"Everyone has expertise in their own area, and if we put it all together, then we will grow together in the long term," says BILLA salesman Kurt Akalin confidently. This is how co-operatives work at REWE Group - also internationally.
Kurt Akalin was met with great enthusiasm when he started his career at BILLA. He started as a coronavirus assistant in March 2020. Just three and a half years later, he decided to become a shop assistant himself. His constant presence in the market is crucial to his success, as he not only assists his customers with product questions, but also shares personal stories with them. In this interview, he explains how the cooperative has accompanied him on his journey.
BILLA has been one of the most successful local food suppliers in Austria for more than 70 years and employs over 30,000 people at around 1,300 locations. bILLA became part of the REWE Group in 1996. In addition to Austria, BILLA is also active in Bulgaria, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. After ADEG Kaufleuten, a traditional purchasing cooperative, joined REWE Group in Austria in 2006, the first BILLA stores managed by retailers opened under the umbrella of our community in autumn 2022.
