{"id":23434,"date":"2024-05-06T15:13:06","date_gmt":"2024-05-06T13:13:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/de\/?p=36028"},"modified":"2024-09-05T13:12:04","modified_gmt":"2024-09-05T11:12:04","slug":"a-family-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/press-and-media\/newsroom\/stories\/a-family-business\/","title":{"rendered":"A family business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The people who work at Udo Ridders\u2019 store on Cologne\u2019s Eigelstein street are as diverse as their customers. They are a model of diversity in action. The members of the team explain to us what makes working there so special.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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16 June 2021<\/p>\n

Diversity in the REWE Group: \u201cThe language barrier was easy enough to overcome, but cultural differences remain a challenge\u201d<\/h2> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/button>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The store employs more than 50 people, some who have been there from the very beginning, while others have just been hired. Half a dozen nationalities are represented, and there are people with the most varied life experiences and plans for the future. The team that keeps Udo Ridders\u2019 REWE store running is diverse in the best sense of the word, just as diverse as Eigelstein, the street near Cologne\u2019s main train station where the REWE store is located \u2013 a street that gave its name to an entire neighbourhood. We had a few questions for the boss and his employees: How do the store and customers find one another? What\u2019s the secret for living together in harmony? What\u2019s special about working at this store, in all of its diversity? Here\u2019s what they told us:<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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I had just come out as gay when I took over the store. Our customers appreciated that I was so open and honest. I think that was a big step in our cooperative relationship. Over the years we\u2019ve come to know a wide variety of people, including performers from \u201cStartreff\u201c (Editor\u2019s note: a nearby drag show). During the COVID-19 pandemic, the artists were unable to perform because everything was shut down. A few of them came to work for us on a temporary basis. For us, diversity is not just empty words, but an imperative. Here on Eigelstein, homophobia is not an issue; indeed, gay people have always been accepted. There is a sense of solidarity. We maintain positive relationships with organisations and initiatives that support immigrants. For example, they always think of the Ridders REWE store when seeking internships. So new people are constantly joining us. For some it\u2019s the start of a new career. At first, when employees are still struggling with the language, I usually have them work in the warehouse. Most of all, work should be fun. I still spend a lot of time playing an active role in the store; I\u2019m someone who simply has to be on the front lines. If I do these jobs, I can expect my employees to do them as well.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/div>\n

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Udo Ridders, Manager of the REWE store on Eigelstein street<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Udo Ridders, Manager of the REWE store on Eigelstein street<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Born in Brazil, I have lived in Germany for the past 32 years. I was a customer before I started working here. I\u2019m a queer DJ, that\u2019s my main occupation. During COVID, I wasn\u2019t able to do my regular job because everything was shut down. I didn\u2019t want to simply wait for things to get better, so I applied for a job with Ridders. I\u2019ve been here since 2021. The environment and working hours are very different from what I was used to as a DJ. The job is really fun. Becoming part of the group wasn\u2019t a problem at all. Everyone has their own view of life, and that\u2019s a good thing; we all get along very well. We just have to accept and respect one another. It\u2019s a cultural dialogue \u2013 we learn a lot from each other. Genuine friendships have been formed, and some of my colleagues come to the parties where I perform as a drag queen.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/div>\n

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Fernando Bastos, Temporary employee at Ridders\u2019 REWE store<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Fernando Bastos, Temporary employee at Ridders\u2019 REWE store<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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I came to Germany from Damascus in 2015, and I\u2019ve been with Ridders for the past five years. I really enjoy working here. It\u2019s a home from home. It\u2019s great to have so much contact with customers and colleagues. At first it was rather difficult because I didn\u2019t yet know all of them. I worked to improve my language skills and continue my training at a vocational school, which was very helpful. The store is also a place where integration takes place, because we work with people of many different nationalities. We talk about the various cultures we all come from.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/div>\n

