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After the breakup of the Tegut supermarket chain, in which the large branches are to go to Edeka and Rewe, the future of the smaller locations is unclear. A solution is emerging for Poppenhausen, Petersberg-Steinau and Hünfeld-Mackenzell.
Region – Like other Tegut markets, the store in Petersberg-Steinau will close later this year. This is linked to citizens' concerns that there is no longer a local supplier in town. Now there is an opportunity for an “Aunt Enso” shop to come to the Petersberg district. It would be the first in the district.
Aunt Enso is interested in these Tegut markets
The Steinau mayor Thomas Vogel confirms this. “It is a unique opportunity for the citizens in Steinau and the neighboring Steinhaus as well as in Bernhards to continue to have local shopping opportunities in the future.” His Steinhauser colleague Wolfgang Dechant also supports this possibility. The mayor explains that it is important that citizens go along with it, accept the offer and not drive to the nearest discount store at every opportunity. Steinhaus and Steinau together have almost 3,500 inhabitants. Vogel and Dechant have therefore called for citizens to take action. A promotional video was filmed on Friday with citizens who would like such a solution.
Before a new “Aunt Enso” market opens, enough local people have to show their interest. To do this, citizens purchase shares in the cooperative. A share costs 100 euros. Only when enough support comes together will the location be realized. In the case of Steinau, this must be around 600 shares. This is intended to ensure that the market is desired and used by the population, according to a letter from the two mayors.
“Aunt Enso”
“Tante Enso” is a young local supply chain from Bremen with the concept of a mixture of village shop, supermarket and cooperative. The markets offer a full range of everyday needs and are accessible 24 hours a day. There are set opening hours where staff are on site and anyone can shop, and outside of these hours people can go into the market with an Enso card and shop 24 hours a day. “Aunt Enso” had announced that it wanted to take over 36 Tegut stores. A list of locations is not yet public, but there is now a clear perspective for at least three smaller markets in the Fulda district.
The partners are not just customers, but co-creators of the concept, and they receive discounts. According to the announcement, you can have a say in developments. Each member has one vote at the annual general meeting. Feedback on the range and local needs is obtained.
According to the announcement circulating in Steinau and Steinhaus, if it is implemented, the post office and the DHL packing station, which is currently in the Tegut market, will also be continued. In addition, a citizen information event will take place on June 22nd at 6 p.m. in the former Logo market Steinau, which is located next to the Tegut. Representatives from Aunt Enso will present the concept to everyone who is interested.
An “Aunt Enso” store is also being discussed in Poppenhausen as a successor to the Tegut supermarket there. “I can confirm that – subject to the approval of the Cartel Office – Aunt Enso is interested in the Poppenhausen location,” says Mayor Alexandra Ballweg (independent) when asked by our newspaper. The interest is mutual: “We will coordinate this in the committees and work accordingly.”
Planning for the Poppenhausen, Steinau and Mackenzell locations
The concept of “Aunt Enso” fits well with the Rhön municipality, says Ballweg. “I think the concept that the market should also be a meeting place and that the population is taken along is really good.” We will now wait for the approval of the cartel office. “After that, or perhaps at the same time, we will plan a kind of campaign to inform the population about the concept. I think that could start in mid or end of July. There would definitely be citizens' meetings then.”
How many partners are needed needs to be negotiated, but Ballweg is optimistic. “My feeling is that the people of Poppenhausen definitely want to keep a local market, both for tourism and for themselves. From what I heard, the Tegut market also went well.”
And such plans are also taking shape in the Hünfeld district of Mackenzell. Mayor Benjamin Tschesnok (CDU) had already announced it on the sidelines of the most recent city council meeting: The trading company is also planning to set up the “Aunt Enso” concept in Mackenzell. A week earlier, the company was a guest at the Zuse town hall and introduced itself to representatives of local politics and associations from Mackenzell.
“'Aunt Enso' has specialized in smaller food markets in rural areas and approached the city of Hünfeld with the intention of including the market in Mackenzell in their portfolio,” says Tschesnok. At the request of our editorial team, the city press office also explains that it will “support the networking of those involved, mediate existing contacts and actively support public relations work in order to best promote the establishment of the new local supply offer”.
“We Mackenzellers now have it in our own hands to preserve the future of our local supply here in town,” says local mayor Katja Hartung-Jesensky (CDU), who is convinced that an “Aunt Enso” market in Mackenzell would be a benefit. Udo Tischler, mayor of Molzbach, is also behind the project. “Aunt Enso” will now be presented to the citizens at a citizens’ meeting on Friday, June 19th at 6 p.m. in the Landgasthof Goldener Engel.
