The Green Lagerhaus Challenge – A Successful Conclusion and Five Winners

Following “Pitch & Pack” in June, the second startup format of the year, the Green Lagerhaus Challenge, also came to a successful conclusion. Five innovative products from the home & garden, energy and building materials ranges were chosen as winners by a jury of experts representing RWA, Lagerhaus, AIL and, of course, Lagerhaus Franchise. As the AIL’s first online startup competition, it is particularly gratifying that everything went off without a hitch. “All the participating teams, our project partners and, above all, the staff at the AIL implemented the online format smoothly and with impressive flexibility, communication skills and organisational talent. I’m particularly proud of this,” concluded Claudia Mittermayr. The insight into the world of B2C products and retail processes also provided a valuable learning experience and extended the expertise of the AIL into this field in such a way that we can now address further areas of business on an ongoing basis.

The five young companies, all from Austria, prevailed in the final against more than 100 competitors. Their reward: rapid listing in the Lagerhaus product range and, thus, a broadly-based market entry. Lagerhaus customers can now look forward to spring 2022 – and, especially, the start of the gardening season – when the innovative products will become available on the shelves. “As we’re constantly listening to the market and the customer, the continuous further development of the product range is one of our major concerns. The rural population also actively keeps up with innovative trends and is open to modern, sustainable products for the home and garden. The Green Lagerhaus Challenge is an opportunity to bring such products to our markets,” says Peter Dullinger, Manager of the Home & Garden and Building Materials Departments at Lagerhaus Amstetten.

For those of you who are already curious about exactly which products are involved, we can already reveal the following: The clear focuses of the products are the areas of sustainability and do-it-yourself in the home & garden. To give just one example: One of the winning products addresses the increasingly problematic shortage of water in horticulture by, among other things, helping out potted plants when watering is not possible for a longer period (such as when you take a vacation). The product, which is based on natural plant components, ensures that water and nutrients are stored long-term, thus optimally supplying the plant over an extended period. And the Lagerhäuser will also offer products in the area of private energy generation or that make it easier for you to grow delicacies in your own garden. Stay tuned!