Cora (F)

The new hypermarket in Longeville-lès-Saint-Avold in the east of France combines ecological sustainability with economic success.

08 October 2008: On this day, the new Cora shopping centre in Longeville-lès-Saint-Avold, France, opened after a two-year construction period.

Customers can now shop in a modern ambience and benefit from numerous services according to their personal preferences in the 12,500 m² centre. "We do not inherit the Earth from our parents; we borrow it from our children.” These words by the French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry served as guidelines for the Cora Group managers during the construction of the shopping centre. The new supermarket was built on the premises of the rather old record store in Longeville-lès-Saint-Avold, which had seen better days. An average of 200 workmen from around 45 local companies worked on the new building each day to create a shopping centre that does not only take the environment, but also the desires of customers, into account. The consistent focus on the environment is evident in numerous details today. These include a solar-thermal unit for warm water in sanitary facilities, 32 solar modules to ensure environmentally-friendly energy supply. The glazing and façades are heat insulated in a highly efficient manner. Strict waste separation also ensures that valuable raw materials are recycled on a daily basis.

The Cora Group enhances its environmentally driven corporate philosophy through its involvement in the life of the town of Longeville-lès-Saint-Avold:

Cora participates in local social events, contributes towards charity campaigns and works together with manufacturers in the area to promote the marketing of regional products. Due to the fact that the Group is organised in a decentralised manner, ideally every Cora store is able to adapt to the specific conditions in its region. This creates a feeling of proximity and regional connectedness that Cora's customers appreciate. French customer Christelle, who has become a regular customer at the new Cora hypermarket in Saint-Avold, says: "The bright and welcoming store is pleasant for customers and staff." At Cora, it is important that also the staff feel comfortable in order to contribute to the best possible service. Customers also value the wide range of products all in one place, such as healthy and tasty groceries, household and multimedia products, textiles or leisure and cultural items. Services also aim to be diverse: hire cars, customer service, advance ticket sales, the Cora Voyages travel agency, a party catering service, a clothes alteration shop, an information terminal desk in the centre of the store, self-checkouts, and recently also the online shopping portal www.houra.fr – Cora meets all of its customers' requirements In addition to the Cora hypermarket, approximately 20 more shops offer further shopping opportunities.