In April 2024, German supermarket chain REWE opened its first 100% vegan store. Now, the brand has shared its findings after six months of operations. The small store (212 square meters/2282 square feet) serves an average of 5,500 customers weekly and offers over 2,700 vegan products — nearly double the plant-based selection found in regular REWE locations.
So, what are people buying? The ten most popular products include chocolate croissants, franzbrötchen (a regional variation on cinnamon rolls), freshly prepared coconut-almond spreads, cucumbers, bananas, oat-based soft-serve ice cream and deli sandwiches featuring schnitzel alternatives and smoked tofu. While REWE hasn't yet announced plans to roll out additional vegan shops and the store's location near Berlin's Warschauer Bridge, with high foot traffic from nearby offices and public transit, is likely crucial to its viability, the pilot store's early success offers valuable insights for retailers considering plant-based concepts.
Unlike REWE's conventional stores, where flexitarians drive plant-based sales as part of mixed shopping baskets, the 'voll pflanzich' location attracts those seeking an all-plant-based shopping experience. Customers have indicated that they enjoy the convenience of not having to read labels to check if a product is vegan, and the store's management has been quick to add new products like a line of tofu seasoning and a potato-based milk alternative. And as the popular pastries and soft-serve ice cream confirm, affordable treats (chocolate croissants are EUR 0.99, franzbrötchen are EUR 1.09) are dependable drivers of customer traffic ;-)