one: Mrs Meier, Lekkerland and REWE merged four years ago. How did you experience this at the time and what changes have you noticed in your work since the REWE Group joined?
Kerstin Meier: When I learnt that Lekkerland was being sold, it was shocking news at first. But in the second moment, all my colleagues - including me - took it really well. Looking back, the best thing that could have happened for us was to become part of REWE Group. A lot has changed for me. I took over responsibility from Philipp Pauly for the cooperation with Aral and for the REWE To Go stores at the company's petrol stations, which is now part of Lekkerland. This gave me some insights into the world of work at REWE and I got to know many colleagues from the parent company. The former REWE To Go colleagues from Cologne and the Lekkerland colleagues now work together in one team. The start of the 'merger' coincided with coronavirus - that was a real challenge. Today, we all know each other and form a team. Together, we are doing everything we can to further develop REWE To Go at petrol stations and offer all visitors a first-class shopping experience.

one: You've read time and again that the petrol station business presents one or two challenges, even for a very experienced supermarket operator. How have you mastered this?
Kerstin Meier: Lekkerland's logistics are fully geared towards supplying small-scale retailers - from the sales units to the design of the warehouses and the lorries. This is one of our core competences, which we have been continuously developing and refining for decades. With this in mind, Lekkerland has now fully taken over the supply of Aral petrol stations again. At the same time, we are very grateful for the great support from REWE Logistics during the transition phase.

one: How is the petrol station business developing in general, especially in the shops?
Kerstin Meier : Two examples to make it easier to understand which developments have had and will have a significant influence on the petrol station business: In the past, petrol stations lived from selling 'expensive beer after closing time'. Today, supermarkets are open much longer. The mobility revolution is also having an impact on the petrol station business. Aral wants to continue to grow with attractive petrol station shops. REWE To Go plays an important role in this. In future, fewer people will come to the petrol station to fill up their cars. Our aim is for customers to come to us without needing to refuel. It's about making the shops more attractive. Shoppers should consciously choose the petrol station to stock up on tasty snacks, coffee or other items or to buy wine for dinner. A format like REWE To Go helps with the transformation because every consumer knows REWE. It's a familiar brand in Germany.

one: How important is the mobility transition in this context?
Kerstin Meier: The mobility transition has enormously increased the importance of the shop business for petrol stations. This is because it is foreseeable that revenue from the fuel business will decline. This is why all petrol companies are continuing to develop their business model - with a major focus on the shop business.

one: Does your experience as an Aral customer advisor also flow into the further development of the REWE To Go brand?
Kerstin Meier: The 900 Aral locations play a major role in the perception of REWE To Go. Many experts at Lekkerland and REWE are working together on the further development of this format, including outside the petrol station channel. One of them is me.

one: What does Lekkerland's vision of becoming "your most convenient partner" actually mean?
Kerstin Meier: It means that we want to make it as easy as possible for our customers to work with us. One big difference to REWE is that Lekkerland operates a B2B business as a wholesaler. This means that our customers are, for example, petrol station and kiosk operators and not directly the end consumer as in retail. Our aim is to increase their business success and offer them everything they need for a successful shop business. One example is the aforementioned logistics tailored to small retail spaces. being "Your most convenient partner" for our customers is the vision we stand for and to which we give our best every day.