{"id":26603,"date":"2025-08-01T14:17:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T12:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/?post_type=press_release&p=26603"},"modified":"2026-03-02T14:31:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T13:31:18","slug":"start-up-lounge-to-be-rolled-out-nationally","status":"publish","type":"press_release","link":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/press-and-media\/newsroom\/press-releases\/start-up-lounge-to-be-rolled-out-nationally\/","title":{"rendered":"Start-up Lounge to be rolled out nationally"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Start-ups and influencers have been the biggest drivers of innovation in the food retail sector for years. REWE, on the other hand, is constantly working on the further development of its product ranges. This also includes supporting young entrepreneurs and making it easier for them to find shelf space. With the Start-up Lounge, REWE is now transferring a successfully established regional concept to national structures. In future, start-up products will be given a faster market launch and a nationwide presence via selected stores.<\/p>\n

Diversity in the product range is a clear differentiator for REWE and a lived customer focus. And this includes innovative products. Young companies react to food trends at lightning speed or create them. Naturally, however, they often lack important contacts, extensive industry knowledge and the professionalism required for nationwide marketing,<\/q> says Daniel Kniel, Managing Director of Goods Full-range at REWE GROUP Buying. We also find that they are reluctant to contact the ‘big REWE’. With our Start-up Lounge, we have created a contemporary, permanent and central platform for founders to get in touch with us, quickly become known and launch new products on the market. Because we are happy to help start-ups find their way to our customers.<\/q><\/p>\n

Selda Morina, Head of Start-up Lounge National \/ Innovation Management, is now the central point of contact for interested start-ups nationwide. She coordinates the selection and listing process with the already established regional contacts at the REWE branches. Together, they form the “Start-up Lounge” team, which decides which products go into testing. The new products will be available in a large number of REWE stores – probably from November. The bundled special placement will give the selected products special visibility. Every three months, the Start-up Lounge team will once again decide on the follow-up placement of their shelves with new product innovations. With regard to the next steps for the tested items, sales analyses and the evaluations of the retailers involved are also taken into account in order to consider both the category management and customer perspective. Successful start-up products are then expected to be introduced nationwide in all REWE Centers.<\/p>\n

With the Start-up Lounge, we want to establish a kind of umbrella brand, increase the visibility of our commitment and thus make it easier for young entrepreneurs to address the entire REWE,<\/q> says Selda Morina and adds: Our doors are open to all start-ups with food innovations. We are happy to take a look at everything and evaluate it individually. The entire path from the idea to the shelf is what the Start-up Lounge wants to cover as a sparring partner. We provide the necessary support in the form of advice and coaching and provide partners if we, as retail experts, are unable to help. We have a broad portfolio of cooperation partners on board who, together with us, offer the all-round carefree package for start-ups.<\/q><\/p>\n

Regional concepts and activities with and for start-ups, including those of REWE retailers, remain independent of the national start-up lounge concept. The same applies to decisions on the introduction of trend items from established brands or start-up products with a strong regional focus.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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About REWE<\/h2> <\/div>\n
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    With sales of 31.6 billion euros (2024), more than 170.000 employees and over 3,800 REWE stores, REWE Markt GmbH is one of Germany\u2019s leading food retail companies. REWE stores are run as subsidiaries or by independent REWE retailers.<\/p>\n

    The cooperatively organised REWE GROUP is one of the leading trade and tourism groups in Germany and Europe. In 2024, the company generated a total external turnover of around 96.1 billion euros. Founded in 1927, the REWE GROUP has around 380,000 employees and operates in 21 European countries.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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    \n \"thomas-bonrath\"\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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    Contact<\/h2>

    \n Thomas Bonrath <\/p>\n\n

    Head of Media Relations and Spokesperson REWE Markt<\/p>\n \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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      Press release<\/p>\n

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

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

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      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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      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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      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":"

      In future, innovative products will have a permanent place in many REWE stores<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":25149,"menu_order":0,"template":"","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":[19],"focus_theme":[142],"class_list":["post-26603","press_release","type-press_release","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-company","sales_line-rewe-group","focus_theme-undefined"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press_release\/26603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press_release"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/press_release"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press_release\/26603\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26611,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press_release\/26603\/revisions\/26611"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25149"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26603"},{"taxonomy":"sales_line","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sales_line?post=26603"},{"taxonomy":"focus_theme","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rewe-group.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/focus_theme?post=26603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}