Flagship project for Wanzl – the new Combi City store in Oldenburg, Germany
Wanzl is part of the overall concept – the 24/7 dispenser from Wanzl celebrates its premiere in Germany
As a strategic partner and in close coordination with the Bünting project team, Wanzl was significantly involved in the development process and operational implementation of the new Combi City branch in Oldenburg – from the planning and design through to the implementation of the entire store layout with complete outfitting for refrigeration and the development of a 24/7 dispensing concept. This is a new milestone for the partners.
Premiere – 24/7 dispenser in use for the first time
It was presented at EuroShop 2020 at the beginning of the year and is now receiving its baptism of fire: the 24/7 dispenser developed by KHT and Wanzl and used in practice for the first time by Bünting. It is ready to meet customers’ needs 365 days a year, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. In Oldenburg, it supplies everyday products around the clock. Combi serves customers 24/7 in an area with a separate entrance adjacent to the store. A total of 500 items are available – from the refrigerated and non-refrigerated food range, fruit and vegetable department and drinks section, as well as from the chemist. Buyers select their desired products at a checkout and order terminal with a clearly configured touch screen. The products are picked fully automatically during this process and are dispensed directly after the purchase is completed. Payment is made by credit/debit card or NFC (near field communication). Customers and youth are also protected: cooling needs and best-before date are monitored and managed in the partially automated storage system; alcoholic beverages can only be purchased after an age check has been performed. Further developments such as integration of the dispenser into the store's online outlet could follow in order to offer shopping according to the Click&Collect principle. Combi 24/7 – a win-win situation for everyone. The customer benefits from the constant availability of items, while the brick-and-mortar shop benefits from the additional selling opportunity with a low space requirement and independence from traditional store opening hours. Bernd Renzhofer, Sales Director at Wanzl, explains: "The 24/7 dispenser is a service that can be offered by brick-and-mortar retailers, enabling them to give customers the opportunity to make purchases around the clock without necessarily having to think about whether a store is open or not," and adds, "The innovative concept is not restricted to industries or locations. It is generally suitable wherever only a small amount of sales space is available – such as in city centres or at transport hubs such as train stations or airports. Or it can be used as a basic supply strategy for rural areas where the nearest supermarket is several kilometres away."
Industrial chic meets Nordic cool
The design of the 450 square metre Combi City store in Mottenstrasse in Oldenburg's city centre is modern with regional touches. Black steel, rough exposed concrete and trapezoidal sheet metal on the one hand, lamps with ropes as cable cladding, typical North German tiles and pictograms of lighthouses on the other. For the interior design, Bünting and Wanzl opted for a mix of hip industrial design and regional flair. This reflects the progressive nature of the store without neglecting the local charm of its location. Shopping that is fast, uncomplicated and yet fresh! That is the motto of Combi City – a modern shop concept from Bünting that meets the inner city's requirements in a simple and future-oriented way. In the fruit and vegetable department, Wanzl shelves have a rustic wooden crate look to present goods in a way that encourages impulse buying. The centrepiece is a salad bar. This is where the salads, desserts and antipasti – freshly prepared in the company's own prep kitchen – are appetisingly presented. Other freshness highlights are the non-packaged section and the Wanzl BakeOff 2.1. Customers can help themselves to the extensive selection of organic products and oven-fresh baked goods. The wire tech 100 shelves in black steel, partly contrasted with light wood elements, emphasise the urban look and feel of the store in the dry goods product range. The deep freeze section is visually highlighted with the colours ice blue and white. "In addition to the dispenser, refrigeration is the second premiere for Wanzl in Oldenburg. For the first time for this store, we were commissioned to also implement the delivery and installation of the refrigeration units in the sales area, as well as the cold storage cells in the storage area," says Christoph Kübel, Key Account Manager at Wanzl. The latest technology also supports the shopping experience for customers. Large digital signage monitors in the shop provide information about goods and the latest offers. The checkout area features three user-friendly self-checkout tills with clearly laid out screens to relieve the strain on the staffed tills or save time for those making smaller purchases.
