EDEKA Regional Company
Minden-Hannover

When EDEKA Minden-Hannover, the largest regional company in the EDEKA Group, brought together around 2,000 employees from twelve locations under one roof, it was about more than just a new workplace. The result is a lively campus where collaboration, communication, and well-being take center stage. Coffee plays a central role—and Melitta Professional is right in the middle of it.
The new EDEKA campus in Minden covers an impressive 123,000 square meters – equivalent to around 17 soccer fields. Five four-story office buildings line a light-filled, covered main corridor, connected by bridges. Modern offices, meeting and training rooms, as well as areas for regular sales exchanges and staff rooms create an environment that promotes encounters and short distances.
But what connects people outside of their schedules? A creative coffee break.

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, a kitchenette, a refrigerator, and a water dispenser. Employees serve themselves, and cups and glasses are always within easy reach.
The machines are maintained by the EDEKA Catering GmbH team. The effort involved is minimal: EDEKA's own brand beans and cappuccino topping are refilled, and daily cleaning is carried out automatically in a closed “Clean in Place” system – no dismantling of individual parts is necessary. This leaves more time for what really matters: enjoying good coffee.

To ensure that everything runs smoothly, the catering team relies on digital support. The Melitta INSIGHTS customer portal allows consumption data, trends, and machine status to be tracked in near real time. On average, each machine consumes 1.5 kilograms of beans per day – that's around 180 cups. Extrapolated to all fully automatic machines, this means that over 3,200 specialty coffees are freshly prepared every day.
The dashboard provides all the important information at a glance, whether on a computer or on the go via the Melitta^® ONSite app. Even the screen savers on the fully automatic coffee machines can be controlled centrally and displayed with promotions, images, or videos. Christoph Schneider, Head of EDEKA Catering GmbH, is convinced: “The digital solutions from our coffee partner make our work much easier and offer new opportunities for communication.”

Those who prefer to customize their coffee with fresh milk or plant-based alternatives such as oat or almond milk will find what they are looking for in the small self-service shop at the entrance to the “Grüner Wenzel” company restaurant. The restaurant, which opened in April 2025 and is named after the historic restaurant where EDEKA Minden was founded in 1920, can seat 480 guests inside and 190 on the terrace.
There is a choice of changing weekly and daily dishes, freshly prepared at the “Pizza & Pasta,” “Kraut & Rübe,” and “Gute Küche” stations. Up to 750 meals will be served daily. Despite the hustle and bustle, the interior design with its well-thought-out acoustics, colors, and different seating areas ensures a relaxed atmosphere. “We want to establish the restaurant as a cozy meeting place,” says Christoph Schneider.

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

A particular highlight is the coffee bar in the “Grüner Wenzel.” Here, trained staff prepare specialty coffees using a Cafina portafilter—with Italian drum-roasted beans from Caffè Corsini, Melitta Professional's sister company in 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 customers, especially under the age of 30, who come here for their morning coffee, often with oat milk,” reports Christoph Schneider.
To ensure the quality is right, eight team members spent a day at Melitta Professional undergoing barista training with Stefanie Heidemann, training manager and internationally recognized coffee expert. With great enthusiasm, as the boss reports.

The success of the coffee concept on the EDEKA campus is the result of close, trusting cooperation between EDEKA and Melitta Professional. “We were involved right from the planning stage to advise and see how the coffee concept could be implemented,” says Frank Altemeier, Area Manager at Melitta Professional.
The partnership extends far beyond this project – regular exchanges, on-site consulting, back-office services, and customer service are a matter of course.

Christoph Schneider values this collaboration: “It's a partnership between equals. If I have a request, they respond immediately. That's not something you can take for granted.”
Coffee is more than just a drink at the new EDEKA campus – it is a connecting element, a source of inspiration, and a daily treat. Thanks to the innovative solutions from Melitta Professional, employees enjoy the best coffee quality, smart services, and a real sense of community. This creates the ideal conditions for lively communication, fresh ideas, and innovative concepts.

Are you planning a new workplace or would you like 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.