REWE and PENNY are among the pioneers in the German food retail sector when it comes to marketing regional and local products. In total, the sales lines work directly with over 33,000 local producers. At Green Week 2025, REWE Group put the spotlight on this cooperation.

"By choosing this motto, we not only want to emphasise the importance of sustainable value chains. It should also be a commitment: We focus on personal dialogue, also have an open ear for constructive criticism or new ideas and also want to strengthen the mutual appreciation of all players along the value chain - including consumers," says Clara Albrecht, Manager Public Affairs, explaining the concept of the trade fair appearance. "In this way, we want to move from the pure value chain to the value chain." Visitors to the stand were able to follow the "value chain" of agricultural products from the field and its processing to the retail trade and onto the dinner table. Along the way, they learned about projects from REWE, PENNY and the Competence Centre for Agriculture that illustrate REWE Group's commitment to local agriculture.

Out of the stores and offices and into the fields or barns: this will soon become an integral part of the training and further education opportunities for REWE Group employees. The Competence Centre for Agriculture used the Green Week to present the project, which aims to further sharpen mutual understanding between producers and retailers: The "Agricultural Academy" will bring trainees, employees from markets and administration, top management and young retailers to farms in various modules in future in order to deal intensively with the practical everyday life and challenges of producers. The insights into agricultural practice and direct dialogue are intended to strengthen recognition for agricultural products within the company's own ranks. At the same time, employees get to know the products in the barn and in the field in a different way and thus also gain important insights for advising customers in the markets. "In order to move from the value chain to the value chain, we need even more dialogue, transparency and understanding between trade and agriculture. We can achieve this with the Agricultural Academy," says Kristin Hühnergarth, Head of Political Communications at REWE Group. We will provide information about the next module for employees at the Central locations here and in inside as soon as possible.

"With this trend-setting contract, REWE is once again making a clear commitment to local agriculture. Signing from left: Maximilian Tönnies, shareholder of Premium Food Group ApS & Co. KG, Hauke Klindt, participating farmer from Schleswig-Holstein, Lars Brunk, participating farmer from Schleswig-Holstein, Marcel Weber, Head of National and Merchandise International Own Brand at REWE Group. Also present was Werner Schwarz, Minister for Agriculture, Rural Areas, Europe and Consumer Protection, Schleswig-Holstein (right). On 20 January, trade fair visitors and representatives from the media and politics were able to witness live what cooperation at eye level looks like: REWE, the Premium Food Group and farmers from Schleswig-Holstein signed a three-party agreement at the trade fair stand in the presence of Werner Schwarz, Schleswig-Holstein's Minister of Agriculture. This agreement creates a joint, closed supply chain from the farm to the market and provides more transparency and planning security for the entire supply chain. The products from the "Landbauern Schwein" programme in accordance with husbandry system 3 will be available in all REWE stores in Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg from summer 2025. Marcel Weber, Management Director of REWE Group's National and International Private Label Merchandise, emphasised the importance of this pioneering cooperation for more planning security and transparency in the supply chain.

Visitors to the stand were also able to find out about the first nationwide three-party contract of its kind in the food retail sector. PENNY concluded this agreement in October 2024 together with Fair Milk and milk producers. (You can read more about this at the Competence Centre for Agriculture: Fair Milk x milprima - Competence Centre for Agriculture)

Loql, REWE Group's food start-up, celebrated its Green Week premiere this year. An XXL app screen showed visitors to the stand how REWE Group's B2B platform brings together local producers and retailers to make marketing local products even easier for everyone involved. The digitalisation of procurement processes removes bureaucratic hurdles and simplifies cooperation between stakeholders - an important step in the promotion of agricultural products.