Rewe local partnership program “refreshed”

Rewe Germany presented at Berlin’s International Green Week a new approach to local cooperation. As a pioneer in Germany’s food retail sector, Rewe aims to increase support to local suppliers and producers with its “Local Partnership” model. Its goal is to set binding parameters for cooperation and also helping to preserve agricultural structures. Rewe retailers, store managers and local representatives in the various regions connect local suppliers and producers’ organizations with their nearest Rewe supermarket. For example, they may assist with marketing by listing products or serve as direct, on-site contacts.

Guidance to shorter supply chains

Local partnerships provide reliable guidance to local suppliers and producers in their business relationships with Rewe retailers and store managers. Rewe also seeks to retain the expertise and manual skills of local industry and enable local stakeholders to engage in long-term planning. The position of local representatives were created specifically for this purpose, who work with retailers and store managers. Together, they provide local suppliers with a wide range of help and support to enable them to use synergies and to grow together in close, trusting cooperation.

New roles

In addition, the Rewe Group has appointed lawyer Andreas von Máriássy to the role of external “ombudsman”. Those involved at the local level can contact him if they have any concerns or problems. He is also the cooperative’s compliance officer. One of his responsibilities is to examine any information that he receives and to determine the further course of action to be taken with the Rewe Group. Upon request, the ombudsman protects the identity of whistleblowers. This service is available to them at no cost. With its “Local Partnership” model, the Rewe Group is setting new standards for local cooperation in Germany’s retail food sector. Not only does it benefit small, local suppliers and producers, it also enables individual customers to find more local products in a nearby supermarket.

Rewe Group in numbers

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’s leading food retail companies. Rewe stores are run as subsidiaries or by independent Rewe retailers. The cooperatively organized 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.

For more information on Rewe and its local partnership program you can write here.