EDEKA regional company

Spread across the entire campus, 18 so-called Coffice zones invite you to linger – places for short breaks, spontaneous conversations or simply to enjoy a cup of coffee. Each zone is equipped with Melitta Professional's XT series fully automatic coffee machines, comfortable seating areas, kitchenette, refrigerator and water dispenser. The employees serve themselves, cups and glasses are always at hand.

The team of EDEKA Catering GmbH takes care of the machines. The effort is low: beans from EDEKA's own brand and cappuccino topping are refilled, daily cleaning runs automatically in the closed "Clean in Place" system – no dismantling of individual parts necessary. This leaves more time for the essentials: enjoying good coffee.

To ensure that everything runs smoothly, the catering team relies on digital support. With the Melitta INSIGHTS customer portal, consumption data, trends and machine status can be tracked almost in real time. On average, each machine consumes 1.5 kilos of beans every day – that's around 180 cups. Extrapolated to all fully automatic machines, more than 3,200 coffee specialities are freshly prepared every day.

The dashboard provides all important information at a glance, whether on the computer or mobile via the Melitta® ONSite app. Even the screensavers of the fully automatic coffee machines can be centrally controlled and loaded with actions, images or videos. Christoph Schneider, Head of EDEKA Catering GmbH, is convinced: "The digital solutions of our coffee partner make our work much easier and offer new possibilities for communication."

Those who prefer to refine their coffee individually with fresh milk or plant-based alternatives such as oat or almond drink will find what they are looking for in the small self-service shop at the entrance to the company restaurant "Grüner Wenzel". The restaurant, which opened in April 2025 and is named after the historic restaurant where EDEKA Minden was founded in 1920, offers space for 480 guests inside and 190 on the terrace.

There is a choice of changing weekly and daily specials, freshly prepared at the "Pizza & Pasta", "Kraut & Rübe" or "Good Cuisine" stations. Up to 750 meals are served daily. Despite the hustle and bustle, the interior design creates a relaxed atmosphere with thoughtful acoustics, colours and different seating areas. "We want to establish the restaurant as a cozy meeting place," says Christoph Schneider.

Two service robots provide relief and a topic of conversation, clearing dishes and collecting empty trays – and occasionally serving coffee if the photographer wishes. Fresh filter coffee from two Melitta Cafina XT8-F fully automatic filter machines is available free of charge in the restaurant, as are coffee specialities in the 18 Coffice zones. "The supply of coffee, tea, milk and sugar is just one of many benefits that EDEKA Minden-Hannover offers its employees," explains Christoph Schneider, who is also responsible for the food and beverage services at all seven logistics locations.

A special highlight is the coffee bar in the "Grüner Wenzel". Here, trained employees prepare coffee specialities at the Cafina portafilter – with Italian drum roasts from Caffè Corsini, the sister company of Melitta Professional from Tuscany. Although coffee is free at over 20 self-service points on campus, the bar has many fans – especially among younger employees. "We have many repeat offenders, especially under 30-year-olds, who get their coffee here in the morning, preferably with oat milk," reports the catering boss.

To ensure that the quality is right, eight team members spent a day at Melitta Professional completing a barista training course with Stefanie Heidemann, Manager Training and internationally recognised coffee expert. With great enthusiasm, as the boss tells us.

The success of the coffee concept on the EDEKA campus is the result of a close, trusting cooperation between EDEKA and Melitta Professional. "We were already involved in the planning phase to advise and see how the coffee concept could be implemented," says Frank Altemeier, Area Manager at Melitta Professional. The partnership goes far beyond this project – regular exchange, on-site advice, back-office service and customer service are a matter of course.

Christoph Schneider appreciates this cooperation: "It is on an equal footing and very cooperative. If I have a wish, I react immediately. That is not a matter of course."

Coffee is more than just a drink on the new EDEKA campus – it is a connecting element, a source of inspiration and a daily pleasure. Thanks to Melitta Professional's innovative solutions, employees enjoy the best coffee quality, smart services and a real sense of community. This creates the best conditions for lively communication, fresh ideas and innovative concepts.

Are you planning a new workspace or do you want to take your coffee experience to the next level? Let's work together to create spaces that connect people – and make every coffee moment special.