The Northern German collective municipality Hüttener Berge gives a chance to bring joy with a unique gift while also making an impact in the local community.

COM³ partners in Hüttener Berge, Germany launched earlier this year an online marketplace “Heimatware”. For the 16 rural communities in northern Schleswig-Holstein, this was a tremendous step forward to connect regional producers, retailers and local crafts with new customers. With the holiday season approaching, there are many opportunities to find unique, sustainable and local gifts!

Heimatware, an online and local success story 

The municipality wanted to ensure that its project answers local needs, from the companies, but also from the citizens. Through a detailed consultation process involving inhabitants (potential customers) and farmers and traders (potential producers), the municipality designed a unique online platform that also provides delivery services.

It worked closely with two startup companies: Pielers, a German start up that provided the online marketplace software and LoDeli, a local start-up, that provides delivery and operates the online store. Shoppers can now choose between more than 200 products from 22 local producers and get their milk, eggs and much more delivered to their door.

Shop locally this holiday season

COM³ partners in Hüttener Berge keep working to bring more local producers on the online platform and make sure that citizens can access this unique service. They developed a new marketing campaign that highlight the endless possibilities to find unique, local and sustainable gifts for the holiday season.