The Online Nut Company

What The Online Nut Company does

The Online Nut Company (operating as TONC) is a Belgian retail advisory firm founded by Charlotte Cools and registered as BV The Online Nut Company, headquartered in Wiekevorst (Heist-op-den-Berg) with an operational office in Herentals. The company serves ambitious store and showroom owners in Flanders, Belgium, across verticals including interior showrooms, fashion retail, mobility (e-bikes, scooters, cars, campers), garden centers, and building materials. Its offering is built around a proprietary A-B-C methodology: (A) futureproof the business, (B) discover the retailer's 'unieke smoel' (unique identity), and (C) provide daily support in executing it. There is no software platform; the core 'technology' is this methodology and the team's accumulated expertise (more than 80 years of combined experience across six named professionals). TONC also publishes books, runs the MarkeTONC Academy knowledge platform, and delivers keynote speaking through Charlotte Cools. Revenue is generated through professional services engagements, structured as strategic consulting (retail strategy, store audits, store concept and structure design), communication services (communication plans, structured communication, communication execution), hospitality and leadership training (workshops on external, internal, and inner hospitality), and physical execution services (store and showroom fit-out). A distinctive 'flying marketeer' service embeds a TONC expert on-site at the client store for one or more days per week to execute the communication plan across online, offline, and in-store channels. Additional revenue comes from book sales (the October 2024 title 'Uitblinken met je winkel of showroom', published by LannooCampus, with bulk B2B gifting orders). Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven: outreach is conducted through content (blog, MarkeTONC Academy), organic social (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram), email newsletters, events (breakfast sessions for retailers, keynote engagements), PR/earned media, and referrals, with engagement beginning from a free introductory meeting at the client's store or at TONC's Herentals office. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The firm is privately held by its founders, with no external investors or parent company identified.

Name

The Online Nut Company

Legal name

BV The Online Nut Company

Website

https://tonc.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TONC is a six-person Belgian retail advisory firm serving ambitious store and showroom owners in Flanders across interior, fashion, mobility, garden, and building materials sectors. It sells strategy, communication, hospitality training, and an embedded 'flying marketeer' execution service, supplemented by a published book and the MarkeTONC Academy content platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Itegem

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Strategy Consulting: Advisory services helping store and showroom owners define their unique identity (unieke smoel), develop retail strategy, and create futureproof business plans. Engagement typically begins with a free introductory session and may involve ongoing strategic accompaniment.
2. Communication and Marketing Services: Services include developing structured communication plans, gestructureerde communicatie execution (online, offline, and instore), store communication execution, and ongoing flying marketeer support where a TONC expert works on-site at the client's store for a portion of the week.
3. Training and Workshops: Customized training programs for retailers covering hospitality (gastvrijheid), leadership, change management, personal development, and commercial skills. Offered as in-person workshops and coaching for both entrepreneurs and their teams.
4. Book Sales — Uitblinken met je winkel of showroom: Sales of the book authored by founder Charlotte Cools, published by LannooCampus. Bulk orders (50+ copies) available for retailers as promotional or end-of-year gifts with personalization options.
5. Store Setup and Retail Environment Execution: Execution of store or showroom interior design and fit-out, including the physical implementation of the retail concept developed through TONC's strategy work.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Online Nut Company (TONC) is a Belgian retail consulting firm that helps ambitious store and showroom owners develop a unique identity ("unieke smoel") and execute structured retail, communication, hospitality, and training strategies. Services span retail strategy, communication planning and execution, store audits, store concept and interior fit-out, hospitality and leadership training, and future/scenario thinking workshops, delivered through direct consulting and an embedded "Flying Marketeer" model. The firm also publishes a book on retail excellence and runs the MarkeTONC Academy content platform.

Product overview

TONC operates as a retail advisory and consulting firm offering a portfolio of interconnected services organized around its A-B-C methodology: (A) making a business future-proof, (B) finding its 'unique smoel' (unique identity/differentiator), and (C) providing daily ongoing support. The core offering includes strategic consulting services (Retailstrategie, Winkelaudit, Winkelconcept en structuur), communication services (Communicatieplan, Gestructureerde communicatie, Uitvoering communicatie), hospitality training (Gastvrijheid), and leadership training (Training, Toekomst- en scenariodenken). The Flying Marketeer is a distinctive on-site execution model where TONC experts work directly at the retailer's location. TONC also operates the MarkeTONC Academy as a knowledge-sharing platform and has published the book 'Uitblinken met je winkel of showroom'. Physical execution services (Uitvoering winkel- of showroominrichting) round out the offering. The company does not offer a software product; all offerings are professional services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MarkeTONC Academy: Platform where retail experts share insights and interviews on generating leads, customers, and brand ambassadors. Hosted by Charlotte Cools with guest experts from the retail industry.
• Flying Marketeer

