Raiffeisen Ware Austria. Chef Reinhard Wolf on the increase in sales in the home and garden area
Reinhard Wolf: Corona has shown how important the agricultural sector is for the food supply.
Raiffeisen Ware Austria (RWA) is the umbrella organization for the warehouses. General Director Reinhard Wolf explains the company's future plans with annual sales between 2.3 and 2.4 billion euros.
KURIER: How did RWA survive the Corona crisis?
Reinhard Wolf: The year 2020 was a test for all of us. We were faced with completely new challenges. Overall, the cooperative system got through the crisis year very stable. The decentralized organization is an advantage. The agricultural sector is systemically important. That is why we were still available to the farmers. Together we ensured the local food production. Sales were therefore stable.
How did it go in the other business areas?
The other business areas developed largely satisfactorily. Instead of going on vacation, many people have prepared their homes. This has had a positive effect on our home and garden center business. We were able to make up what we lost in the lockdown.
Was it a zero sum game?
In the house and garden area it was more than a zero-sum game. Not just with us, but in the entire industry. Many have invested their money in Austria. It's good. This is exactly what the domestic economy and economic growth need.
How was the development in the energy sector?
With significantly less traffic, significantly less fuel is sold. Of course we felt that. We sell more diesel than gasoline. Sales of heating oil and pellets were stable. Most recently, we offset around 120,000 tons of heating oil by selling pellets and wood briquettes. The focus is increasingly on renewable energy sources.
You also got into photovoltaics.
The framework conditions have changed because photovoltaic systems have recently become cheaper. That has improved competitiveness. We used the past year to position ourselves successfully in the market. As a national player, we want to continuously expand this business area and have the confidence to do a lot.
First it was about photovoltaics for farmers. What other plans are there?
In the first phase, we concentrated on developing our own locations. In agriculture there are large roof areas that can be optimally used for photovoltaics. We are basically active in all areas. The possibilities of photovoltaics are far from exhausted.
What will RWA's annual result look like?
We do not make any forecasts before the end of the year. But that's how I want to answer the question. 2020/21 will still have a difficult year as an economy. Nevertheless, I am generally optimistic about the future. Much has been done right in the wake of the Corona crisis. Efforts have been made in Austria to maintain purchasing power. It is important that it stays that way.
RWA has moved its offices from Vienna to Korneuburg. What was the reason for this?
Our previous premises were no longer up to date. RWA and some companies have been at the Korneuburg location for decades. We had free space here and wanted to use synergies.
The RWA is energy self-sufficient at the new location?
Yes. We get the electricity from a photovoltaic system on our roof. We heat with geothermal energy and operate the pumps with our self-generated electricity.
Are there any special projects for the future?
First of all, it is about getting out of the corona crisis as well as possible. In addition, some issues such as sustainability have become significantly more important. We have learned that we have to use our resources differently. We have already run several sustainability programs at RWA. This is just as much a focus as digitalization. In the Corona crisis, we were only able to reach many customers well because we had previously pushed digitization.
What requests, complaints or suggestions do you have for the federal government?
The message goes not just to the government, but to society. The pandemic shows the importance of the agricultural sector. We discussed the supply of masks and protective suits. The supply of food worked as well as Swiss clockwork without government regulations. The importance of agriculture must be recognized.
