Back after nearly three years: Our 2022 summer party

Due to the pandemic, we had to hold all our company events fully virtually. All the more reason for us to celebrate an in-person event being possible this year – and how better to celebrate than with a huge summer party? And it worked! Read more about what went on at Kaufland e-commerce’s summer party.

It was a sunny, warm afternoon in August 2022. The scent of freshly-grilled burgers was in the air, while inside, the DJ laid down the beat. All around, hundreds of Kaufland e-commerce employees were chatting, drinking, and enjoying each other’s company.

 

But let’s rewind to the evening before: Colleagues from all corners of the country got into town a day early. To get the mood going, there was a mini-golf tournament that evening – a warm-up to the big event, complete with a free drink and a little awards ceremony. On top of that, several teams opted to hold their own team events, using the evening to get to know their colleagues in a more personal atmosphere.

flyer, einladung zum minigolf

Discover the Cologne office

On the morning of the summer party, the newest colleagues had the chance to have a look at the Cologne office in the Westgate building at Rudolfplatz. Once they had arrived, they were able to choose from a selection of activities:

  • Eating breakfast together in the mini-kitchen, followed by a scavenger hunt through the office
  • A Mario Kart tournament
  • A guided tour through central Cologne
  • A foosball tournament

Not only did our colleagues get a sense of the office; they also had the chance to meet people from totally different teams, network with them, and make new synergies.

Hit the Dock²

At noon, the gates opened on our summer party location: Dock² at Mülheimer Hafen. As soon as every attendee was tested for Covid (safety first!), it kicked off. Every new arrival was greeted with finger food and cool drinks. To ring in the official start of the party, Event Manager Tina gave a quick speech. Then came a video charting our company’s development over the past two years. It covered all our milestones: everything from making the switch from office presence to remote work, to introducing our newbies, all the way to our successes, like the Kaufland Card. The video was followed by a motivational talk by CEO Gerald, who ended by announcing the start of the unofficial part of the party.

Partylocation Sommerfest
Partylocation Sommerfest

Beer Pong, Reggaeton and Food Trucks

Activities abounded for anyone interested. Ball tossers and suds-lovers proved their skills in a round of beer pong. And speaking of talent – there were ample opportunities to shake a leg. But not just any old way. Our colleagues Sarah and Gerd were on hand to teach anyone interested a few basic reggaeton and salsa steps, coming out the other side with a choreographed dance performance to the song “Jerusalema”.

Check out the final result in Sarah’s reel.

And the foodies were well taken care of, as well. The early birds enjoyed a light lunch in the form of wraps and bowls, while the evening saw the grills firing up. Two food trucks were ready with a large selection of fresh salads and dips. There were freshly grilled burgers, to boot – including vegan and black-bun selection – as well as fries and sweet potato fries.

After the food truck, the next logical step was to the bar, where fruity cocktails and ice-cold drinks helped the revellers keep their cool. Some people were playing beer pong until late in the night, while others got their groove on to the DJ’s beats.

foodtruck sommerfest
buffet sommerfest

How do you make a summer party sustainable?

Sustainability is crucial for us as a company. That’s why we keep all of our events as environmentally friendly as possible. The same applies for our summer party, of course. Every employee got a matching t-shirt in advance of the party. These were made of organic cotton. Our event management also opted for sustainable materials for our goodies, like stickers, while the catering focused on regional and seasonal produce.

Last, but not least: here’s a summary from our Event Manager Tina, who organised the entire successful party.

After such a long Covid break, it was just fantastic to see all our colleagues in person again. The event management team also very much enjoyed organising an in-person party after so many virtual events!

It was a fabulous party!