Mediterranean offensive

Food practice article

Author: Sonja Plachetta

The Delikatessa brand products are unmistakable throughout the entire area. In addition to the specially labeled delicatessen shelf, cans, bags and jars are also available in special displays for fruit and vegetables, at gondola heads, on pallets in front of the service counters, in a group display in the wine department and in the main customer aisle in front of the checkouts. The olives alone - there are 15 varieties in total from Spain, Italy and Greece - are placed in six different places and attract attention.

The concentrated presence of the goods is also noticeable because it includes products that are not usually sold so widely in Germany, for example white beans, sunflower seeds or stuffed grape leaves. “With Delikatessa we want to show our expertise in the Mediterranean range; we can’t just offer fast-moving items,” says Karaaslan. The fact that he presents the goods so prominently is intentional. “If you place too little, the brand will disappear and there will be no recognition value,” explains the businessman. He wants to ensure that Delikatessa is engraved in the long-term memory of customers. Another reason: “Mass sells mass.” The turnover rate is simply higher with multiple placements.

The reason why Karaaslan puts so much effort into Mediterranean specialties is because he built the brand himself. “Delikatessa is my life’s work,” he says. His career in the food trade began in 2003 when, at the age of 24, he took over the food department at the Heidelberger Kaufhof. Her name: “Delikatessa”. Five years later he patented the name. Even back then, his dream was to develop a brand for retail.