Epson helps create muesli with a personal touch

In its flagship store in central Hamburg, Kölln-Haferland customers are now creating their own muesli and printing a personalised label.

Kölln's oat flakes are widely recognised across Germany, with Haferland - meaning Oat Land - offering over 30 different products.

Visitors can visit the factory or take a break in the deli, where they can find a wide selection of food and drink. In addition to a diverse range of muesli variations, other food includes cakes and quiches, all with one thing in common: they have oats as their main ingredient.

The option of creating personalised muesli at the muesli-making station and designing your own label is also proving highly popular.

In 2013, when the right location was found in Hamburg for the flagship store, intensive work began on the implementation of the Haferland project, into which Kölln has invested around a million euros.

Numerous partners, consultants and suppliers were involved. The selection of hardware, software and the creation of the multimedia content and templates on the label printer's touchscreen device, were the responsibility of Albert Bauer Companies.

"It was certainly a challenge to select the appropriate hardware and software for Haferland," explains Soenke Ledtje of Albert Bauer Companies. "By way of example, the two screens in the media wall and the monitor in the display window had to operate round the clock. They are key in alerting Haferland's visitors, as well as passers-by, to various campaigns that are running, while also providing information on the Kölln products."

Ledtje continued: "There were extensive specifications for all devices, including the label printer. It was critical that the printer could print in colour, was robust, easy to operate and compact, as it would be hidden behind a cover panel. Additionally, it was essential that the printer could easily cope with roll media, be easy to maintain and offer excellent value for money.

"Following a recommendation from our business partners at labelling specialist Niesel-Etikett, we looked into Epson's ColorWorks C3500. Thanks to its output speed of up to 103 millimetres per second, the printer can produce the necessary volume of labels even during periods of high customer demand. The quality is great and the ink is durable and doesn't smear. This made for a very easy decision," explains Ledtje, "and the installation and commissioning of the ColorWorks C3500 was seamless - a big advantage considering the short timeframe."

The option of creating a bespoke muesli, including its own label, is the shop's main attraction for many customers. After choosing between three different basic mixtures, a further 15 ingredients are available at the muesli-making station. With toppings including vitality seeds mixture and blanched almonds with honey and salt, there's something for everyone's taste.

Once the muesli has been created, individual labels are printed. The customer simply uses the intuitive touchscreen to choose between (at present) three different basic designs, each of which is available in German and English. The customer then chooses the words used on the labels. The ColorWorks C3500 quietly gets to work behind its specially constructed cover panel, quickly producing labels of excellent quality. The customer then sticks the finished label onto their muesli bag.

"Almost every customer who creates their own personal muesli mixture also takes the opportunity to print an individual label," says Jessica Poek, the branch manager of Haferland. "The bespoke labels have been well-received by customers, offering not only a unique experience, but quick and quality printing that doesn't smear." After only a short training session, the shop staff were able to take charge of replacing the colour cartridges and refilling label media. "A truly straightforward matter," enthuses Jessica Poek.