Source: EHL
Source: EHL
Source: EHL
Source: EHL

Lausanne / Düsseldorf – METRO GROUP, a German global diversified retail and wholesale/cash and carry group, has signed an agreement with L'Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne to host a collaboration chair on the topic of digital innovation in HoReCa. Hotels, restaurants and caterers are a core customer group of METRO Cash & Carry, the company's wholesale division.

In the recent past, METRO has strongly intensified its efforts to foster digital innovation in the hospitality sector. This includes the "Techstars METRO Accelerator", the first technology accelerator with a specific focus on the hospitality industry and the newly created division "HoReCa.Digital" that is focused on the digital opportunities in the hospitality sector.

The METRO Chair of Innovation at L'Ecole hôtelière is directly assigned to this HoReCa.Digital division. Both partners have agreed on a number of tasks in order to further explore the digitalisation of the HoReCa sector in key markets worldwide as France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Japan. The focus is on the one hand on understanding the barriers and opportunities in the digitalisation of the industry and on the other hand on studying the effects of digitalisation of operations and customer service through digital services, products and channels. With regard to this, the Chair has a dual mission: developing research and expanding education as well as contributing to sustainable development through innovation in the industry. The research is focused on the HoReCa market and its structure, customer needs and trends and strategic implications. Numerous Student Business Projects (SBP) will support the research with creative and innovative solutions.

The Chair holder is Dr Christine Demen Meier Head of the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Department, with Senior lecturer Ian Millar responsible for the digital aspects as well as the relationship between both parties.

The first results of the research will be presented at the end of April 2016.

About Metro Cash & Carry

METRO Cash & Carry is represented in 26 countries with over 750 self-service wholesale stores. With a headcount of about 110,000 employees worldwide, the wholesale company achieved sales of about € 30 billion in the financial year 2014/2015. METRO Cash & Carry is a sales division of METRO GROUP. METRO GROUP is one of the largest and most important international retailing companies. In the financial year 2014/15 it generated sales of around €59 billion. The company operates more than 2,000 stores in 30 countries and has a headcount of around 230,000 employees. The performance of METRO GROUP is based on the strength of its sales brands that operate independently in their respective market segments: METRO/MAKRO Cash & Carry - the international leader in self-service wholesale - Media Markt and Saturn - the European market leader in consumer electronics retailing and Real hypermarkets. More information on www.metrogroup.de

About EHL Group

EHL Group is the global reference in education, innovation and consulting for the hospitality and service sector.
With expertise dating back to 1893, EHL Group now offers a wide range of leading educational programs from apprenticeships to master's degrees, as well as professional and executive education, on three campuses in Switzerland and Singapore. EHL Group also offers consulting and certification services to companies and learning centers around the world. True to its values and committed to building a sustainable world, EHL Group's purpose is to provide education, services and working environments that are people-centered and open to the world. www.ehlgroup.com

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