Rewe ends its chain of organic stores Temma

After a some eight years, retailer Rewe has ended its attempt to roll out its own chain of pure organic stores on the German market under the Temma name.

Seven out of nine existing branches are expected to be closed by the end of January, a Rewe spokesman announced last Wednesday.

The two Temma markets in Cologne are to be sold to a former Rewe manager and will continue as organic specialist retailers under the old name, according to a report from the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.

The Rewe spokesman announced that in future the retail chain wants to focus on expanding its organic assortment in the 'normal' Rewe supermarkets. In doing so, Rewe will be able to draw on the experience gained through Temma.

Over the past two years, the Cologne retail chain had already increased the number of articles on offer under its own brand 'Rewe Bio' by 100, to around 600 products. And business is thriving. In the past four years, sales of this private label have increased by 70 percent, said the spokesman.

The first Temma store was opened in Cologne in November 2009. Most recently there were nine stores, in Cologne, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt and Bad Homburg. All Temma employees will be offered a job within the Rewe Group.

Source: Proplanta