Decoding German Retail Titelbild

Decoding German Retail

Decoding German Retail

Von: Jan Lars Wapelhorst - WFR Advisory
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How global brands win in European trade.

Starting with Germany's toughest market.

What does it really take to get your product listed in German grocery retail? And what can the German market teach you about winning across Europe?

The German grocery market is worth over 250 billion euros, controlled by five retail groups, and governed by unwritten rules that most international brands never learn — until it's too late.

Decoding German Retail is hosted by Jan Wapelhorst, former buying director at EDEKA, REWE, and Lidl. After 16 years on the other side of the table, he now helps international food manufacturers navigate the complexities of German retail — from Category Management and listing negotiations to pricing architecture and trade spend.

Each episode decodes one specific mechanism of the German market. No theory, no fluff — just the insider perspective that buyers never share openly.

Whether you're planning your market entry, preparing for a buyer meeting, or trying to understand why your product keeps getting rejected — this podcast gives you the answers you won't find anywhere else.

New episodes bi-weekly.

Website: wfr-advisory.com

Contact: info@wfr-advisory.com

LinkedIn: Jan Wapelhorst

Author: Jan Wapelhorst

Language: English

2026 Jan Lars Wapelhorst - WFR Advisory Marketing & Vertrieb Ökonomie
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  • Aldi Group: The Perfection of Reduction Logic

    Aldi Group: The Perfection of Reduction Logic
    May 18 2026

    Two brothers from postwar Germany. An assortment of fourteen hundred articles. Personnel costs at one third of the industry average. And a price-setting authority that the rest of German retail follows every single Monday morning.

    Whether you are an international brand looking at Germany, a German manufacturer trying to understand why your buyer keeps comparing your offer to Aldi private label, or an international retailer watching Aldi expand into your home market, this episode shows you what the Aldi system actually is, how it works from the inside, and where the cost of misreading it is highest.

    Topics covered: the Albrecht brothers and the founding logic of radical simplification, the math behind Aldi's cost structure, the Nord versus Sued split and what it means for international negotiations, the quiet evolution toward premium discount, and the practical realities of pitching products to a buyer who is interested in three numbers and not in your brand story.

    Companion Brief for this block: insights.wfr-advisory.com

    Connect with Jan Wapelhorst on LinkedIn for weekly insights on German retail.

    Website: wfr-advisory.com

    Email: info@wfr-advisory.com
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    20 Min.
  • The Ideal Go-to-Market Strategy

    The Ideal Go-to-Market Strategy
    Apr 28 2026

    Episode 20:

    The Season 1 finale.

    Jan Wapelhorst brings all 19 previous episodes together into a four-phase framework: Diagnostic, Strategy, Execution, and Ongoing. This is the full picture, the complete sequence for entering German retail successfully. Plus a preview of Season 2.

    Connect with Jan Wapelhorst on LinkedIn for weekly insights on German retail.

    Website: wfr-advisory.com

    Email: info@wfr-advisory.com
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    13 Min.
  • When NOT to Enter Germany

    When NOT to Enter Germany
    Apr 28 2026

    Episode 19:

    Sometimes the best advice is "not yet."

    In this episode, Jan Wapelhorst shares the five signs that a brand is not ready for Germany, the five signs that it is, and why the most valuable thing an advisor can do is sometimes save you from a premature investment.

    Connect with Jan Wapelhorst on LinkedIn for weekly insights on German retail.

    Website: wfr-advisory.com

    Email: info@wfr-advisory.com
    Mehr anzeigen Weniger anzeigen
    11 Min.
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