http://www.german-retail-blog.com Letters from Mike Dawson, Editor of Lebensmittel Zeitung Wed, 29 Jan 2014 14:17:03 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.1 Letters from Mike Dawson, Editor of Lebensmittel Zeitung Mike Dawson clean Mike Dawson mike.dawson@t-online.de mike.dawson@t-online.de (Mike Dawson) Lebensmittel Zeitung Letters from Mike Dawson, Editor of Lebensmittel Zeitung retail, fmcg, grocery, economy, business, germany, food, industry, consumer, interviews http://www.german-retail-blog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/GRB-Podcast-Logo2.jpg http://www.german-retail-blog.com Frankfurt, Germany http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2014/01/24/lidl-cokes-the-fire/ http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2014/01/24/lidl-cokes-the-fire/#comments Fri, 24 Jan 2014 08:25:08 +0000 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/?p=33317 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2014/01/24/lidl-cokes-the-fire/feed/ 0 Lidl's delisting of Coca-Cola is a strange decision for a retailer in a World Cup year about to enter the U.S. Has an excess of testosterone triumphed over reason? Lidl's delisting of Coca-Cola is a strange decision for a retailer in a World Cup year about to enter the U.S. Has an excess of testosterone triumphed over reason? Mike Dawson clean 5:52 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/11/06/thinking-german-ecommerce/ http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/11/06/thinking-german-ecommerce/#comments Wed, 06 Nov 2013 15:30:31 +0000 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/?p=33086 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/11/06/thinking-german-ecommerce/feed/ 2 The CEOs of Tengelmann and Kaufhof provided an excellent overview of online retailing in Germany at the Neocom mail order congress in Dusseldorf. The CEOs of Tengelmann and Kaufhof provided an excellent overview of online retailing in Germany at the Neocom mail order congress in Dusseldorf. Mike Dawson clean 6:19 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/10/24/food-quality-made-in-japan-2/ http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/10/24/food-quality-made-in-japan-2/#comments Thu, 24 Oct 2013 15:11:52 +0000 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/?p=32982 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/10/24/food-quality-made-in-japan-2/feed/ 1 The Japanese look aghast at the way food is treated as a mere commodity in western retailing. Can they teach us something about value-added? The Japanese look aghast at the way food is treated as a mere commodity in western retailing. Can they teach us something about value-added? Mike Dawson clean 7:10 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/10/21/world-retail-congress-revisited/ http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/10/21/world-retail-congress-revisited/#comments Mon, 21 Oct 2013 11:23:16 +0000 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/?p=32881 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/10/21/world-retail-congress-revisited/feed/ 3 This year's venue in Paris was successful and authoritative, but revealed a generation conflict within the trade and left a surreal impression. This year's venue in Paris was successful and authoritative, but revealed a generation conflict within the trade and left a surreal impression. Mike Dawson clean 10:48 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/09/27/bullying-at-aldi/ http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/09/27/bullying-at-aldi/#comments Fri, 27 Sep 2013 12:56:15 +0000 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/?p=32788 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/09/27/bullying-at-aldi/feed/ 0 Aldi has admitted to an incident where trainees were humiliated by management and staff. In PR terms the matter has been professionally handled, but will this harm Aldi's otherise good image with young jobseekers? Aldi has admitted to an incident where trainees were humiliated by management and staff. In PR terms the matter has been professionally handled, but will this harm Aldi's otherise good image with young jobseekers? Mike Dawson clean 4:48 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/09/20/kingfisher-plans-german-entry/ http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/09/20/kingfisher-plans-german-entry/#comments Fri, 20 Sep 2013 14:07:16 +0000 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/?p=32685 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/09/20/kingfisher-plans-german-entry/feed/ 0 Kingfisher, the UK's leading DIY retailer, wants to re-enter Germany in summer 2014. Have the Brits gone mad, or do they have an ace up their sleeve? Kingfisher, the UK's leading DIY retailer, wants to re-enter Germany in summer 2014. Have the Brits gone mad, or do they have an ace up their sleeve? Mike Dawson clean 7:42 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/09/12/rewe-ends-coopernic-alliance-with-leclerc/ http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/09/12/rewe-ends-coopernic-alliance-with-leclerc/#comments Thu, 12 Sep 2013 15:10:15 +0000 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/?p=32654 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/09/12/rewe-ends-coopernic-alliance-with-leclerc/feed/ 0 France's Leclerc and Germany's Rewe have fallen out over European buying alliance Coopernic. Are retailers capable