Hela Gewürzwerk Hermann Laue GmbH, commonly referred to as Hela, stands as one of Germany's premier manufacturers of ketchup and spice mixes. Boasting over a century of expertise in the food industry, the company exports its products to over 65 countries globally. Hela operates 10 international locations and caters to more than 27,000 satisfied customers in both the B2C and B2B sectors. Employing over 600 dedicated staff members, Hela achieved a revenue of 151.8 million euros in the year 2021.
The transition challenge
Hela was determined to develop a new online shop to pinpoint the products that resonate most with its community. This valuable insight would then guide the company in marketing these items both in supermarkets and online. To build this new online platform, Hela required a sturdy and contemporary ecommerce system. The company evaluated various leading providers but found that none could surpass the value offered by Shopware.
Torben Prager from Hela shares: “We explored options with several large providers. They offer a great deal and come with a high price tag. In reality, we often don't need as much as one might assume — they promise the world, but in practice, we may only need about a third of what's offered. Shopware's price-performance ratio was simply unmatched.”
Leveraging Shopware 6 as its platform, Hela has gained access to an extensive selection of third-party plugins, expanding its shop capabilities significantly. The company also enjoys cutting-edge features such as the Flow Builder, Rule Builder, and Shopping Experiences. These tools are designed to effortlessly align the shop with the company's business requirements and elevate the customer shopping experience. They empower Hela’s employees to operate autonomously on the platform, reducing dependency on the IT team. Additionally, Shopware's user-friendliness is another major asset for Hela, enhancing staff efficiency and productivity.
A look forward
The new and modernized online shop does more than just enable Hela to sell its products online — it also facilitates direct engagement with its target audience. For instance, through the platform, Hela has tapped into a robust community on Reddit that actively supports the brand. In a strategic move to maintain this connection, Hela is committed to continuously adapting its products to meet the community's needs. Additionally, the company is advancing numerous digitalization initiatives aimed at enhancing the store’s capabilities. This effort includes optimizing the shop interface in collaboration with the service provider, ZenKod.
Torben Prager from Hela is enthusiastic about the company's future prospects: "I am personally excited about the constant evolution at Hela, particularly with the generational transition and the influx of new digital projects. The integration of AI technologies is particularly thrilling, and I am delighted to be part of this journey."
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