Store of the Week: EDEKA Brehm

I’ve been fortunate enough to visit some spectacular EDEKA stores over the last couple of years, perhaps the most stunning example being the two-floor concept store in downtown Düsseldorf. There are a great many other examples of excellence within the EDEKA empire, my most recent encounter happening on a trip to Berlin a few weeks ago.

While the Dusseldorf store is at the extreme end of food porn and perhaps is more of a foodservice/supermarket hybrid than a pure retail concept, EDEKA Brehm is a classic supermarket concept located in an unassuming suburb of Berlin.

One of four stores in the Berlin area operated by entrepreneur Stefanie Brehm, this outlet really is rather fine indeed. The front of the store houses some notable features including a great café / sandwich bar and a drop dead gorgeous floral department. This is a delightful introduction to a store that continually provides pleasant surprises and impressive touches throughout.

On the way into the store proper sits an Eat Happy sushi bar operated by the eponymous German-based operator of instore sushi concepts that is so far active in Germany, Italy and Austria. Makes a nice change to Sushi Daily.

The produce section sits beyond the sushi counter and is executed very well indeed. The range of loose, bagged and prepared produce is extensive and merchandised beautifully. Notable features include plenty of vegan items like soups and a marvellous Juice Bar as well as something I’ve never seen before: a Grunbox where shoppers can donate produce or trimmings for rabbits.

Another highlight was health & beauty. Rather than being shoved into an unremarkable ghetto as an afterthought, in this store the drogerie assortment was transformed into a hero category thanks to being positioned in the centre of the store and furnished with bespoke shelving, flooring, a dropped ceiling and some nifty lighting.

Ambient grocery is next up and, while this can often herald a dip into average retailing in many stores, this was not the case here: there were several merchandising flourishes that impressed, such as a gondola end devoted to oils, vinegars, herbs and chilis complete with recipe cards and info panels.

The rear wall of the store is devoted to service counters including deli, cheese, charcuterie, fish and meat. The cheese counter was superb, replete with sampling (always guaranteed to get my vote) and cross-merchandising, while the meat counter benefitted from a dry-aging cabinet and graphics that explained different cuts of pork and beef.

Alongside the meat counter sat a wonderful BWS section. This department looked stunning, crates and bottles deployed up to ceiling height to create a charming backdrop for what was a cracking range. Chocolate was another unexpected treat, an impressive assortment housed in a well-demarcated area of the store.

The overall store design - metal and timber aplenty - was most pleasing and I equally admired the plentiful signage and graphics that made navigation of the store a total breeze despite my woeful German language skills.

In the olden times, Germany was one of the last countries you would consider to see anything like best practice in grocery retailing. These days, it would be one of the first countries on the list and EDEKA Brehm is just one example of why. Lovely place to shop.