food.

Slightly in contradiction with sustainable principles, they offer parking spaces. But the late opening hours are definitely a must in a big city like this. Nothing beats shopping at the market on a Sunday even when it’s raining!

di/ma/Tu > vr/ve/Fr: 11.00 > 20.00
za/sa/Sa: 10.00 > 18.00
zo/di/Su: 10.00 > 16.00