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Ghiath Hobbi, Substitute&closing staff at Ridders\u2019 REWE store<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Ghiath Hobbi, Substitute&closing staff at Ridders\u2019 REWE store<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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I was already a Ridders customer as a child; I used to go shopping there with my mum. We liked the store because of its atmosphere and because of its Turkish employees. So when I was in the ninth grade and looking for an internship, the REWE store was an obvious choice. I completed my first internship here, when I was 15. I like the casual atmosphere, the diversity. Being acknowledged and respected by colleagues is important to me. I see that as the key to positive, successful cooperation. Whether a team is large or small, it needs to stand together. I learned that working for Mr Ridders. The team is like the solid masonry that holds a building together \u2013 we\u2019re like family and considerate of one another. We try to be there for each other and work together to solve the problems that arise. Mr Ridders has always been there for us. And we, in turn, feel like Udo Ridders\u2019 family.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/div>\n

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Metin Kir, Manager at Ridders\u2019 REWE store<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Metin Kir, Manager at Ridders\u2019 REWE store<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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I arrived here from Ecuador 24 years ago, knowing very little German at the time. I was looking for work, and in 2001 I asked Mr Ridders for a job. Today, I know that I was lucky \u2013 to find this boss and this company. My responsibilities include dairy products and convenience foods, tidying up, and restocking the shelves. I enjoy my job. It\u2019s fun because the boss is a great guy who puts everyone in a good mood. I\u2019ve met people of many different nationalities and never had any problems. They\u2019re like my second family.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/div>\n

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Maria Riccio de DiMarco, Employee at Ridders\u2019 REWE store in charge of dairy products and convenience food<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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Maria Riccio de DiMarco, Employee at Ridders\u2019 REWE store in charge of dairy products and convenience food<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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About the store<\/h2>\n

In 1997, Udo Ridders started his own business with his REWE store, initially at Eigelstein 50-51, the location of today’s PENNY store. In 2006, the store moved to number 80-88, where a Globus hypermarket had previously been located. There, Ridders and his team occupy 1,800 square meters of sales space, spread over two floors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Read more<\/h2>\n \n <\/div>\n
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    \n \"Portrait\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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    Story<\/p>\n

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    24 February 2026<\/p>\n

    Sebastian Stein: From nahkauf sales manager to REWE retailer<\/h3> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/button>\n<\/div>\n <\/li>\n
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    9 February 2026<\/p>\n

    From market manager to independent retailer in Kiel<\/h3> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/button>\n<\/div>\n <\/li>\n
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    4 February 2026<\/p>\n

    Pawsome dream jobs: Malte Kramer is Category Manager at ZooRoyal<\/h3> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/button>\n<\/div>\n <\/li>\n
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    5 December 2025<\/p>\n

    “Kill it with kindness” – Johannes Fiebers on his journey from Lidl world traveler to REWE independent retailer<\/h3> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/button>\n<\/div>\n <\/li>\n
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    24 November 2025<\/p>\n

    Pawsome dream jobs: Tim Heiler is an aquarist at ZooRoyal<\/h3> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/button>\n<\/div>\n <\/li>\n
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    20 November 2025<\/p>\n

    Innovative plant-based protein products: “Our guests love the vegan range”<\/h3> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/button>\n<\/div>\n <\/li>\n
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    Story<\/p>\n

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    6 November 2025<\/p>\n

    Pawsome dream jobs: Andrea Ozekker is a groomer at ZooRoyal<\/h3> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/button>\n<\/div>\n <\/li>\n
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    Story<\/p>\n

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    25 September 2025<\/p>\n

    “A clear commitment to diversity”<\/h3> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n <\/button>\n<\/div>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    Join the discussion on <\/h2>\n
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    Our LinkedIn feed has all the latest information from the REWE Group and the sector, with the most important developments from the worlds of retail, e-commerce, food, CSR and policy.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

    \n \n To LinkedIn feed <\/a>\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n

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    With more than 50 employees and half a dozen nationalities, the REWE store on Eigelstein street is a model of diversity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":21584,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","nl_adhoc_sent":1,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"sales_line":[15],"focus_theme":[142],"class_list":["post-23434","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-careers","sales_line-rewe","focus_theme-undefined"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23434","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23434"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23434\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23652,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23434\/revisions\/23652"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23434"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23434"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23434"},{"taxonomy":"sales_line","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sales_line?post=23434"},{"taxonomy":"focus_theme","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/focus_theme?post=23434"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}