{"id":26622,"date":"2025-11-05T14:48:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T13:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/?p=26622"},"modified":"2026-03-05T14:49:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T13:49:10","slug":"you-only-realize-how-valuable-the-cooperative-is-when-you-go-down-this-path-yourself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/press-and-media\/newsroom\/stories\/you-only-realize-how-valuable-the-cooperative-is-when-you-go-down-this-path-yourself\/","title":{"rendered":"“You only realize how valuable the cooperative is when you go down this path yourself.”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The next generation of the R\u00f6ckenschu\u00df family is mastering the balancing act between tradition and modernity. Korbinian R\u00f6ckenschu\u00df reveals why he prefers retail to gastronomy and how he juggles his career and family life.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Munich, an early morning. Anyone who accompanies Korbinian R\u00f6ckenschu\u00df on the way to his REWE-Marktplatz can immediately see what drives him: closeness to the people, love to the city – and the joy of a business that he sees as a stage. A smile flits across his face as he drives past the construction work for the Oktoberfest. I look forward to the Oktoberfest like a little kid every year,<\/q> he says. For him, it was more than just a folk festival\u2014it was a piece of his dreams. Because while his uncle was a restaurateur, Korbinian himself always dreamed of one day being a Oktoberfest host.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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About:<\/h2>

\n Korbinian R\u00f6ckenschu\u00df <\/p>\n\n \n

\n REWE independent retailer <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Roots in Unterbrunn<\/h2>\n

The R\u00f6ckenschuss family comes from Unterbrunn, a small town south of Munich. His great-grandfather ran a general store there, which is now run as a caf\u00e9 by Korbinian’s mother. A black-and-white photo hangs by the escalator in the market: his grandfather as a boy in front of the store. When I walk past it, I see where I come from<\/q>, says R\u00f6ckenschuss. Tradition as a foundation, modernity as a daily task.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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From hotel to business school<\/h2>\n

He was drawn to the hospitality industry at an early age. He trained at the Kempinski, worked as a waiter at the Oktoberfest and realized: this is where life pulsates, where there is a stage and responsibility. But the irregular working hours and the thought of having a family made him rethink. I wanted to create my own life, but I also wanted to be able to plan it.<\/q> So he switched to a business administration degree, which gave him the basics of business administration.<\/span><\/p>\n

Through his positions as an area manager at Norma and as a store manager at REWE, he got to know the retail industry from the ground up. The great thing was that I was able to try out a lot and always had people who encouraged me.<\/q> The support from REWE itself was particularly important to him. You only realize how valuable the cooperative is when you go down this path yourself. I learned that you don’t have to do everything on your own – the advice, experience and support from colleagues and area managers were worth of gold.<\/q><\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Korbinian R\u00f6ckenschu\u00df<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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You only realize how valuable the cooperative is when you go down this path yourself. I learned that you don’t have to do everything on your own – the advice, experience and support from colleagues and area managers were worth of gold.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/div>\n

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Korbinian R\u00f6ckenschu\u00df<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Korbinian R\u00f6ckenschu\u00df is an independent retailer, not a lone wolf.<\/p>\n<\/div> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The leap into self-employment<\/h2>\n

The big step came in 2019: the company’s own REWE in Munich city center. A project close to R\u00f6ckenschu\u00df’s heart – even if the start-up phase was tough. I thought too much about it. It didn’t go so well at the beginning. But at some point I learned to be patient.<\/q><\/span><\/p>\n

Then came corona – and perhaps the most difficult test. While supermarkets in residential areas achieved record sales, his inner-city market with its structure heavily dependent on walk-in customers suffered massively. That was brutal. We didn’t have a neighborhood that filled our store. Our customers are tourists, students, people from the doctors’ surgeries or the surrounding stores next door – and they suddenly stayed away.<\/q> But he persevered, made adjustments and adapted the product range. Today, the market is stable and has earned its place in the city center.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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A market in the heart of the city<\/h2>\n

His REWE is not a typical local supermarket. He lives from walk-in customers, from brief encounters and regular customers who greet him on the street. There are days when I see the same customer ten times. Once he buys a water, then a sandwich, then cigarettes.<\/q><\/p>\n

At lunchtime, it’s a busy time. The customers have salad boxes or baked goods in their hands, the self-service tills are buzzing and the queue is quickly disappearing. R\u00f6ckenschu\u00df smiles: That’s the beauty and the effort – you’re never finished.<\/q> He is constantly adding rows of shelves, looking for more stock, even though there is barely enough space. If I could, I would break through the wall immediately and add 100 square meters.<\/q> Instead, he optimizes in detail, recalculates, adjusts.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Korbinian R\u00f6ckenschu\u00df<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n

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That’s the beauty and the effort – you’re never finished.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n <\/div>\n

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Korbinian R\u00f6ckenschu\u00df<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Korbinian R\u00f6ckenschuss, brief encounters with regular customers.<\/p>\n<\/div> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Advice to new retailers<\/h2>\n

