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A new addition to the collection of company history exhibits at the REWE Museum in Cologne: Divisional Director Thomas Nonn and Supervisory Board Chairman Erich Stockhausen with the REWEformer mouthpiece and the "Munich Declaration". I Photos: Achim Bachhausen
Readingtime: 4 minutes
REWEformer
15 years of REWE spirit
by Achim Bachhausen

A success story celebrates its 15th "birthday": on 30 June 2009, retailers and top management adopted the "Munich Declaration" and sealed the birth of more intensive support for independent retailers and the development of a new culture of cooperation.

15 years ago, one of REWEformer's goals was to fully develop the performance of retailers. The starting signal followed immediately: at the national merchants' conference in Neuss in September 2009, the participants jointly set the course for putting the goals into practice. Today, 15 years on, the successes are impressive.

"Over the past few years, we have seen the number of retailers grow by over 550 and more than 850 stores for the retailers sector. This gives us a tailwind," says Thomas Nonn, Divisional Director of REWE Group and responsible for the Independent and Co-operative Business Management division, taking stock of the positive results. "Looking to the future, we want to convince everyone - retailers, management - but also all employees of the REWEformer values: the REWEformer spirit, in line with our guiding principles, should help to further shape us into a retailers' organisation in the future," Nonn continues.

 

Foundation stone "Munich Declaration"
In September, the SAS Group looked back on 15 eventful years of REWE. The "Munich Declaration" laid the foundation for cooperation between retailers and management. The rules of cooperation were bindingly laid down by the committees representing all independent retailers within REWE Group. Changes to these rules can also only be made by these committees.

The sales concept under the REWE brand in combination with the individual strengths of the retailers continues to form the basis for a sustainable competitive advantage at the local, regional and national level. REWE Group offers customised development programmes to increase the performance of all retailers and maximise their creative potential.

Lively development perspectives are an essential part of the cooperation for both retailers and management. The knowledge and expertise of retailers are contributed to joint committees at national and regional level. This enables a consensus to be reached on operational and strategic issues.

Today, retailers play an active role in shaping the fortunes of REWE Group, whether in the SAS (Strategy Committee) circles, as topic experts or as managers of retailers in the regions.

 

„The REWEformer was a turning point in REWE's history that still stands today. It is first and foremost about respect, mutual esteem and the involvement of retailers in the decisions of the business unit.“
Gudrun Glock, REWE businesswoman from 1991 to 2015 and former member of the supervisory board of RZF eG
„At the time, it was important to us to create good, qualified independence and partnerships across all regions and also to connect and network the regions with each other and strengthen mutual understanding.“
Bruno Naumann, REWE merchant from 1989 to 2018, member of the Supervisory Board of RZF eG from 2004 to 2018
„Through REWEformer, we have created many independent livelihoods in the REWE Group. And this is actually the main task of our REWE cooperatives. For me, REWEformer means togetherness and strength. Only together and strongly can we shape the future and further develop the independent existence in the REWE Group.“
Fritz Aupperle, REWE merchant from 1981 to 2022, member of the Supervisory Board of RZF eG from 2007 to 2022
„The collaboration is trusting and open, you can talk about anything. We have achieved a lot together. REWEformer is a success story for the retailers and for the company.“
REWE merchant Günter Götzelmann, REWEformer since the very beginning

The following generations of retailers also appreciate the advantages of a strong co-operative.

„I was able to attend my first cooperative meeting and came into contact with so many new retailers. The dialogue is simply wonderful.“
Fritz Starke, REWE merchant in Ottendorf
„For me personally, a cooperative is one for all, all for one. It is an imaginative interplay between very creative people, and in the end something great is created.“
Semai Akale, REWE saleswoman in Mainz
„Co-operatives are the model of the future because we are not subject to any stock market prices, but work together in our companies and on our companies. This has a future because there are many of us.“
Daniel Dugandzic runs four REWE stores in the Cologne area with his brother Boris

The "Munich Declaration"
According to the Munich Declaration, the rules of co-operation are based on respectful cooperation and a culture of trust. They were bindingly established with the retailers' committees as representatives of all independent retailers in REWE Group and can only be changed by these committees.

Figures

  • 849 retailers came together in Neuss in 2009 for the first and so far only national retailers' conference.
  • Over 300 retailers are now involved in the national and regional TEK circles
  • 340 participants from all regions attend the current Young Merchants Campus
  • 160 retailers' children have joined together in the REWE Entrepreneurs' Children's Network (R.U.N.)

 

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