At this year’s ‘Supermarket Stars’ awards organised by the Lebensmittel Zeitung (LZ), the spotlight was once again on the people who shape and drive the retail sector every day. The prestigious industry award was presented during the evening at the Palmengarten in Frankfurt.
The Supermarket Stars recognise retailers, leaders and teams who set new standards through entrepreneurial courage, outstanding day-to-day performance and innovative ideas.
REWE was also well represented this year – three REWE colleagues and one REWE store team were delighted to receive an award that evening.
Store manager Fabio Inverso, who is currently in the process of setting up his own business, has been running the store on Munich’s Würmtalstraße – which is housed in a listed farmhouse – since autumn 2023. Supporting his staff is his top priority: “Whether they’re career changers, apprentices or people with a background in inclusion – everyone is welcome in our team.” The team – comprising 67 staff members, including 10 apprentices – is fully behind their boss. “I’m truly more than happy to have such a strong team by my side. We all do our very best for our customers every day and support one another.” For its customers, the supermarket team focuses above all on service, quality, variety and regional produce.
The shop, with a sales area of 1,050m², is situated in the heart of Munich-Großhadern, between a residential area and the University Hospital. There are several other grocery and chemists’ shops in the immediate vicinity. Yet Fabio Inverso stands out with his dedicated team and has established the shop as the go-to shopping destination for Munich’s customers. He particularly impresses with special promotions. “Among other things, we organise tastings with suppliers or live cooking events,” says Inverso, who also takes to the kitchen himself to cook for his customers. “At the same time, we also take trends into account and incorporate them into our product range.” International specialities, seasonal produce, a wide range of convenience foods, an integrated drinks section and fresh, regional meat at the butcher’s counter also offer a wealth of choice.
The REWE Reinartz family, led by owner Michael Reinartz, embodies a commitment to continuity, exceptional team spirit and a strong drive for innovation. Some members of the team have been working at the site for decades, and a number of staff have played an active role in shaping the company’s development from Tengelmann through Kaiser’s to REWE. This long-established structure forms the foundation for a strong sense of togetherness and a deep identification with the store.
At the same time, the team is characterised by its openness to change and new ideas. Numerous initiatives – ranging from adjustments to the product range and new service offerings to creative marketing measures – originate directly from within the team and are implemented quickly and successfully.
Furthermore, the store team is particularly committed to the local region, including through a wide range of fundraising campaigns, such as those in aid of food banks or children’s cancer charities. This combination of team spirit, entrepreneurial thinking and local commitment makes the store an integral part of the local community.
The ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ category is open to retailers who take on responsibility at an early stage and demonstrate entrepreneurial initiative. Patrick Geisler runs a REWE Centre in Essen and, in just his third year in business, has taken over a third store, completely refurbished it and revamped its product range. With great success: the store is attracting around 2,000 additional customers per week, and revenue is also growing rapidly.
Turgut Akkaya quickly rose through the ranks in the retail sector: at the age of just 16, he began his apprenticeship at toom and discovered his passion for retail and working with people at an early age. Thanks to his high level of motivation, he quickly took on responsibility and continued to develop his skills.
After 13 years’ experience in large-scale retail, he took the next step: Akkaya took charge of his first store as store manager, initially overseeing a city-centre store in Oberursel. Further posts in Bad Homburg and Frankfurt’s Westend followed, until he eventually took over the management of a large REWE Centre in Frankfurt-Praunheim with over 100 staff.
As part of the REWE group, he now brings structure and stability to various stores as a stand-in manager and supports teams wherever he is needed. In doing so, he relies on clear communication, team spirit and leadership on an equal footing.
His extensive practical experience and his instinct for the retail trade make him a reliable pillar of support in day-to-day operations. For him, one thing is clear: “Supermarkets are my thing.”
The Supermarket Stars are a well-established industry award organised by the *Lebensmittel Zeitung* and are among the most prestigious accolades in the food retail sector. What makes them special is that, traditionally, the winners only find outwhether they have won a bronze, silver or gold medal live on stage that evening . This ensures there are genuine moments of surprise every year.