of international cooperation? France's Leclerc and Germany's Rewe have fallen out over European buying alliance Coopernic. Are retailers capable of international cooperation? Mike Dawson clean 6:10 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/09/06/metros-frans-muller-joins-delhaize/ http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/09/06/metros-frans-muller-joins-delhaize/#comments Fri, 06 Sep 2013 13:40:24 +0000 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/?p=32626 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/09/06/metros-frans-muller-joins-delhaize/feed/ 3 In November Metro Group's former Cash & Carry boss becomes the new CEO of Belgian retailer Delhaize. Will it end in tears? In November Metro Group's former Cash & Carry boss becomes the new CEO of Belgian retailer Delhaize. Will it end in tears? Mike Dawson clean 7:00 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/08/30/tesco-com-inspires-rewe/ http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/08/30/tesco-com-inspires-rewe/#comments Fri, 30 Aug 2013 14:26:47 +0000 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/?p=32594 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/08/30/tesco-com-inspires-rewe/feed/ 1 True to form, Alain Caparros used his coquettish charm to make a disarmingly forthright speech at the Hessischer Handelstag (Hessian Retail Day) in Wiesbaden this Tuesday. - The CEO of Rewe, Germany’s second-largest bricks & mortar food retailer, True to form, Alain Caparros used his coquettish charm to make a disarmingly forthright speech at the Hessischer Handelstag (Hessian Retail Day) in Wiesbaden this Tuesday. The CEO of Rewe, Germany’s second-largest bricks & mortar food retailer, admitted to mixed feelings about “embarking on the adventure that is online retailing”. But Caparros clearly feels obliged to give “clicks” another push for strategic reasons. Or why else would he have recruited former Tesco.com manager Jean-Jacques van Oosten? Taking the best “We are bringing in the best people on the market,” says Caparros who has appointed van Oosten as Chief Digital Officer as from December 1. The Belgian manager, who will report to Rewe board member Lionel Souque, was CIO & Non-Food Change Director at trendsetting Tesco.com from 2008 to 2011 and has also worked for UK multiple Kingfisher. Van Oosten’s role will be to “boost the digitalisation of the business” in all Rewe formats. This also includes marketing and “the development of new online-based business ideas”. The new kid on the block will certainly have his work cut out for him. Rewe runs an online supermarket in only seven German cities and wants to retain the click & collect points in its stores despite their “not working in Germany”. In the red Rewe is also prepared to accept further losses in the digital world. “We will make money with our delivery service once it has reached a critical mass,” says Caparros who pleaded for “staying power and a lot of patience.” Two big cities will be added to Rewe’s delivery portfolio this year as tests in the provincial town of Homberg point to insufficient revenues in countryside regions. This will increasingly pitch Rewe against start-up company Food.de which is already in 27 cities and wants to kick off soon in Hamburg and Stuttgart. All competitors, however, are in the same hard race. Margins in German food retailing are notoriously low, and store densities are among the highest in Europe. At the end of the day, it hardly matters whether food ordered online is delivered directly, sent by post or collected at a store drive-in: there ain’t much money in it, folks! Still a niche Surely this explains why food online retailing remains a niche in Germany where the Institut für Handelsforschung (Institute for Retail Research) estimates that it only has around 0.2 per cent of the national market. Admittedly, overall online delivery revenues are set to increase by around 10 per cent this year, but that is from a very low base of just a few millions. “The German food online market is developing slowly…and we are not considering expansion at the moment,” confirms Henrik Haenecke, boss of Tengelmann-subsidiary Bringmeister. The company has been selling food on the web since 1997, but, significantly, limits its services to Munich, Berlin, Dusseldorf. Against this backdrop it will be fascinating to see whether the international management know-how Caparros has brought in with Jean-Jacques van Oosten will take Rewe.com, if not to victory, then at least into the black. Till then, it may not be blood and tears, but much toil and sweat.   Based on articles by Annette C. Müller & Manuela Ohs in Lebensmittel Zeitung, no. 35, dated 30.08.2013.   Podcast. Click arrow to listen to an audio version of the text:   Mike Dawson clean 5:11 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/08/23/end-of-the-mega-malls/ http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/08/23/end-of-the-mega-malls/#comments Fri, 23 Aug 2013 15:39:43 +0000 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/?p=32534 http://www.german-retail-blog.com/2013/08/23/end-of-the-mega-malls/feed/ 0 On August 29 the Skyline Plaza will open in Frankfurt. Just another big shopping centre? Or will the growing popularity of online shopping doom it to failure? On August 29 the Skyline Plaza will open in Frankfurt. Just another big shopping centre? Or will the growing popularity of online shopping doom it to failure? Mike Dawson clean 7:24