Germany's second-largest food retailer Rewe has introduced a new brand for fruit and vegetables as it bids to meet growing consumer demand for local and regional products sourced from within the country.
The Rewe Regional trademark will be used on a selected range of between 10 and 20 products sourced from around 1,000 domestic producers and will be available in Rewe outlets across Germany, making it the first private label brand to be applied to regional fresh fruit and vegetables and marketed as a single marketing concept nationwide.
According to the company, growing demand for regional produce has emerged as a hugely important market trend in Germany.
Consumers there apparently see regional brands as an indication of freshness, as well as a means for them to support their local economy, to help the environment by cutting the distance fruit and vegetables travel and to trace produce more easily back to its origin.
'Rewe Regional is for customers who wish to provide targeted support with their shopping in their region,' commented Lionel Souque, Rewe Group's board member with responsibility for Rewe Markets in Germany.
'With this new regional trademark they receive high-quality and fresh food – familiar and proven, sourced from producers in their vicinity.'
He added: 'The transparency of origin creates confidence. Shortest possible transport routes and the promotion of domestic agricultural production are aspects that are especially important to the customer as well as to a sustainable company like Rewe.'
Rewe's definition of 'region' is understood to mean either a state – for example Nordrhein-Westfalen – a traditional area like Frankenland or a topographic region such as Lake Constance.
The group plans to indicate on packs the name of the area, region or state from which the product comes.
