The story of Yuman begins in 2017: Quentin, Christel and Samantha observe the multiplication of organic shops in short circuits and discover in parallel a sustainable shopping centre in Sweden. More and more entrepreneurs are developing new products and services in the sustainable and circular economy to limit the use of the planet’s resources. In addition, more and more consumers want to consume differently and understand what they consume. However, shopping circular or sustainable in Brussels in less than 2 hours is almost impossible because the offer is very fragmented.
Quentin and Christel, therefore, decided to develop a concept that brings entrepreneurs and consumers together. Yuman was born.
Yuman is a place that brings together a range of solutions dedicated to the concepts of the circular economy. The village is a ‘one-stop shopping’ experience that promotes the emergence of new circular business models, creates local jobs and reduces the number of trips within the city. Yuman is the first place in Belgium where consumers can find only circular and sustainable goods and services for their daily lives.
To date, Yuman has over 100 partners. Their offer can be found in their shop (Chaussée de Charleroi 123, 1060 Brussels), but also on their e-shop. In 2020, they generated a turnover of €890,000 and a small profit, despite the covid. Their team of 6 people has educated more than 121,000 people about circular and sustainable consumption.
After proving the success of their concept, Yuman’s goals for 2023 are to develop new shops (4), implement a Web-to-Store approach, improve their ability to produce and achieve economies of scale to manage growth, and implement a loyalty programme.
Societal impact
Yuman’s business contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities” and 12 “Responsible Consumption and Production”.