one: Niklas, you've been in your new position for more than 100 days, and before that you held management responsibility at FÜR SIE for ten years. How have your first few months been? What are your tasks within the two-member Management Board?

Niklas Müller: My tasks in the past were very beverage-specific, which is why I have spent the last few months familiarising myself intensively with the - for me - new business segments. I have also been travelling a lot in the sales department. Being close to our members and customers is important to me, which is why I have had many face-to-face meetings over the past few weeks. I received an open and appreciative welcome everywhere I went - something I don't take for granted. Together with my fellow Board member Dr Martin Küssner, we form a strong team. Our different areas of expertise - he has a lot of experience in the food and non-food sector, I come from the beverage sector - mean that we complement each other perfectly.

one: You are 34 years young and yet have been on board for ten years. Let's go back a little: How did you come to FÜR SIE back then?

Niklas Müller: My career began in a marketing agency, where I did my apprenticeship. During my studies, I was able to gain my first insights into the beverage industry. From then on, it was clear to me that I wanted to stay in retail! That's how I came to the cooperative via REWE-FÜR SIE GVG and was able to complete my Master's degree while working.

one: 2024 was a record year for FÜR SIE eG. The sales distributions reached new heights. You could say you stepped onto the bridge at the best time. The course is right, the sea is calm, the ship is travelling swiftly. To stay in the picture: Are you sticking to your course, or are there gradual course corrections that would be necessary? Where do you see challenges?

Niklas Müller: From the outside, it may seem as if the seas are calm - but we are actually experiencing enormous dynamism and many changes in our markets. To stay with the metaphor: Where it is supposedly calm, the sea is not. There are many tried and tested aspects that we will retain, such as expansion and acquisition. We have seen a significant increase in members and customers in recent years, which means that we are now much more broadly positioned in our customer groups. As a cooperative, it is important for us to join forces and share our knowledge and network so that each individual member becomes stronger. We want to maintain and intensify this approach.

one: What is the situation in the back office area?

Niklas Müller: We have lots of ideas for the back office area. We are currently testing new supplier negotiation formats with our colleagues at REWE Group Buying and are looking at how we can utilise digital services even better. REWE and PENNY are making rapid progress with their customer apps. In order not to miss the boat, we are constantly expanding our service and condition levels. Another important point is the intensification of communication with our members. We want to engage in more dialogue and move away from one-off meetings or events. We recently invited our members and employees to an initial kick-off event, modelled on REWE's Topic Expert Circles (TEK, editor's note).

one: Expansion is a great keyword. How high do you think the potential is?

Niklas Müller: When I look at how we have grown in recent years, I believe that there is still great potential. We already have a broad base in the bulk consumer, retailer, specialist drinks retailer and hairdressing supplies wholesaler segments. But there are still many companies that can benefit from our cooperative - especially small and medium-sized businesses. We give them access to conditions and services that they could hardly achieve on their own. The consolidation in the market environment also shows that co-operations are becoming increasingly important in order to remain competitive.

one: That really is a colourful bouquet. Can you categorise it a little in terms of which sector or industry most of the newcomers have come from in recent years?

Niklas Müller: Most of the new additions have come to us from the bulk consumer sector. The decisive factor was that we were able to significantly increase our revenue here: Thanks to many new members, we have put our cooperative on a broader footing.

one: How can we imagine that? How do you approach the new members?

Niklas Müller: FÜR SIE is not completely unknown to many companies. We know many potential members through associations or industry contacts and vice versa. It starts with us asking ourselves: Who else is there? Who would fit in with us? Who can we imagine in our cooperative? Then it's about seeking direct dialogue, explaining who we are and what added value a cooperative under the REWE Group umbrella offers. That needs explaining - but that is precisely where our strength lies. I myself spent many years in the sales department visiting new specialist beverage store customers. Acquisition is usually a lengthy process, as trust has to be built up. We have been very successful in this over the last few years.

one: What is the situation in the market for canteen kitchens and company canteens? Is the market still quite fragmented?

Niklas Müller: Exactly, there is great potential there, especially for medium-sized companies. They often need support in areas such as digitalisation, billing or customer management. This is precisely where we provide support by pooling resources, providing expertise and ensuring that our members remain competitive.

one: What measures does FÜR SIE use to support its members as a cooperative?

Niklas Müller: Our core mission is clear: we negotiate purchasing benefits that enable our members to make competitive offers. In addition, we offer services that would be almost impossible for individual companies to realise on their own. If you look at GVG, for example, our specialist beverage market company, it's amazing how intensively we work with these partners. From digital marketing tools and joint brands such as "DIE GETRÄNKEKÖNNER" to customer loyalty programmes, we offer our customers a wide range of services. In this way, we strengthen our members in their day-to-day business and at the same time ensure the further development of the entire network. To summarise, you could say that our cooperative makes SMEs strong.

one: We've talked about how your members and customers benefit from REWE Group. What about the other way round? What advantages does REWE Group have from FÜR SIE - apart from the volume bundling in purchasing?

Niklas Müller: We are tapping into areas in which REWE Group is not yet active and where there are still opportunities for growth. Our members contribute regional roots and market knowledge from which the entire Group benefits. It definitely goes both ways, as we utilise the strength of the Group and at the same time enrich REWE with our know-how and networks.

one: The short decision-making processes at FÜR SIE are definitely an advantage?

Niklas Müller: Definitely. Our medium-sized character allows for flat hierarchies, quick decisions and plenty of room for manoeuvre. At the same time, we are part of the REWE Trade Group and are closely networked with the Group environment. The combination of the two is what makes it so appealing, which I personally enjoy.

one: That's almost a nice conclusion. But we still have one more question, namely about Trinks. What did the REWE Group's acquisition of Trinks mean for FÜR SIE and for you as a specialist beverage retailer?

Niklas Müller: Trinks was one of the beverage wholesalers that supplied the beverage markets and points of sale on our behalf. We continue to coordinate the entire reusable drinks business on behalf of REWE and contribute our expertise. What is new is that we are now acting as joint partners: Trinks, REWE and FÜR SIE. We see this as a partnership, which ensures the quality of supply. But it is also important to note that many beverage wholesalers are themselves FÜR SIE members. We have a co-operative promotional mandate towards them. That's why we continue to use other specialised beverage wholesalers to make reusable beverage logistics efficient.

one: It must take a good deal of diplomatic skill to bundle, coordinate and harmonise so many different interests, right?

Niklas Müller: Yes, and that's also the appeal of my job. On the one hand, we are SMEs through and through - close to our members and their daily challenges. On the other hand, we have the potential of a corporate group. Both are combined by the co-operative model. The co-operative is not a model of yesterday, but one of the future. Young people in particular are looking for meaning, community and room for manoeuvre - and that is exactly what we can offer.