Grand finale: Award winners and nominees at the final picture on stage A decent haul: there were four REWE nominees for this year's prestigious Supermarket of the Year industry award, from which the REWE Center in Egelsbach emerged as the winner in the "Chain stores over 3,000 square metres" category. Store manager Dunja Storck had already brought the prize to Heidelberg in 2016. The final round also included the REWE stores of retailers Marcel Rahmati (Solingen-Ohligs, West region) and Stefan Zizek (Wiesbaden-Erbenheim, Central region) as well as the REWE Centre in Butzbach with retailer Michael Noe (also in the Central region).

The REWE Center in Egelsbach was no stranger to the industry when it won Supermarket of the Year 2024 in the category Stores over 3,000 square metres: Store Manager Dunja Storck was already Store Manager of the Year 2019, Supermarket Star 2019 - and already won her first "Supermarket of the Year" in 2016, back then with the REWE Centre in Heidelberg-Rohrbach. Dunja Storck hasn't just been managing stores for over 30 years - she makes them.
Teamwork is one of her recipes for success, further training is important to her and promoting young talent is a matter close to her heart. For example, she introduced the so-called taster days: Employees get to know other departments, their processes, products and, above all, their colleagues. Further training, team events, support from colleague mentors - and "legendary celebrations" (Storck) characterise her HR policy. For the retailer with heart and soul, the trainees she has trained over the decades to become store managers or retailers are like her own children: "It makes me so proud when they go their own way."
In addition to the leadership culture that can be felt everywhere, the fresh food counters with over 200 home-made products, home-baked bread and items from over 100 regional suppliers, the non-food presence catches the eye of customers: "The selection here replaces the department stores'," one customer commented. Or: "The Champions League of supermarkets plays here." Storck has found her own way to keep calm in the stressful everyday life of a centre manager: "When I'm stressed, I go to the mirror. That calms me down."
„The later the day, the better the market. Because the customers who come in the evening spend the most money.“Dunja Storck's credo All of this also convinced the jury: "The store thrives on an exceptional management culture and customer dedication. Motivated employees on the sales floor, concentrated expertise in the service areas," the jury said in its statement. The judges also had words of praise for the product range, shop design and atmosphere.

Marcel Rahmati's goal and secret of success is that his store managers should act like entrepreneurs. How does he achieve this? "By expressing trust, encouraging people to make decisions and encouraging them to correct themselves. And making things simple in both senses of the word. So not too complicated. And get started."
Rahmati has been in retail for 33 years, running the first store together with his wife Maike, and now has 15 stores in the western region: from the southernmost in Bonn to the nominated store in Solingen-Ohligs, whose team he describes as having "a lot of creativity and great ideas". Rahmati and his store manager Marc Schmitz are committed to promoting not only the integration of employees with a migration background and the inclusion of colleagues with disabilities, but also everyone in the team. Marcel Rahmati: "Good cooperation and a good working atmosphere are very important to us. That's why we invest in our employees. We support them with seminars and pay them fairly. Each store receives a budget for team building, and our summer party is held with all 600 employees."
„Get up again and again. Never give up!“Rahmati's tip for the next generation As colourful as the team is, everyone agrees on one thing: customers are all served the same, whether they buy a wine for 4.99 euros or 1,499. This is the most expensive in the wine department, but not the only reason why it is considered the highlight of the store. A permanently employed wine sommelier, tastings and other events are mentioned just as often in the customer surveys as the friendliness of the helpful team. "They treat me like the mayor here," commented one customer. Great importance is also attached to high-quality meat and regionality, such as trout from a local breeder or pom pom mushrooms from a local start-up.

Stefan Zizek had already made a name for himself as a store manager before becoming self-employed. When the REWE Centre in Wiesbaden-Erbenheim, which was built with sustainability in mind, opened around three years ago with lots of attention and green farming on the roof, Zizek was store manager there. He and his colleague Dunja Storck are not only connected by their shared centre region: Zizek was her predecessor in Egelsbach, and just like her, he had previously led another REWE to the winner's podium: the Frankfurt REWE Centre in the tram depot in 2014.
What is he doing differently now as an independent? "Not a lot. I just have more responsibility now. But all in all: the way the team plays along, it makes my job easy. Whether as a store manager or self-employed: as a team, we move mountains."
„You can only fill it with life if you enjoy doing it.“Zizek's secret of success The fact that the father of three daughters is a family man is not only reflected in the name of the store: he also made the decision to become self-employed with his "four wives". "I always wanted to do it, I just needed the approval of my family," says the REWE salesman.
The many US citizens stationed in Wiesbaden are welcome customers. "I love the Americans. They like to buy top quality at top prices," says Stefan Zizek.

Michael Noe doesn't like to hole up in the office. He much prefers to be in the thick of things. "I enjoy the space, I enjoy the customers, what they say, what they mean. The most important thing for me is the contact with the customers," says the REWE salesman, who was nominated in the "Self-employed over 2,000 square metres" category with the REWE Centre in Butzbach. „When I stop, I want the employees to say: It was always fun working with him.“Michael Noe's wish? The pick-up service is popular with customers in the Wetterau region and has been one of the store's strengths for two and a half years. The flagship is the 1a butcher's shop. Here it pays off that the retailer has "invested in people" from the outset. The centre of attraction is the new "Natural Living" department with its specialist market character. Organic, veggie and free-from ranges are presented here on around 120 square metres. The connection to the region is emphasised at many contact points in the store, from the fruit and vegetable department as the "Butzbach marketplace" to the Eintracht Frankfurt wine.

Johannes Lohmaier, Employee of the Year, with his former boss Henry Wilbers Johannes Lohmaier proves it: Even as an apprentice, you can be an important support for the team and represent the company in the best possible way. The 20-year-old is in his third year of training as a retail salesman at REWE Süd and is a deserving "Employee of the Year". "The award honours my good performance and at the same time encourages me on my way. It's a great feeling!" says the budding salesman.
He was nominated by his previous store manager Henry Wilbers, himself only 25 years old: "Johannes immediately caught my eye. It's rare to find such a committed trainee! He always endeavours to get to know all the processes and lend a hand." Together, the two thought about how the market could be even better networked in the community. As Johannes comes from the neighbouring village, he brought a lot of fresh ideas to the table. Without further ado, they planned activities such as a Christmas market or a summer festival, supported the neighbourhood charity or the crèche and thus successfully helped to make the market in Zolling near Munich even better known. Henry Wilbers is proud of his protégé: "With all the time we put into supporting the trainees, we always hope to get something out of them. It's the only way we can ensure that our junior staff will lead the company of tomorrow." Johannes has since moved to a neighbouring store in Freising to help out there as a shift supervisor: "I was often thrown in at the deep end. But I'm glad about that - it's the only way I've been able to develop so well. Working at REWE is simply my thing!"