The food trade is once again experiencing challenging times in which more and more consumers are having to watch every cent. This makes it all the more remarkable when you hold your own in rough waters. "nahkauf is swimming along well," commented Mathis Neth to nahkauf retailers as the year drew to a close. Despite crises such as inflation and loss of purchasing power, the neighbourhood stores are doing just as well as their big sister REWE, the national sales manager continued, referring to the pleasing sales development of the more than 450 nahkauf stores nationwide.

nahkauf merchant Josef Sier in front of a selection of the competition pictures submitted. According to Neth, the success factors include the attractive REWE store brands, above all "ja!", which make the trip to the discounter superfluous and retain local purchasing power. As local full-range suppliers, nahkauf retailers have an excellent network in their community, know their customers well and can tailor their product ranges to local demand. Recent customer surveys confirm this impression: the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff in particular are the clear strengths of nahkauf stores, which customers also confirmed in the surveys. The local retailer also scored points for cleanliness, the convenient location of the stores, the car park facilities and the general atmosphere in the store. On the other hand, consumers are becoming increasingly critical and demanding, for example with regard to the availability of goods, selection or the presence of fresh produce. There are still opportunities here for one or two nahkauf stores.

The autonomously operated nahkauf boxes also utilise the opportunity to bind additional purchasing power and close gaps in supply. According to Mathis Neth, the six pilot stores so far have recorded a stable and solid development in terms of revenue and customer frequency.

A whole month dedicated to charity - in September it was that time again: "Heart Month" was all about children in need. With the support of schools, kindergartens, associations and local politicians, the market teams organised numerous campaigns, the proceeds of which benefited children in need. The shopping bag painting competition was also part of the programme. A total of 208,975.61 euros was raised through the market campaigns and the donation button at the tills alone - a new record. Experience has shown that this amount will increase considerably before the ZDF charity gala on 9 December.

The exemplary social commitment is just one example of nahkauf's strong development in recent years. Next year, the brand will be celebrating its 15th birthday.