Weiling bioladen* - the new generation

The organic wholesaler Weiling has its headquarters in Coesfeld (in the Münster region of Germany) and it was here, on 21 August this year, that the company launched its totally redesigned organic store called bioladen*. The project is the work of the second generation of the family firm: Thomas Weiling, the son of Bernd Weiling, the founder of the company, developed the new concept with a team of experts, and his sister Bernadette Weiling-Erning will manage the store. The creation of the show-piece store, with 600 m² of retail space, has provided the people of Coesfeld with a modern retail outlet for organics, and at the same time visitors to the Weiling Academy will take away stimulating new ideas.

Weiling has more than 3000 specialist visitors every year. They come to attend the company’s own trade fair, visit the academy or are interested in Weiling’s wholesale business. Coesfeld has nearly 37.000 inhabitants and Weiling’s old bioladen*, with 200 m² of floor space, had become the only remaining specialist wholefood store in the town. The new bioladen* at 134 Erlenweg benefits everybody – the wholesaler’s customers get new ideas from this model store, Weiling can put new products and sales concepts to the test, and Coesfeld and the surrounding area enjoy modern organic retailing facilities. The original bioladen* at the company premises had become rather out-dated and did not really live up to the idea of a model store. After more than a year of planning and four months of building activity, Weiling has opened its new generation bioladen*. The company spokesman Hanjörg Bahmann reports that the company’s investment was in the usual order of magnitude, namely between 600 and 800 Euros per square metre, including stocking with goods and marketing the launch. Company founder Bernd Weiling says: “Investing in this exemplary bioladen* is very important for me personally. We can only be successful if our customers and manufacturers prosper economically.” At the same time he emphasises the point: “Weiling was and remains the partner of independent entrepreneurs who have total trust in organics. Weiling will not become a franchiser.”

The new bioladen* is bright and flooded with light (picture). The product range on the approximately 600 m² floor space consists of about 5500 articles. The new concept emphasises modern and convenient shopping – they have listened to what their customers want, such as parking near the entrance, a separate facility for returning empties, individual service and professional advice.

The emphasis on fresh foods is reflected in the comprehensive range of fruit and vegetables (56 m²) and 15 metres of service counters with, for example, 250 varieties of cheese. The priority for Bernadette Weiling-Erning’s 13-strong team is individual service and professional advice. Under the slogan “Try it first….then buy”, every day, all round the store, there are many opportunities to sample products, whether at the specially designed tester bar in the cosmetics department, in the wine department or at the new “active sampling point” near the entrance, where bioladen* chef Kai Puthen (picture) is busy swapping tips and recipes with the customers.

The overall design of the store, devised by Thomas Weiling Design Studio, incorporates the architecture of the old store into the new building. So the original building with its 30 year-old pillars and rafters (picture) links up with the new building and helps to create the sense of an open, inviting market.

Large areas of glass and sandstone symbolise the link with nature; the colour scheme in cream tones stands for transparency and clarity. And you can see right into the little kitchen of the café where salads, snacks, coffees and teas of every conceivable kind are prepared. The décor, with striking wooden lettering and bulging zeppelins made of cloth (picture below), catches the eye of the customers. 

Wherever possible, natural materials have been used all over the building: a lot of wood from certified sustainable forestry, natural paints inside and outside and a large greened roof. Energy consumption is kept low by means of a programmable control system. The refrigeration plant operates with optimal efficiency. The warm air produced is used for heating and hot water. Compared with conventional systems, this system saves the average CO2 emissions of seven houses a year.

The motto and objective of the project were: “We are building a bioladen* of the future where we are creating good design that promotes sales and a place that people like to be.” The brother and sister Thomas Weiling and Bernadette Weiling-Erning, both shareholders in the company, are agreed: “At the centre of our thinking were always the people of today and their many and varied wishes – the young, the elderly, critical, demanding, practical people, organic professionals, families, health-conscious people and gourmets.” Thomas Weiling is an independent designer, and Bernadette Weiling-Erning has been manager of Weiling bioladen* for many years. The design of the total space was developed from the requirements of customers, individual departments and product presentations. The clear principle “form follows function” puts the focus on very good product presentation. The practical requirements of daily life in the store were at the top of the designers’ planning list. Thus, as an alternative to a chilled fruit and vegetable department that customers often don’t like going into, mobile fruit and vegetable shelves were built that with a single action can be folded together. Presentation on one level (picture) means that the whole fruit and vegetable range can be lighted to maximum effect.

Practically all the dry goods shelves have been enclosed with a wooden frame to a height of a maximum 1.6 m and specific areas have been incorporated for “Recommended”, “Test” and “Campaign”. Precisely where dry goods are concerned, we know that overdoing it can be counterproductive,” says Matthias Hofmann, the head of Weiling store development. For wine, chocolate and confectionery, special displays have been developed that take account of the different product ranges. For example, in the case of confectionery lots of little compartments looking like a typesetter’s box tempt you to take your pick (picture).

The new bioladen* concept is a project of the second generation of the Weiling family firm. The daughter of the founder, Bernadette Weiling-Erning, will continue to manage the store. The founder’s son, Thomas Weiling (designer in Bad Honnef) is responsible for the overall design concept. Brother-in-law Andy Weiling was in charge of building work. As early as 1979, Bernd Weiling built the first bioconstructive company headquarters in Europe. Now, 29 years later, the company has created one of the most modern outlets for organic food in Germany.
(Picture: Bernadette Weiling-Erning, Thomas Weiling, Bernd Weiling, Andy Weiling)

The aim of the Weiling team of experts that cover the specialisations store development, marketing and shop fitting (the firm König Object Consulting) is to implement new ideas individually, rapidly and professionally. This is helped by the new shop development laboratory located in a gallery from where you can look directly into the new model shop bioladen*. “In recent years, many of our retailers have taken advantage of designing their shop together with Weiling and they have been very happy with the results. The process ranges from analysis of market potential and location to visualising the store and then its completion. We can and want to appreciate fully what our retailers want, and in so doing our team of experts can draw on many years of experience,” says Dr. Peter Meyer, the Managing Director of Weiling.

The organic wholesaler Weiling supplies only 100 % organic independent shops, supermarkets, farm shops, market stalls and delivery services. Customers can avail themselves of a whole range of services. The bioladen* brand now consists of 200 products and has three basic components: shop brand, product brand and advertising brand. In 2007, Weiling achieved a turnover of 90 million Euros. The target for 2008 is around 100 million Euros. (Picture: Bistro in bioladen*)