EDEKA - The store of the future in Nauen, Germany
#6: The opening
On Thursday, 29th August 2024, the EDEKA Future Market in Nauen opened its doors to local customers under the management of Managing Director and EDEKA owner Christian Dorfmann.
With the realisation of the EDEKA Future Market as the most sustainable and innovative store in the entire region, the regional company EDEKA Minden-Hannover and Schweitzer have achieved another milestone in the corporate histories of both companies.
Sustainable measures are being implemented in all areas of the 2,500 m² sales area. For example, natural insulating materials and low-CO2 concrete were used during construction, a photovoltaic system with battery storage was installed on the roof and solar carports were installed in the car park. Rainwater is used for the sanitary facilities and the waste heat from the Waterloop refrigeration system is used to heat the store.
The focus of the overall concept is on sustainability through reduction.
Everything superfluous has been omitted from both the architecture and the entire shop construction. The building itself is a timber construction in passive design, which is not commonplace in the food industry. As a partner for shopfitting, store design and refrigeration, we at Schweitzer and Interstore contributed our expertise to develop and implement innovative solutions for the requirements in terms of sustainability.
Christian Dorfmann
Managing Director of the EDEKA Future Market in Nauen:
‘The all-encompassing basic claim of the Future Market is to be as sustainable as possible: from the architecture to the shop fitting and store design as well as the actual management. For me, sustainability in this case means, among other things, reducing or doing without what is unnecessary. This approach can be found throughout the market.’
Our experts at Interstore, with the support of our subsidiary agency Jos de Vries in Amsterdam, implemented this requirement in the store concept and developed the leitmotif ‘The future is...’. This runs like a red thread through the entire shop space.
The aim of the store concept was to support the pleasant atmosphere created by the wooden architecture in the shopfitting, furnishings and graphics. While steel and solid wood were used in the shopfitting, the use of neutral colours (white, natural wood) and the reduction to the most essential materials contribute to the lightness of the ambience. This emphasises the focus on the main protagonist of the entire presentation: the products.
As a result, the number of panelling, decorations and decorative elements has been reduced to a minimum. All of the decorations are made from recycled materials or were sourced at flea markets and second-hand shops. Even all non-merchandise items such as couches and lounge elements in the catering area are second-hand. For example, floating 3D elements made from recycled PE materials help with customer orientation in the store. These and all printed graphics can be fully recycled at the end of their service life.
In all departments of the store of the future, the focus in product selection is on regional products that have travelled as few kilometres as possible. This applies to the extensive fruit and vegetable department and, where possible, all ingredients used in the catering departments - sushi, fresh food and salad bar.
One of the highlights of the retail space is ‘Dorfmann's meeting point’ and the lounge bar above it, appropriately named ‘Überschaubar’. Both invite shoppers to linger and offer an impressive view of the entire market. The gallery will also host tastings and other events in future.
‘Dorfmanns Hofladen’ is a special point of contact on the site. In this point of sale inspired by farmers' markets, various regional producers are given the opportunity to present and sell their products at varying intervals.
The WWF partnership with EDEKA Minden-Hannover accompanies the shopper through the entire store with a design adapted to the store concept in the form of messages and tips on climate protection on screens, walls and pillars. The in-store communication serves to provide information and knowledge.
The cheese island is another highlight of the shop design. The construction, which also houses the bakery, is connected to a waterloop system. This means that this department can be dismantled, extended or relocated quickly and easily, just like a prefabricated house.
All wall-mounted refrigeration units, freezer islands and self-service and serve-over counters in the fresh food areas are produced by Schweitzer and are modular and autonomous. This means that each unit can be quickly dismantled and rearranged, meaning that any conversions can be carried out in the coming years with little effort.
Bernhard Schweitzer
CEO & Owner Schweitzer:
‘At the EDEKA Future Market in Nauen, in addition to the store design and shopfitting, we have also implemented the latest generation of our Waterloop system, including plug-in refrigeration units and counters from our own production. As a world first in a single project, we are combining an exciting, inspiring shopping experience with the latest sustainable refrigeration technology in the areas of system construction (Waterloop), refrigeration units (all with 500 g R290) and flexible counter systems (ready to plug in with connection to the Waterloop). Our flexible systems also make it easy and straightforward to change departments to meet changing customer needs.’
The use of the Waterloop system in the EDEKA Future Market in Nauen
The Waterloop is a fully integrated refrigeration system in which plug-in refrigeration units are connected in a closed water circuit. The resulting waste heat is transported out of the store via a pipework system. The waste heat from the compressors is transferred to the water circuit via a heat exchanger and used to heat the store. On particularly cold days, the peak load is covered by an additional air-to-water heat pump. The passive house standard and the exclusive use of panel heating enable low flow temperatures for the heating and thus the direct utilisation of waste heat from all refrigeration units and points in the concrete core activation.
This system makes it much easier to relocate refrigeration units in the building in the future than with refrigeration units connected to a central refrigeration system. The elimination of the central refrigeration system also saves space for a refrigeration machine room.
This combination of state-of-the-art waterloop technology from Schweitzer with heat recovery via concrete core activation is the most energy-efficient solution to CO2 on the market. There is currently no CO2 solution that can offer the same added value. (floor heating, 500 g, inverter technology)
Thanks to the waterloop connection, all refrigerated cabinets have twice the service life of conventional, plug-in refrigerated cabinets.
Our experts at Interstore, with the support of our subsidiary agency Jos de Vries in Amsterdam, implemented this requirement in the store concept and developed the leitmotif ‘The future is...’. This runs like a red thread through the entire shop space.
The aim of the store concept was to support the pleasant atmosphere created by the wooden architecture in the shopfitting, furnishings and graphics. While steel and solid wood were used in the shopfitting, the use of neutral colours (white, natural wood) and the reduction to the most essential materials contribute to the lightness of the ambience. This emphasises the focus on the main protagonist of the entire presentation: the products.
As a result, the number of panelling, decorations and decorative elements has been reduced to a minimum. All of the decorations are made from recycled materials or were sourced at flea markets and second-hand shops. Even all non-merchandise items such as couches and lounge elements in the catering area are second-hand. For example, floating 3D elements made from recycled PE materials help with customer orientation in the store. These and all printed graphics can be fully recycled at the end of their service life.
In all departments of the store of the future, the focus in product selection is on regional products that have travelled as few kilometres as possible. This applies to the extensive fruit and vegetable department and, where possible, all ingredients used in the catering departments - sushi, fresh food and salad bar.
One of the highlights of the retail space is ‘Dorfmann's meeting point’ and the lounge bar above it, appropriately named ‘Überschaubar’. Both invite shoppers to linger and offer an impressive view of the entire market. The gallery will also host tastings and other events in future.
‘Dorfmanns Hofladen’ is a special point of contact on the site. In this point of sale inspired by farmers' markets, various regional producers are given the opportunity to present and sell their products at varying intervals.
The WWF partnership with EDEKA Minden-Hannover accompanies the shopper through the entire store with a design adapted to the store concept in the form of messages and tips on climate protection on screens, walls and pillars. The in-store communication serves to provide information and knowledge.
The cheese island is another highlight of the shop design. The construction, which also houses the bakery, is connected to a waterloop system. This means that this department can be dismantled, extended or relocated quickly and easily, just like a prefabricated house.
All wall-mounted refrigeration units, freezer islands and self-service and serve-over counters in the fresh food areas are produced by Schweitzer and are modular and autonomous. This means that each unit can be quickly dismantled and rearranged, meaning that any conversions can be carried out in the coming years with little effort.