In the food and consumer goods industry, start-ups make up around ten per cent of the relevant players in Germany and are therefore indispensable drivers of innovative ideas and trends. REWE, as a pioneer of innovation in the food retail sector, recognised and promoted the potential of this creative diversity and innovative strength at an early stage.
With initiatives such as the REWE Startup Lounge and the annual Food Innovation Camp, there are already framework conditions and platforms in place where startups can present their products and ideas and network with industry experts and other young entrepreneurs.
As REWE has been promoting and encouraging strategic partnerships for years, the number of applications and enquiries has risen steadily in recent years. There is a great need for structured communication between potential partners and REWE. With immediate effect, there is now a central point of contact for all innovators: the REWE Innovation Hub.
© shutterstock / THICHA SATAPITANON
The service is aimed at food start-ups and innovation companies as well as the innovation departments of established partners.
The Research & Innovation department uses state-of-the-art technologies such as AI, robotics and computer vision to develop solutions for retail, Travel and Tourism and logistics. Together with start-ups and partners, prototypes are tested here that redesign the shopping and supply chain and provide customers with new experiences, while the "Food" area aims to establish new products for both bricks-and-mortar retail and delivery services.
In the FoodTech area, we work with innovators to create the next generation of food - from alternative proteins and alternative raw materials to fermentation, sugar substitutes and more. We bring these innovations to the shelves as branded products or use them to further develop REWE Group store brands in a targeted and sustainable manner.
Start-ups and founders will find all the information and background relevant to them in their own area of the nationally active "Start-Up Lounge".
Finally, "ClimateTech" addresses companies that specialise in Sustainability solutions that help REWE Group reduce its emissions and thus achieve its climate targets, e.g. in the areas of construction, energy, logistics and mobility.
© shutterstock / THICHA SATAPITANON
In addition to this broad thematic positioning, the platform offers potential partner companies and start-ups comprehensive information on processes, identifies successful product launches and investments and answers frequently asked questions.
The central element of the platform is the standardised contact form for efficiently assigning submitted ideas.
With its innovative features, the REWE Innovation Hub aims to make it easier for start-ups and potential partners to enter the market and assign them directly to the right REWE contact person. This approach enables REWE to utilise the industry's full innovation potential and pave the way for pioneering products and solutions in the retail sector.
The REWE Innovation Hub was designed and implementedby a cross-divisional and interdisciplinary project team led by Philipp Ernst (Lead Web at REWE), Selda Morina, Annika Lorenz-Kornfeld, Matthias Sinn, Nicole Bräutigam, Clement Tischer, Lynn Bornholt and Georg Reifferscheid.
