KoRo expands: "We're not just thinking about growth – we're thinking about stability"

In a nutshell: Johannes Köhler, Head of Logistics at KoRo, talks about the challenges and opportunities of the company's international expansion. In this interview, he shares insights into the warehouse strategy KoRo is pursuing in the growth markets of France and Italy. The focus is not only on geographic expansion, but also on redesigning processes, scaling the logistics team, and fostering close collaboration between departments.  

How KoRo masters international expansion 

When expansion is discussed at KoRo these days, it's about more than just new markets. It's also about innovative logistics approaches, new ways of thinking within the team, and one person who brings it all together. Johannes Köhler has been Head of Logistics at KoRo since January and faces a dual challenge: building processes and a team – right in the middle of a phase of international growth. 

KoRo is launching its expansion into France and Italy. "In the e-commerce space,    we are already very active there," Johannes explains. What makes this particularly exciting: the internationalization is driven through webshops and retail, but is also supported by local partnerships with well-known personalities such as French  athlete Teddy Riner and Italian content creator and author     Carlotta Perego aka Cucina Botanica. 

Local presence as a success strategy 

"We haven't just established French and Italian corporate entities – we've also built local teams with on-the-ground expertise and cultural understanding," Johannes emphasizes. Delivery preferences, return behavior, and preferred carriers vary considerably from country to country. "What works brilliantly in Germany doesn't necessarily work in France. In France, for example, deliver-to-store is far more common – but our packages can weigh several kilos. Nobody wants to haul that home after work." 

KoRo currently operates from a central warehouse northwest of Berlin. But as expansion continues, a major question arises: stay centralized or move closer to the market?  

Johannes explains: "We're currently evaluating in depth what our international warehouse strategy should look like. One option is to open an additional warehouse – but only if it meets our requirements in terms of speed, volume consolidation, and cost optimization." A decision has yet to be made, but it will have far-reaching implications for the entire organization. "This isn't just a logistics project. It's a company-wide transformation project – and I'm looking forward to helping shape it," says Johannes. 

Cross-functional collaboration 

A central element of Johannes' work is close collaboration with other departments. "Customer Care is my early warning system – they immediately see when something isn't working. And Sales brings valuable impulses from the market. When we work together, we create real added value."  

Johannes also counts Finance among his most important sparring partners: "Logistics is a major cost center. When we operate efficiently there, it has a positive impact on the entire company." For him, cross-departmental exchange is a matter of course and a key success factor: "Without cross-functional collaboration, the expansion simply won't work." 

Team building and process automation 

Johannes thinks not only in terms of structures, but always in terms of people. "I want us to grow as a team – not just in numbers, but in our capabilities." A clear focus is particularly important to him: "I'm a strong advocate of automation and the elimination of waste. Our team should concentrate on value-adding activities." At the same time, he leaves room for personal responsibility and an innovative mindset: "The best ideas don't always come from the top. I want to create an environment where working students are heard just as much as managers." 

Johannes believes in specialization, but also in mutual cover: "I want everyone to look beyond their immediate area from time to time. And when things get tight, we step in for each other – as a matter of course." 

Learning, leading, growing – as a team 

He himself learns something new every day – including about the food retail sector, an area in which, by his own admission, he previously had little experience. 

For this year, Johannes has ambitious plans and a clear motivation: "Without a doubt: our international warehouse strategy. For me, it's both a challenge and an opportunity. It affects not just my team, but the entire company. This year, we want to lay the decisive groundwork," he says. 

His goal is clear: a scalable team in which everyone knows their own strengths – and which is collectively ready to take the next steps in growth. Or, as he puts it himself: "We are in an innovation marathon. And we're running it as a team." 

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