Between wine racks from Sicily and the Palatinate, a shelf full of squeaky ducks and waving cats, a wool shelf that is so lovingly sorted that it almost looks like a small boutique, and a specially developed self-scan checkout, Johannes Fieber welcomes customers to his 5,000-square-meter market in Mannheim’s Lilienthal Center.
I’ve worked in food retail all my life,
says Fieber. He made a career at Lidl for over 13 years, most recently as country manager in the USA. Before that, he was COO in Italy and country manager in Sweden. You somehow have to be in the right place at the right time – and make an effort,
he says, soberly describing his path to the top.
His wife played a decisive role in his decision to become self-employed. She mirrored that to me: You always had the most fun when you were in the stores, with the customers and employees. You loved that,
says Fieber. This feedback was a kind of wake-up call for him – and a compass for the next stage of his career.
About:
Johannes Fieber
REWE-retailer
Sabbatical in Malta, new start on the Upper Rhine
Fieber left Germany in 2010. This was followed by positions in Italy and Sweden, then Washington D.C. as head of Lidl USA – until, after a sabbatical in Malta, he felt that he wanted to give self-employment a try. That’s when he turned his attention back home. It quickly became clear to us: if I was going to start my own business, it would probably be in Germany,
he recalls. One thing was particularly important to him: a location along the A5 between Frankfurt and Freiburg. I’ve always felt comfortable there, I used to live in Mannheim. When I lived in Freiburg, I met my future wife Valeska, and Frankfurt was always close by.
The discussions with REWE convinced him. He has now been managing the store in the Lilienthal Center for two years, and since last fall he has also been managing a second store in Mannheim.
International lessons
He brought something with him from each country: Italy gave me a love for food.
In Sweden, he appreciated the clarity: Making things simple, regulating less, leaving more to social consensus.
And in the USA? That was a completely different world, and Lidl hasn’t been on the market there for very long. It’s a real challenge every day. In the USA, the appreciation of performance is much higher, the treatment is friendlier – sometimes exuberant, but in everyday life it makes a lot of things easier. We try to establish this ‘kill it with kindness’ in our everyday market life here too.
The Statue of Liberty duck is symbolic of Johannes Fieber’s journey, which took him from Mainz via Italy, Sweden and the USA back to Germany.
Atmosphere more important than the cheapest shopping cart
Fieber knows that he has to score points against the discounters with his own resources. Price is important, but we won’t beat Aldi and Lidl on the cheapest shopping basket or the fastest shopping experience. People shop with us because it’s cleaner, because the selection is larger – and because the employees are friendly and helpful.
This means that he relies on “positive people” and leads by example, placing value on respectful interaction on an equal footing. We spend too much time here to want to surround ourselves with people who are in a bad mood or don’t pull their weight. That would come back to bite us.
Johannes Fiebers uses his international experience to create the best shopping experience.
Self-scan checkout, squeaky ducks, wool shelf and healthy trends
Fieber is particularly proud of his own innovation: the self-scan checkout with conveyor belt. I had it built myself. It means you can finally scan and pack properly with a shopping cart.
More efficient shopping – thanks to self-scan checkout with conveyor belt.
In addition, there is the attention to detail in the range: a large display shelf with plastic ducks, right next to the waving cats – a real eye-catcher for children and adults alike. Or the wool shelf that his wife initiated: beautifully decorated, color-coordinated and amazingly diverse. That’s an example of how we as a family bring ideas to the market together,
says Fieber.
He is also open to food trends: From “healthy living” to longevity products, he stocks a selection of high-quality, often higher-priced items that specifically appeal to customers who are sporty or place particular emphasis on healthy eating. This target group in particular is looking for products that you can’t find everywhere – and appreciates that we have them in our range.
Family integrated
Unlike in the past, his family is now also part of his everyday working life. His wife works with him and the children help out in the store during the vacations. This is now much more part of our family life. Before I was an employee, now I’m a shopkeeper – and the family is closer.
Fieber is looking to the future. He already runs two stores. I have learned to manage several stores and build structures. There’s still more to do,
he says. But without rushing. It’s more important to him that the energy is right – for him, his family, his team and, of course, his customers.
