Sajjad Karimi takes over Carrefour Market in Dendermonde

Sajjad Karimi has been running Carrefour Market in Dendermonde, Belgium, for several months. The 36-year-old franchisee wants to develop the existing supermarket into a welcoming neighbourhood shop. An opening celebration in November and a planned refurbishment are intended to put that ambition into practice, Made in reported on 29 October 2026.

From kitchen worker to independent operator

Karimi arrived in Belgium as a Kurdish refugee in late 2014. His career has since taken him through hospitality, technical work and self-employment. Before taking charge of the supermarket in Dendermonde, he spent seven years at McDonald’s on the Korenmarkt in Ghent.

He started in the kitchen and worked his way up to store manager, progressing from frontline duties to the day-to-day management of a branch. His move into supermarket retail builds on that experience of running a business under an established brand.

In 2023, Karimi changed direction. He began working as a technician at automotive supplier Brose in Ghent while also setting up his own taxi business. Taking over Carrefour Market was therefore not his first experience of self-employment.

He is now taking on a new role as a franchisee in Dendermonde. His journey offers a tangible example of entrepreneurship within Belgium’s franchise sector: building experience as an employee and manager, launching his own business and then taking charge of an existing supermarket.

An existing shop under new management

This is a takeover, not the addition of a new Carrefour Market to the Belgian store network. Karimi has already been running the Dendermonde branch for several months, so the celebration announced for November comes after he began operating the business.

That distinction matters when putting the development into context. The change lies in who runs the shop and the direction he wants to take it. Karimi aims to develop the supermarket into a welcoming neighbourhood shop, with a focus on the people who do their shopping there.

His plans place particular emphasis on the shop’s local role. He wants to create a modern, friendly and inviting meeting place. He presents the takeover not simply as a business move, but also as a personal project centred on building relationships with customers.

The ambition is clear, although its implementation in the shop is still to come. The planned refurbishment and customer activities are the practical steps he has outlined to support it.

Breakfast and cake for customers in November

In November, Karimi plans to celebrate the opening by offering every customer breakfast and cake on Sundays. It is an informal way to introduce himself within the supermarket itself. The celebration reflects his wish to make the shop somewhere local residents feel welcome.

His wife, Jaleh Ahani, will support him on Sundays, also playing a part in welcoming customers during this new chapter for the branch.

Explaining his motivation to Made in, Karimi says: “We live to help others, spread positivity and do what makes us happy with passion.” The statement reflects his personal commitment and fits with his vision of a welcoming neighbourhood shop, although the planned improvements have yet to be carried out.

Refurbishment to support the neighbourhood vision

Alongside the opening celebration, a refurbishment of the supermarket is planned soon. It is intended to help create the modern, inviting environment Karimi has in mind, forming the next stage of his plans for the existing business.

For Belgium’s franchise sector, the significance lies in the local handover and the new operator’s ambitions. The focus is not on an additional branch, but on an existing shop continuing under a new franchisee.

Practical takeaway: anyone taking over an existing franchise business can view Karimi’s approach as a combination of getting to know customers and planning improvements to the shop environment. In Dendermonde, those two priorities are taking shape through an opening celebration and a planned refurbishment.