THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX FOR REWE
Providing a full assessment and virtual experience of the most innovative retail outlets in Europe, we delivered major success in connecting core REWE staff, provided actionable environmental opportunities for their stores and sparked new ideas about what’s possible in retail. We connected REWE’s management to new information, new opportunities and most importantly, to themselves ensuring the learning continues to deliver actionable and sustainable results.
REWE
Cologne, Germany
380,000+ employees
Supermarkets / Retail
REWE is one of Europe’s leading supermarket chains employing 330,000 staff in 15,000 stores across 19 European countries. Their services cater to twelve million customers every day across groceries, DIY, gardening and vacations.
Top Challenges
- Discover new innovations in retail
- Understand current retail trends
- Learn from smaller, disruptive store concepts
- Unlock a vision of how retail might look in years to come
Why Cosaris?
- Expertise in unique learning experiences
- Ability to deliver practical concepts
- Bespoke assessment of brand’s current challenges and opportunities
- Strong presentation skills
- Connected entire REWE management team
Key project successes
- Innovative presentation on current state of retail
- Life leadership seminar for C-level stakeholders
- Major success in kickstarting conversation between core REWE staff
- Presented environmental trends with actionable opportunities for REWE
THEIR CHALLENGE
To engage their internal staff into thinking bigger and driving innovative concepts and strategies to improve shopper marketing and be ahead of the curve on upcoming retail and environmental trends both nationally and internationally.
A BESPOKE SOLUTION
Cosaris assessed the brand’s current situation and decided to deliver an immersive, connected learning experience to excite their leadership team and spark new ideas about what’s possible in retail. Our approach was to focus on three major tasks, firstly a comprehensive research project on the future of retail for which we conducted thorough visits and interviews with some of the most innovative retail outlets in Europe gaining invaluable insights from retail, manufacturing, logistics and academic experts to determine future food retail challenges, and what retail success looks like now and in years to come. Secondly, we provided a custom gap analysis for REWE to benchmark itself against its competitors and its current challenges whilst also providing insights from different sectors. Finally, we brought all the research and findings together for a full leadership seminar in Munich which included the innovative virtual study tour highlighting major topics from the research as well as showcasing creative store concepts and unique ideas for them to action.
“[Cosaris] opened the eyes of our managers to the different concepts other stores are using. It encouraged managers to think about concepts such as social space and shoppers’ in-store needs. It allowed them to think freely about what could be done without being constrained by traditional thinking.”
A 360º CONNECTION
Learning
Benjamin Franklin said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” Cosaris took this to heart with REWE delivering an interactive seminar and virtual tour of the most exciting and innovative retails spaces whilst ensuring the seminar involved them in how to fill their skill gaps, discover opportunities and change how retail thinks. Our research and presentation was followed up with breakout groups, strategic vision forums and marketing discussion groups to ensure the learning was actionable and put to immediate practical use.
Collaboration
Being part of a team is so rewarding when it all works well. We wanted the data and learning we provided to be vital for all stakeholders - shoppers, employees, and suppliers as well as top-tier retail management – but more than that we wanted REWE to use it to build their own connections too. We looked at the subject from multiple angles including health and wellbeing, social and environmental responsibilities, new technology and innovation. Uniting them with ideas from exciting brands across Europe was more than just a research project, it showed REWE how ideas and trends can grow when you expand your network and connect all your stakeholders, both internal and external.
Engagement
Studies show transparent communication improves employee engagement, so we ensured our partnership with REWE provided clear and practical insights alongside a chance to communicate during the presentation. In contrast to dull PowerPoint presentations, we energised the senior managers by challenging their conceptions of retail and in doing so allowed them to have autonomy over how REWE can adapt, grow and increase their reach and profitability.
As Philipp Grofe. Head of Shopper Marketing, Strategy and Analytics, REWE Group, noted: “It got managers to think outside the box when it comes to future possibilities in the FMCG market. It helped us take a more strategic approach, rather than concentrating on our core business in isolation. In conclusion, it has allowed us to take a much broader view on what we can do.”
Experiences
Cosaris transform the way businesses interact by providing unforgettable experiences which build cooperation and uncover opportunities. For REWE our approach was to bring the experience of a site visit, a tech expo and a personal shopping trip across multiple sites all under one immersive digital presentation, which was delivered as part of the life leadership seminar in Munich. By experiencing innovations from outside their own retail silo and then discuss these as a team, REWE were able to open their minds, collaboratively overcome their own challenges and practically address how to leverage new opportunities for their brand’s retail strategy.
