It was only in January that REWE Group founded the Agricultural Competence Centre with the aim of bringing together agriculture, science, business and retail to find innovative solutions to the major challenges facing the agricultural industry - and ultimately, if possible, to bring them to the shelves of REWE and PENNY.

The Competence Centre's Expert:innen-Kreis is a unique body of its kind in Germany - from now on, it will develop concrete projects and measures across disciplines and beyond the rigid boundaries of the industry to help shape the transformation of sustainable domestic agriculture.

"Agriculture and retail have many common roots - together we can really move the industry forward," explained Hans-Jürgen Moog, member of the REWE Group Management Board and patron of the Competence Centre for Agriculture. Another patron is REWE Group Supervisory Board Chairman Erich Stockhausen, who added: "Together, we want to develop regional and fair value creation in which everyone can participate."

"It's really special to have so many bright minds from across the industry here with us," said Dr Ludger Breloh, Chairman of the Competence Centre for Agriculture. "The dialogue is so important, you notice that time and time again." And Emilie Bourgoin, Group Director Public Affairs at REWE Group and also Chair of the Competence Centre, emphasises: "Our aim is to turn conversations into action. The Competence Centre for Agriculture is about concrete projects and changes, not just paying lip service."