Products and services

• Retailstrategie Strategic consulting service that helps retailers discover their 'unieke smoel' (unique identity/differentiator) through a structured step-by-step plan, enabling them to define a compelling reason for customers to choose their store over competitors. Sold to ambitious Belgian store and showroom owners.
• Communicatieplan Communication planning service that translates communication opportunities in and around a store into a structured plan that reflects the retailer's unique identity and achieves business goals. Sold to Belgian store and showroom owners.
• Gestructureerde communicatie Structured communication service covering five levels of communication that strengthen a retailer's store concept, including signage, product information, email follow-ups, and brand expression. Sold to Belgian store and showroom owners.
• Uitvoering winkel- of showroominrichting Physical store or showroom fit-out execution service, where TONC manages the realization of the store concept so retailers can focus on their passion. Sold to Belgian store and showroom owners.
• Uitvoering communicatie Communication execution service covering online, offline, and in-store communication execution, relieving retailers of implementation tasks. Sold to Belgian store and showroom owners.
• Gastvrijheid (Hospitality) Hospitality training and workshops covering three dimensions: external hospitality (welcoming customers), internal hospitality (team collaboration), and inner hospitality (leadership mindset). Aims to translate hospitality into higher revenue for Belgian store and showroom owners and their teams.
• Winkelaudit Store audit service that identifies hidden deficiencies in a retailer's operations that they can no longer see themselves, examining the customer purchase journey and store environment. Sold to Belgian store and showroom owners.
• Winkelconcept en structuur Store concept and structure design service that creates a unique store concept that attracts and convinces customers, including floor planning and product placement strategies to keep consumers in-store longer. Sold to Belgian store and showroom owners.
• Training Leadership and personal development training for retailers, including personal development trajectories, change management training, and leadership training to inspire teams and translate vision into action. Sold to Belgian retail entrepreneurs and their teams.
• Toekomst- en scenariodenken (Future & Scenario Thinking) Workshop focused on anticipating market changes and developing flexible business strategies. Equips retailers with skills to respond to disruptions such as crises, inflation, and competitive shifts. Sold to Belgian store and showroom owners.
• Flying Marketeer A TONC expert who visits the retailer's location to assist with planning and executing the communication plan. Works on-site 1 day per week, helping with brand awareness, consistent store communication, and store experience. Sold to Belgian store and showroom owners.
• MarkeTONC Academy Academy platform featuring expert interviews and sessions on generating leads, customers, and brand ambassadors in retail. Hosted by Charlotte Cools with guest experts sharing best practices and insights. Targeted at Flemish store and showroom owners.
• Boek 'Uitblinken met je winkel of showroom' Book authored by Charlotte Cools offering insights and concrete strategies for standing out in retail, published by LannooCampus. Sold individually and in bulk to retail store and showroom owners, educators, trade associations, and municipal governments.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tuincenter Claes was elected garden center of the year in 2023 after partnering with TONC for communication, social media, and retail strategy.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• FEWEB (Federatie van Webbedrijven)minorOthersFEWEB is a Belgian federation of web companies. TONC is listed as a FEWEB partner, suggesting a membership or referral/affiliation relationship in the Belgian digital/web ecosystem.
• AmbassifyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmbassify is an advocacy marketing platform. TONC has an implied partnership or referral relationship with Ambassify, referenced in the context of a MarkeTONC Academy interview with Ambassify's Rik Lagey on employee and customer advocacy marketing.
• KMOP DienstverlenerminorOthersListed as a TONC partner. KMOP appears to be a service provider in Belgium. The nature of the partnership is not further detailed in the available source material.
• Uitgeverij LannooCampuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublisher of Charlotte Cools' book 'Uitblinken met je winkel of showroom'. TONC sells the book through LannooCampus's webshop and offers bulk ordering (50+ copies) with personalization options for retailers as end-of-year gifts. The book launch event was held on 3 October 2024.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• KPMG: Big-Four firm with a Consumer & Retail consulting practice covering strategy, customer experience, and operations. Comparable retail advisory overlap to TONC, focused on enterprise accounts across global markets.
• Accenture: Global consulting and technology firm with a Consumer Goods & Retail practice spanning store experience, merchandising, and supply chain. Comparable omnichannel retail transformation remit, focused on large omnichannel retailers.
• Oliver Wyman: Global management consultancy with a dedicated Retail practice spanning strategy, store operations, and customer experience. Comparable to TONC's retail strategy remit, but serving enterprise clients rather than SMB retailers.
• McKinsey & Company: Global management consulting firm with a deep Consumer & Retail practice serving large omnichannel retailers. Operates broadly across strategy, operations, and transformation — overlapping TONC's retail strategy focus from the enterprise end of the market.
• Deloitte Consulting: Big-Four advisory with a global Retail & Consumer Products practice covering strategy, store operations, and digital transformation. Comparable end-to-end retail advisory scope to TONC but delivered at enterprise scale.
• Bain & Company: Global strategy consulting firm with a Consumer Products and Retail practice. Offers retail strategy, customer experience, and merchandising advisory — overlapping with TONC's strategy and customer-experience remit, though aimed at enterprise clients.

Regional players

• House of Retail: Dutch retail consultancy supporting retailers and brands with strategy, customer experience, and store transformation. Closely comparable services and Benelux footprint to TONC, though operating primarily in the Netherlands.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheOnlineNutCompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/toncretailadvies
• Instagraminstagram.com/tonc_stores_and_showrooms

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Online Nut Company