Edeka AG is launching the new FoodStarter webpage to bring fledgling food start-ups and 4,000 independent Edeka dealers across Germany together, the group announced in June. Around every tenth start-up launched in Hamburg has a business idea in the catering sector. According to the Hamburg Startup-Monitor by Hamburg Startups, around 12.5 per cent of companies originate in the food sector. They include start-ups with vegan or super food ideas e.g. purefood or Kale&Me and others such as Foodist or icakeyou, who have come up with innovative ways of selling food. Sustainability is high on the agenda for many start-ups. Hamburg is popular among innovative food and catering companies and is thus ideal for bringing such start-ups together.
Feedback on sizes of packages and pricing
Start-ups can present their latest products on the webpage and get feedback from dealers who can also request test products and place orders. “Edeka’s decentralised structure with independent dealers makes it an ideal partner for start-ups,” said Markus Mosa, CEO of Edeka AG. Start-ups can present their products on supermarket shelves across Germany and try them out on customers. The dealers will give feedback on the size of packages and pricing and positioning on the shelves, said Edeka AG.
Save times searching for small, innovative firms
Any start-up with a food product can apply to FoodStarter provided the goods are marketable and unchilled. Edeka AG is emphasising novel products. The idea for FoodStarter emerged during talks with dealers and start-ups. Dealers often do not have time to look for small, innovative firms while start-ups often lack the financial means to present their products in each individual supermarket. Now, two to four new products are to be presented on FoodStarter every week to raise awareness of the start-ups.
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Sources and further information:
www.edeka-verbund.de/presse
www.foodstarter.edeka