For nine days, we were guests at the Green Week in Berlin with our sales divisions and the Competence Centre for Agriculture. From 19 to 28 January, our focus at the leading international trade fair for food and agriculture was on direct dialogue with producers, politicians and consumers.
"With our REWE and PENNY stores throughout Germany, we are a link between producers and consumers. We have first-hand knowledge of the needs of our customers and the challenges facing local agriculture. At REWE Group, we are convinced that we can only tackle the challenges facing the agricultural industry, secure food supplies and protect nature if we work together. This requires an open and constructive dialogue at eye level. That's why we were looking forward to the dialogue at the Green Week," says Hans-Jürgen Moog, the REWE Group Management Board member responsible for merchandise and purchasing.
Overview of funding and innovation projects
Under the stand motto "REWE Group and agriculture. Growing together." we will be showing which funding and innovation projects we are supporting in the areas of climate protection, regionality and animal welfare. Visitors can find out about the various initiatives at three "theme islands". Colleagues from Toom have designed the stand with plants from their own range.
Competence Centre for Agriculture presents climate protection funding programme
The first theme island is dedicated to the Competence Centre for Agriculture. The close cooperation between REWE Group and agricultural experts turns innovative ideas into concrete, pioneering projects for the future and strengthening of domestic agriculture. At the Green Week, the Competence Centre for Agriculture will present REWE Group's animal welfare measures as well as the new climate protection support programme from REWE and PENNY Germany. REWE and PENNY are the first German food retailers to co-finance climate protection projects of their own-brand suppliers in order to jointly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the supply chain.
PENNY Zukunftsbauer supports farmers with climate-friendly investments
PENNY has four topics in store for its premiere at the Green Week. In addition to the organic own brand Naturgut and the new regional own brand Marktliebe, PENNY is also presenting the True Costs campaign and the Zukunftsbauer support programme. PENNY has implemented the latter programme together with the Berchtesgadener Land dairy. PENNY waives part of the retail margin on the sale of all "Berchtesgadener Land" dairy products. The Berchtesgadener Land dairy doubles the amount. The funding is used to support farmers in the Alpine region in optimising the energy efficiency of their farms and making them more climate-friendly.
REWE focusses on regionality
REWE is one of the pioneers in German food retailing when it comes to marketing regional products. On the REWE theme island at the trade fair stand, we provide an overview of our commitment to regional meat. Using the example of the Gemüsebau Steiner and BIOhof Kirchweidach farms, REWE will also show how fruit and vegetables can be grown regionally and sustainably in Germany all year round
and thus support domestic producers even more and avoid imports from countries such as Spain or Morocco in future. Our long-standing partner NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V.) will also be there. Here, farms can find out how the NABU climate fund can support them in the wet management of drained moorland or the conversion to organic farming.
Hans-Jürgen Moog
Hans-Jürgen Moog launches LinkedIn channel
Our Management Board member Hans-Jürgen Moog also posted a message from the Green Week on his new LinkedIn channel. In addition to the needs and wishes of our customers, agriculture is one of the most important topics of his Purchasing and Goods division. LinkedIn is the largest professional network in the world, with more than 700 million members from all industries and regions. It offers an ideal platform for exchanging ideas and networking with experts, customers, partners and interested parties.
Raimund Esser, Head of Corporate Communications at REWE, has been representing us at the Green Week for years. We asked him what makes this trade fair so special for him.
Raimund Esser
one: You have attended the Green Week year after year and have had countless conversations with farmers, politicians, exhibitors and consumers. What characterises the trade fair for you personally?
Raimund Esser: REWE has been represented as an exhibitor with a stand at the Green Week for many years. And for many good reasons. For me, the Green Week is the world's leading trade fair for current topics relating to food, agriculture and horticulture. It is also the platform and hub for current and important trends and developments within the agricultural and food industry, for sustainability and rural development. As a food retailer, we are a part of the industry, a player in it, we have to keep up with trends and developments, exchange ideas with experts, enter into dialogue with all stakeholders - politicians, the media, scientists and consumers - and present our initiatives and projects. There is no more suitable hotspot for this than the Green Week. There is no other place in Germany where you have the opportunity to reach and discuss with so many people and present yourself as a company over ten days. That's why we will definitely be a guest at the Green Week again next year.
one: "REWE Group and agriculture. Growing together." This is the motto of the joint stand of REWE, PENNY and the Competence Centre for Agriculture. Why?
Raimund Esser: The problems of domestic agriculture are well known and more topical than ever. Our motto expresses exactly what we do: We are focussing on cooperation and communication with local agriculture at the Green Week. Together, in partnership and at eye level with farmers and producers, we want to initiate concrete changes and make a contribution to a more sustainable agricultural sector as a retail company. After all, this desired transformation and strengthening of agriculture can only succeed together. Jointly initiated concrete projects, which we will showcase and bring to life at our trade fair stand, will help us achieve this.
