Rügenwalder Mühle launches its own Culture Council for the first time and makes Gen Z a co-creator of the brand
With the "FLXPLR Council", Rügenwalder is one of the first companies in the German food industry to launch a unique brand management format: young people from Gen Z are not only addressed, but actively involved in the company's strategic processes. The new external council is not a symbolic policy - but part of a structural change towards a dialog-based, participative culture of innovation in corporate marketing and product development. The newly founded FLXPLR Council is made up of model and influencer Alina Kossan, basketball player Kristofer Krause, creator Carefree Hamuyela, jewelry maker and creator Emil Larsen and nutritionist and psychology student Greta Nehrenberg.
"FLXPLR" - written out as Flexplorer - is a specially chosen name for a defined conquest target group that Rügenwalder Mühle wants to address in the environment of young flexitarians, primarily through long-term cultural engagement. The focus is not so much on demographic data or classic persona thinking, but rather on cultural codes, the mindset, purchasing behavior, values and attitudes of this generation.
Trend barometer for the zeitgeist, not testimonials
The FLXPLR Council focuses on one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing target groups on the market: Gen Z as a multiplier, opinion leader and trend barometer for Zeitgeist. Their perspectives flow directly into decision-making processes - from taste tests and communication ideas to social issues that demand brand responsibility.
Together with the agency collective consisting of Serviceplan Hamburg and Serviceplan Culture, lead agency for brand experience and cultural marketing since January 2025, the concept of the Council was developed as a new element of the brand experience and has now been rolled out. It combines consumer research, product development, communication and community management in a co-creation format that focuses not on reach but on relevance and genuine opinion.
Blueprint for participative brand management
"Others talk about Gen Z - we talk to them. The FLXPLR Council is our way of systematically integrating the cultural and consumer intelligence of this target group and further developing our brand and our products together," says Steffen Zeller, CMO of Rügenwalder Mühle. Zeller emphasizes that the selection of the Council members (f/m/d) and the measure is not comparable to a testimonial contract or classic brand ambassadors: "We want honest opinions and strategic collaboration - not posting on Instagram or TikTok."
The Council is not only a trend barometer for the brand, but also a sparring partner for Rügenwalder Mühle's brand experience agency. The integrated model therefore also evaluates marketing ideas and campaign elements.
"With our FLXPLR Council, we are taking a forward-looking approach. Because co-creation with impact doesn't just take place between the company and the agency - for us, it also involves a constant exchange with our target group. We focus on diversity, values and expertise directly from the heart of the FLXPLR, which we want to reach and inspire," adds Maurice Endres, Cultural Marketing Director at Serviceplan Culture.
Part of the strategy - not the campaign
"With a market share of more than 40 percent in the veggie/V+V segment, Rügenwalder Mühle is not only the market leader, but also a driving force for an entire industry," summarizes Zeller. "The newly founded Council is an expression of this self-image: taking responsibility, facilitating dialog, shaping change, driving innovation - because it tastes best when it tastes good for everyone."
The FLXPLR Council is a structured format with a long-term perspective. The first term covers the year 2025 with physical Council meetings and regular digital check-ins. The five members of the Council come from different areas of Gen Z's life and contribute their expertise and critical perspective on topics such as nutrition, content, trends and social change. The Council has already started its work.
#OMR25: Rügenwalder Mühle presents the Council's strategy
As part of the Hamburg marketing festival OMR 2025, Rügenwalder Mühle provides insights into the Council's objectives and mode of operation. Lill Brüggemann (Manager Brand Experience and Product Development at Rügenwalder Mühle), Maurice Endres (Director Cultural Marketing at Serviceplan Culture) and Carefree (Council member and content creator) will be speaking on stage at the marketing conference on May 7 at 1:25 pm.
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
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