In times of structural change, companies in the retail real estate industry can no longer rely solely on proven models. Rising cost pressure, changing customer expectations, digitalization, sustainability requirements, and demographic shifts are converging at once.
To remain resilient and to anticipate trends rather than merely react to them, the industry must actively look for solutions now. Increasingly, these solutions are not developed internally but come from outside — from young and innovative start-ups working on specific technologies and applications. In the best case, innovations strengthen competitiveness and become a positive cost factor.
Against this backdrop, the Innovation Hub of Kaufland can be read as a strategic attempt to systematically identify these external impulses and translate them into long-term value creation. Rather than positioning itself as a classic accelerator or marketing platform, Kaufland’s initiative aims to connect entrepreneurial innovation with the operational realities of largescale food retail — and, indirectly, with the requirements of retail locations, and real estate.
A Platform Design for Collaboration
The Kaufland Innovation Hub functions as an entry point into the company’s ecosystem for start-ups, scale-ups, and established innovators alike. Its underlying idea is straightforward: innovation thrives where different perspectives meet. Kaufland has long cultivated a culture of exchange with external partners across business areas, from logistics and store operations to product development. By formalizing this exchange in the Innovation Hub, the company seeks to channel innovative business ideas more efficiently into practical applications.
This collaboration is not limited to technological experimentation. Innovations may range from sustainable packaging solutions and new food concepts to tools that improve operational efficiency or enhance the in-store experience. What unites them is their relevance for real-world retail environments. Start-ups, in turn, gain access to a large operational network in which their solutions can be refined and — if successful — scaled.
As Markus Speck, Head of Kaufland Business Development, puts it, “Our Innovation Hub is aimed at start-ups that have developed product innovations or innovative technological solutions for the food retail market.” The emphasis lies clearly on applicability and added value rather than on abstract visions.
Structured Challenges instead of Open-ended Innovation
A key element of the Innovation Hub is its start-up challenges. These targeted programs are designed to identify ideas and technologies that address concrete challenges faced not only by Kaufland but by the wider retail and retail real estate industry as well. Sustainability, digital transformation, logistics efficiency and new customer approaches are recurring themes.
Each challenge provides a defined framework: start-ups contribute their expertise, exchange ideas directly with Kaufland specialists, further develop concepts, and test them in practice. The scale of Kaufland’s operations allows innovations to be piloted under real conditions — an opportunity that is often difficult to access for young companies. Three current challenges illustrate how closely technological innovation is linked to spatial, operational, and real estate related questions.
Retail Robotics and Operational Efficiency
The first challenge, Next Level Retail Robotics, focuses on the automation of routine processes. The objective is not robotics for its own sake, but tangible improvements in product availability, store quality and logistics efficiency. Applications may include cleaning, goods handling or inventory management — all activities that have a direct impact on store operations and operating costs.
For retail real estate, such solutions are highly relevant. Automated processes can influence space utilization, back-of-house design and maintenance concepts, potentially reducing longterm costs while increasing operational reliability. Kaufland expects solutions that act autonomously, securely, and can be scaled across different store formats and environments.
AI in Planning and Development
The second challenge addresses a core topic for developers and operators alike: planning. AI- supported object planning aims to automate the creation of object plans and sketches for new or remodeled locations. From the initial idea to the first visual implementation, AI-based tools could significantly accelerate planning processes.
The expectation is clear: solutions should independently generate and edit drafts based on site plans or existing layouts. For the retail real estate industry, this opens up perspectives for faster decision-making, more flexible adaptation to locations and potentially lower planning costs. It also reflects a shift toward data-driven development processes.
The third challenge, AI Supported Construction Law and Real Estate Monitoring, highlights the growing complexity of regulatory and market environments. Kaufland is looking for AI solutions that collect, structure and visualize information on construction planning, retail concepts and real estate news — geographically and textually. Such tools can support strategic location decisions and risk assessments, not only for retailers but also for property owners and developers. By highlighting options for action, they contribute to more informed and proactive management of retail portfolios.
Beyond these defined focus areas, Kaufland explicitly invites innovators from fields such as robotics, smart store technologies, product innovation, food waste reduction, sustainability and VR/AR. What matters is not only originality, but also readiness for implementation. Submitted solutions should already be in use or sufficiently advanced to enable a three- to six-month pilot under real market conditions.
The process itself is designed to be transparent and pragmatic. Innovations are first evaluated by the innovation team and relevant departments. If classified as relevant, detailed checks follow. Successful candidates are integrated into the platform of Schwarz Group companies, opening up further collaboration opportunities. Pilots are then conducted in stores or processes, forming the basis for decisions on continuation and scaling. Underlying this process is a clear set of values: collaboration on equal footing, quick feedback, access to expert knowledge and lean piloting. Respecting the innovative strength and flexibility of start-ups while aligning them with the structures of a large retail organization.
Learning through Pilots
The emphasis on real-world testing is reflected in feedback from participating companies. Simon Hecker, Co-Founder and Managing Director of 4.screen, summarizes the experience: “The joint pilot project with Kaufland not only gave us valuable feedback and enabled us to keep improving our product, but we also established a long-term collaboration.”
Such statements underline the dual benefit of the Innovation Hub: start-ups gain insights and market access, while Kaufland — and by extension its locations — benefits from solutions that have been stress-tested under operational conditions. While the Innovation Hub is anchored in food retail, its implications extend into the retail real estate sector. Automation, AI-driven planning and smarter information management all influence how retail spaces are designed, operated and evaluated. Innovations that improve efficiency or sustainability can directly affect operating costs and asset performance.
In this sense, Kaufland’s approach illustrates a broader shift: innovation ecosystems are becoming an integral part of resilience strategies. By opening its doors to external innovators, Kaufland is not only seeking technological upgrades but also building a framework in which new ideas can be translated into scalable, economically viable solutions.
