Hat-trick for red and white: REWE at Zeche Zollverein in Essen secured the coveted "Supermarket of the Year" industry award in three out of four categories, plus two "Employees of the Year". Two other store teams made it into the top 3.
Sustainability, regional, innovative and extremely service-oriented - with these virtues and that little bit "more", the two REWE centres in Bonn-Beuel and Jena as well as the REWE Quermann team in Bielefeld prevailed against strong competitors for the "Supermarket of the Year" industry award. The Business Administration figures were right anyway. REWE Azhari and REWE Ralf Kramer made it into the top three.
LP editors Reiner Mihr and Bettina Röttig hosted the evening
A high-calibre jury of experts once again honoured the winning stores, which once again impressively demonstrated their outstanding quality this year. The initiators, the industry magazine "Lebensmittelpraxis", and the food magazine "Meine Familie & ich" also once again awarded the coveted special prizes for the "Employee of the Year" in the food retail sector.
Lucky number 13
The number 13 has a positive connotation at the REWE Centre in Bonn-Beuel: Customers are informed about sustainability aspects such as plastic reduction, animal welfare and the PET cycle at just as many stations. The team focuses on in-house production and an extensive organic range - including in the service counters. The store also scores highly with shop-in-shop concepts for conscious nutrition and non-food areas.
REWE Center Bonn-Beuel, Am Weidenbach 31, 53229 Bonn
(winner in the category chain stores from 5,000 square metres)
- Sales area: 7,483 square metres
- Opening hours: Mon.-Sat., 7-22 hrs
- Employees (full-time): 61
- Product range: 60,000 articles
- Net revenue: 33.8 million euros
- Revenue/sqm: 4,692 euros
- Average receipt: 39.26 euros
- Store manager: André Becker
Regionality and service
The REWE Center in Jena is located in a busy shopping centre (EKZ) with a large number of specialist shops in the city's commuter belt. There are 1,200 parking spaces available for the shopping centre. The store offers a wide range of goods with many regional products and own brands. A pick-up service rounds off the offer. The REWE Centre stands out due to the variety of its own products.
REWE Centre Jena, Kesslerstraße 12, 07745 Jena
(winner in the category chain stores up to 5,000 sqm)
- Sales area: 3,500 square metres
- Opening hours: Mon.-Fri., 8-22 hrs, Sat., 8-20 hrs
- Employees (full-time): 65
- Product range: 34,952 articles
- Net revenue: 19.88 million euros
- Revenue/sqm: 5,696 euros
- Average receipt: 34.88 euros
- Store manager: Steffen Kärst
Innovative and modern
Innovative and modern - the REWE Centre Quermann was designed with great attention to detail. Regionality is emphasised in the product range. Fresh vegetables are collected three times a week directly from local farmers using the centre's own tractor. For Ines and Rainer Quermann, it was their second attempt and they brought the coveted trophy home to Bielefeld.
REWE Centre Quermann, Babenhauser Straße 20, 33631 Bielefeld
(Winner in the category independent stores over 2,500 sqm)
- Sales area: 2,962 square metres
- Opening hours: Mon.-Sat., 7-22 h
- Employees (full-time): 95
- Product range: 48,000 articles
- Net revenue: 29.5 million euros
- Revenue/sqm: 10,468 euros
- Average receipt: 32.76 euros
Completely customer-orientated
Ralf Kramer's modern store in Recklinghausen impresses with its chic design and pleasant atmosphere. Customers are offered a lot: The 45 metre-long service counter, which also includes the meat counter of the year and a hot counter, is particularly noteworthy. The store offers many regional products and original in-house brands. Extra services such as a drive-in for picking up goods or a barbecue club for meat fans round off the offer.
REWE Kramer, Oerweg 89a, 45657 Recklinghausen
(Nominated in the category Independent up to 2,500 square metres)
- Sales area: 1,610 square metres
- Opening hours: Mon.-Sat., 7-22 h
- Employees (full-time): 97
- Product range: 25,600 articles
- Net revenue: 19.6 million euros
- Revenue/sqm: 13,693 euros
- Average receipt: 26.64 euros
Strong team spirit
The flood of the century on the River Ahr has brought the multicultural team at the REWE Azhari supermarket even closer together than before. Everyone cleared away debris and mud. Owner Parviz Azhari provided the helpers with food in an unbureaucratic manner. Now life is back to normal - and they are continuing to focus on good neighbourliness - for example with a senior shuttle and delivery service. And a wide selection of Ahr wines.
REWE Azhari, Harbachstraße 19-27, 53489 Sinzig
(Nominated in the category independents up to 2,500 square metres)
- Sales area: 1,570 square metres
- Opening hours: Mon.-Sat., 7-22 h
- Employees (full-time): 34
- Product range: 18,000 articles
- Net revenue: 11.3 million euros
- Revenue/sqm: 8,297 euros
- Average receipt: 26.04 euros
Twelve retailer teams in the final round
Twelve retailer teams made it through a month-long selection process. The finalists have already implemented many measures to save resources and help customers consume and live more sustainably. Solar-powered e-charging stations for bicycles and cars are available to customers, and the topic of sustainability is also implemented in the shop design.
The stage in the Grand Hall at Zollverein belonged to them: the Supermarket Stars 2022
Particularly striking: in many stores, the service counters have been certified organic, in some cases even Demeter-certified. Traditional specialist brands are also increasingly supplementing the range of dry goods on offer. Increasing revenue from organic products is often cited as a central reason for the positive sales trends in the stores. The organic range contributes up to ten per cent of food revenue.
Employee of the year
The jury also selected the three best "Employees of the Year" from the top twelve. The colours red and white dominated here too. Patrick Jansen, master butcher at REWE Nepomuck (was already a Meat Star Talent) secured the title in the "Community & Social Commitment" category, Paul Licznerski from REWE Michael Reinartz in the "Teamwork & Innovation" category.
Patrick Jansen (24) is a master butcher who manages the ten-strong service department at REWE Nepomuck in Würselen. He ensured that two young men from socially disadvantaged backgrounds were given a career opportunity with his employer. Thanks to the personal support of REWE's young talent and joint learning sessions in their free time, the two trainees passed their final exams with flying colours. "For me, helping is a matter of course," emphasises the award winner.
"Cordiality expert" - this is how REWE salesman Michael Reinartz from Aachen describes his deputy store manager Paul Licznerski. Licznerski takes care of the decoration on the sales floor, for example, in addition to his management duties. With his fresh ideas and sense of responsibility for himself and his team, he makes a significant contribution to the company's success. "I am delighted to receive this award and am very proud of it," explains the Employee of the Year 2022 in the "Teamwork & Innovation" category.
