This week EG Group and REWE unveiled a new collaboration in the form of a new REWE Express forecourt concept, the first of four set to open in the Express format in Munich and Freiburg. Our webinar co-host Benjamin Nothaft has been in-store to the first site in Ungererstrasse, in Munich's Schwabing. Here he shares his view on the concept.
There's a UK feel to the forecourt design
I really liked the way the sub brands have been developed for coffee and bakery, and how they've been brought to life outside the story. This is something that we see often in markets like the UK and Ireland, but less so here in Germany. Backfrisch, for bakery and COBEA for coffee have been used both internally and externally, and both are prominent in-store.
The retail product offer really benefits from the REWE connection
There are some great products in-store, and the REWE private label offer is something that would boost any forecourt proposition. It's also offered at keen prices, and with 24 hour opening for this site, you can see there is a lot of potential for the food retail offer.
Chilled grab & go food-to-go is a highlight of the store
While there's no hot grab & go offer, the chilled offer is strong, including a tempting selection of wraps, salads and sushi. Again drawn from the REWE catalogue, this is well above what would typically fill food-to-go chiller units on German forecourts.
And there are more options to choose from behind the counter
This includes sandwiches, as well as first steps in developing hot food, via sausage and meat loaf. From a RATIONAL and my personal customer perspective, I'd love to see a wider range of hot food in-store, and in my view a catchment like this would definitely support this. I think there are some great building blocks in place in this store towards that, which could help this store be a dinner destination as much as a lunchtime one.
Meal deals and bundles are another feature
This is another area where the UK influence comes through - and while this isn't about a meal deal across the whole offer, selected deals, including a coffee and croissant for €3, or a wrap and a drink for €4, are communicated nicely via in-store digital signage, again a feature that is still underdeveloped on German forecourts.
Overall: a nice look and feel to the format with lots of potential
I liked it, and the team behind it, across REWE/ Lekkerland, EG Group and Heinrich Stracke Landenbau, have done a great job in creating a food forecourt format that's relevant to German customers. It feels like a very shoppable format, and when it's allowed to open, the combination of the in-store seating area and charging points adds further appeal, both in the short and longer term.
Want to learn more?
Why not check out our video of the concept?
We'll be discussing this store development in more detail at our forthcoming webinar, on Tuesday 25 May. when our guest will be Paul Madarieta from The GIANT Company, who will be taking us through the development of the innovative food formats GIANT Heirloom and GIANT Riverside in Philadelphia. Click here to reserve your place.