Sustainable, innovative and longer-lasting: REWE Group sets a new standard in hydroponic cultivation with its loose-leaf lettuce

REWE Group is bringing lettuce mixes from hydroponic cultivation to its stores for the first time. The lettuces are grown all year round in special water basins and can therefore be produced in a particularly resource-efficient way. The result is lettuce that impresses with its quality and freshness. REWE is launching the new “Crispy Mix” salad mix in all stores in Bavaria – other varieties and regions will follow. At the beginning of April, PENNY will also start the nationwide launch, REWE announces in a press release.

The food of tomorrow is swimming: In bavarian Kirchweidach sets vegetable growing Steiner with the new project “Endless Summer” jointly with the REWE Group for the first time on the cultivation of lettuces in hydroponic-procedure. The plants grow in water basins and can be harvested at an early stage of growth and processed into a variety of mixtures can be harvested at an early stage of growth and combined into a variety of mixtures – an approach, which is unique in this form in Germany until now. The almost soilless cultivation is effective, especially water-saving and possible all year round. The lettuces are grown on a total of four hectares in state-of-the-art greenhouses that are heated using climate-friendly geothermal energy. This use of renewable heat saves around 3,000 tons of CO₂ per year and reinforces the particularly resource-efficient nature of the cultivation.

Quality and extended freshness thanks to hydroponics

The advantages of the hydroponic process are also clear to customers: The lettuce plants are 100 percent naturally grown, of the highest quality and particularly clean. This means they stay fresh for up to seven days longer. The resource-conserving approach in hydroponicc cultivation makes an important contribution to more sustainable vegetable production: Short cultivation cycles of 22 to 32 days and a circulating water system, which requires around 90 percent less water and does not need any pesticides at all, ensure a predictable and continuous supply. Energy-saving LED lamps are also used in the greenhouse.

REWE Group’s further contribution to more sustainable cultivation and product range

The REWE Group and Greenhaus Steiner have enjoyed a close partnership for around ten years. The new hydroponics project will now further strengthen this cooperation and add an innovative component: After four years of intensive development work, we are delighted to be working with REWE Group to implement another flagship project for sustainable and modern vegetable cultivation, emphasizes Florian Steiner, Managing Director of Endless Summer and Greenhaus Steiner. We are particularly enthusiastic about the quality and freshness of the salads – a claim that has been our focus from the very beginning. This project shows how modern technology and responsible farming can work together to offer customers a truly high-quality product. Now we hope that consumers will also be infected by our passion for fresh salads.

The REWE Group also sees the joint project as an important step: For us, it is crucial to focus on food that not only convinces today, but also lasts in the long term and enables sustainable consumption. This is exactly where we come in with our strong partner from the southern region: Endless Summer’s hydroponic lettuce cultivation stands for concrete steps towards lower emissions, greater energy efficiency and greater responsibility towards future generations, says Elisabeth Promberger, Chairwoman of the Management Board of REWE Region Süd.

The same applies to REWE Group’s discount segment: We want to offer our customers products that are convincing in terms of quality and freshness and are also produced sustainably. The hydroponic salad combines these two expectations in an ideal way – a win for PENNY, adds Tina Mangold, Head of PENNY Region South.

Market launch and regional expansion

The salad mixes from hydroponic cultivation are sold – depending on the sales line – under the private labels REWE Beste Wahl, REWE Regional and PENNY Marktliebe. The first blend “Crispy Mix” ist immediately in all REWE supermakets available in Bavaria. Further variants will follow successively and will also be available in additional REWE Regions introduced, including a wild herb mix. After Easter, the “Endless Summer” salad mixes will also be available in PENNY markets in the southern region, before becoming available nationwide in all PENNY markets.