When asked what he would like to pass on to young retailers, he answers emphatically: You don’t need to be afraid. Customers, employees, goods – they already know that from their everyday lives. The rest comes naturally. The important thing is not to be too shy to simply ask. If I’m stuck, I call my colleagues – or the area manager. Pragmatism helps more than perfectionism.<\/q> His recipe: composure, patience and networking. We are retailers, not lone wolves. You don’t have to be able to do everything on your own.<\/q><\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Family as an antithesis<\/h2>\n

As much as the market challenges him, his priorities are clear. Work never gets boring, but I also want to remain a family man.<\/q> That’s why he often drives home around 4 p.m., picks up his son Korbinian – the fifth generation to bear his name – from soccer and looks forward to his daughter Johanna, whose name his wife was allowed to choose. I want the children to experience me now. When they’re 14, they might say: Dad, leave me alone anyway.<\/q> His wife supports him with the office work in the background from home. And the first walk in the morning at just after five o’clock still takes him to his mother’s caf\u00e9 – back to his roots.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Looking ahead<\/h2>\n

At 38, he still has a long way to go. Maybe there will be a second market at some point, more rural, with more space. But it has to fit – and make economic sense.<\/q> He still enjoys the city, the challenge, the daily race to find the best solution. And while customers continue to stream through the aisles of the market, the salad bowls clatter and the tills beep, Korbinian R\u00f6ckenschu\u00df seems content. Independent retailer, family man, city dweller – and someone who knows that tradition and the future can come together perfectly in a market.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/div>\n\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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    Press release<\/p>\n

    24 September 2026<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n

    From the REWE GROUP for customers: toom Baumarkt DIY store and fulfillmenttools lay the foundation for flexible omnichannel services<\/h3>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n <\/li>\n
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    \n \"Teaser-Lionel-Souque-und-Bruno-Wenn_Collage\"\n\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n\n
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    Press release<\/p>\n

    14 September 2026<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n

    REWE GROUP Supports Cologne Cultural Fund<\/h3>\n

    Funding model helps the independent arts scene attract federal and EU funding to Cologne<\/p>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n <\/li>\n

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    Press release<\/p>\n

    17 August 2026<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n

    S&P Reaffirms REWE GROUP’s \u201cBBB\u201d Rating (Outlook Stable)\u00a0<\/h3>\n

    REWE Group remains in a strong financial position and is focused on long-term growth through strategic investments<\/p>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n <\/li>\n

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    Story<\/p>\n

    10 August 2026<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n

    Winter Vacation: The Waiting Game Is Over<\/h3>\n

    Recently, the number of bookings for the winter season has been picking up significantly again. Half of all bookings made with our tour operators are for long-haul destinations, and flexible travel options and unique experiences are very much in vogue. Here\u2019s an overview of the highlights from the new itineraries<\/p>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n <\/li>\n

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    Press release<\/p>\n

    24 July 2026<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n

    Strategic Expansion of Hotel Operations: DERTOUR Group Becomes Sole Owner of DSR Hotel Holding<\/h3>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n <\/li>\n
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    Story<\/p>\n

    23 July 2026<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n

    “I’m an optimistic person. I’ve always been that way.”<\/h3>\n

    For Ines Batz of DERTOUR, the effectiveness of her appreciative, positive, and calm leadership style was evident not only during stressful periods at work but also during a personal crisis: Her team naturally stepped in and supported her through that time. From her own career experience, she also knows that no one is perfectly prepared for a leadership position. Her advice to other women: Take it one step at a time\u2014with courage, curiosity, and confidence.<\/p>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n <\/li>\n

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    Story<\/p>\n

    22 July 2026<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n

    Sports Bring People Together: Inclusion Right in the Heart of the Neighborhood<\/h3>\n

    What\u2019s it like to play wheelchair basketball? Florian S\u00f6rensen, manager of the sales department, tried it out for himself at the inclusive family sports festival in Berlin-Reinickendorf in early July. A few meters away, European Para-Badminton Champion Rick Hellmann was playing with guests. Fifty meters away, children were climbing a tower made of empty water crates, while at the many other booths, people were discussing the theme of the day: the self-determined participation of people with disabilities in social life.<\/p>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\n<\/div>\n <\/li>\n

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    Story<\/p>\n

    15 July 2026<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n

    CSD 2026: Take a Stand. Embrace Diversity.<\/h3>\n

    Together with our LGBTIQ employee network, DITO, we are once again participating in numerous Christopher Street Days and Pride events this year. For the first time, we\u2019ll have trucks in six German cities, and we\u2019re also supporting numerous regional Pride events as well as initiatives organized by our regional offices and retailers. We are also sending a clear message of diversity at our locations in Austria, Italy, and Slovakia. <\/p>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/a>\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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    \n Join the discussion on LinkedIn <\/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

    \n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Independent retailer instead of Oktoberfest host: a portrait of Korbinian R\u00f6ckenschu\u00df<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":25508,"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":[8],"tags":[],"sales_line":[15],"focus_theme":[142],"class_list":["post-26622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-company","sales_line-rewe","focus_theme-undefined"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26622","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\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26622"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26622\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27899,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26622\/revisions\/27899"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25508"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26622"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26622"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26622"},{"taxonomy":"sales_line","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sales_line?post=26622"},{"taxonomy":"focus_theme","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/focus_theme?post=26622"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}