The Rewe Group announced at the Munich trade fair for real estate and investment, Expo Real, that it is to significantly increase store numbers for several of its brands, including Rewe, grocery chain “Penny” and DIY superstore “Toom”.
The expansion is not only to focus on the business group’s German domestic market, but the announcement will also benefit CEE countries as well as Austria and Italy, the company notified on Monday.
“We will continue to grow in the highly competitive German market, amongst others through our own project development. Therefor we want the best sites in the best locations. In return, we offer our partners not only the highest operator quality, but also secure rental income for decades”, said Rewe spokesperson Christian Mielsch, at their Expo Real stand.
For 2013, the business and tourism group plans "another 140 stores as well as conversions and enlargements", commented national head of expansion, Stefan Koof.
Apart from regular format stores, Rewe expands its branch network of the smaller, highly successful Rewe City stores and the large Rewe Centres.
According to Dietmar Burtzlaff, divisional director of expansion at Penny, the grocer plans more than 50 openings next year. In Austria, Italy and the seven CEE countries a total of 130 Rewe branches are to be opened.
With the construction of its new stores the Rewe Group plan focusing heavily on sustainability. The aim of the company’s “Green Building” concept is to equally take ecology, economy, technologies, processes as well as socio-cultural and site-specific aspects into consideration when planning a building.
Many of the Penny and Rewe stores opened in recent years have either already been constructed or remodeled by Green Building standards.
“With all qualitative growth goals, sustainability is a priority as well”, Burtzlaff emphasized.
By German Correspondent Friederike Schönhardt
