Bickenbach, June, 12, 2009

Alnatura: Organic supermarkets – a recipe for success

In the mid-1980s, organic products and supermarkets occupied a small and rather exotic niche. Professor Rehn, the founder and sole shareholder of Alnatura, wanted to develop a highly modern shopping centre but was unable to find enough products to sell in his new stores. To get around this, he simply launched his own organic range under the name »Alnatura«.

The first Alnatura products filled the shelves of selected supermarkets and druggists in 1986. Today, the Alnatura range includes over 850 products available in around 2600 stores of various trading partners. Alnatura opened Germany’s first organic supermarket in Mannheim in 1987 and at the end of 2008, there were 45 Alnatura supermarkets in 32 towns in nine of Germany's six federal states. In addition to the Alnatura products, they sell bread and bakery products, dairy produce, local fruit and vegetables, natural cosmetics and organic cotton babywear.

At least eight new stores are planned for 2009 and, ever present: the eCash terminal from REA Card. Alnatura has fitted all its branches with these terminals since 2006. The decisive factor influencing the choice of REA Card was the good partnership with the REA technical support team and their short reaction times. Alnatura also values REA’s technical and organizational competence as well as their practice of direct communication along the whole business chain, from product development to the hotline. Alnatura plans to expand its network to include up to 130 markets by 2014/15. REA Card is looking forward to a continued successful partnership with the old and new branches alike.

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