- Location: Holzmarkt 6, Jena (City Center)
- Company: Tante Zukunft GmbH (Founder: Willy Götze)
- Concept: Fully automated 24/7 supermarket with robotics
- Investment: Approximately 120,000 Euro for the robot technology
- Special feature: Frozen goods also in the assortment
Jena. Anyone wanting to get groceries or snacks late at night in Jena city center has often faced closed doors or had to rely on gas stations. This is now set to change. At the central Holzmarkt, young entrepreneur Willy Götze is preparing a small revolution for retail in the Lichtstadt. Under the name “Tante Zukunft,” a shop is being created that operates entirely without human checkout staff and will be open around the clock.
High-Tech Instead of Checkout Staff
The heart of the new shop at Holzmarkt 6 is not a classic shop counter, but a state-of-the-art machine. The founder has invested around 120,000 Euro in a picking robot. The system belongs to the fourth generation of this technology and promises a smooth shopping process. Customers will likely select their goods via a terminal or an app, and the robot assembles the purchase in the background and dispenses it.
Götze, who developed the idea during his studies in Jena, saw a market gap in the lack of 24/7 availability of goods in the city. While automated shops (often from butcheries or direct marketers) are increasingly shaping the landscape in rural regions of Thüringen, such a high-tech concept has been missing in Jena city center until now.
A Venture for Local Supply
The implementation of the project is a financial feat for the young entrepreneur. The investment sum for the “Tante-Emma-Robot” was financed through loans and with the support of the Thüringer Bürgschaftsbank. Subsidies are also being discussed. However, the risk could pay off: the location at Holzmarkt is extremely busy, directly at public transport stops and in the path of many students and commuters.
The assortment is intended to go beyond the classic kiosk offering. Thanks to modern technology, the robot is capable of handling frozen products as well. This means “Tante Zukunft” could not only satisfy spontaneous hunger but also enable the forgotten weekly shop at a late hour.
Trend Towards “Smart Stores” Reaches Jena
With the opening, Jena follows a nationwide trend. So-called “Smart Stores” are seen as an answer to the shortage of skilled workers in retail and the changing needs of customers who value maximum flexibility. While the shop windows were still covered at the end of January, the lettering above the shop already indicates the upcoming opening. If the technology delivers what it promises, the nightly trip to the gas station could soon be a thing of the past for many residents of Jena.
We wish the courageous project a successful start in the city center.
Sources:
Original
Transparency Note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.