Holzgerlingen cycle station: Fresh regional products from 2026!

Holzgerlingen cycle station: Fresh regional products from 2026!

The bike station at the train station in Holzgerlingen will be converted into a sales point for regional products in the near future. The local council voted unanimously to repurpose the station to promote strengthening local agriculture and improving access to quality food. The planned opening of the local supply station is planned for the beginning of 2026.

Mayor Ioannis Delakos emphasizes that the new station should offer a central point of contact for regional specialties. The concept includes several vending machines offering products from local and regional producers. Exclusive products such as energy drinks, sweets and tobacco products will not be part of the range in order to focus on healthy and sustainable food.

Fair sharer to save food

An essential part of the project is the planned fair divider. This will serve as a publicly accessible drop-off point for rescued and surplus food. There are currently food rescuers in Holzgerlingen, but they are mostly active on private land. The new fair sharer is intended to bundle private commitment and create a central location for the distribution of surplus food. Citizens can also donate fruit and vegetables from their gardens there.

The Holzgerlingen youth council expressly supports the concept, which has already celebrated success in other municipalities. In order to ensure high-quality and needs-oriented supply, the range will not initially be fully occupied. The city of Holzgerlingen plans to use a volunteer team to maintain and organize the station.

Regionality in focus

The initiative in Holzgerlingen is in line with consumers' increasing desire to shop regionally. In Germany, however, the level of self-sufficiency in agricultural products is limited. Fruits, vegetables and honey are often imported, due to insufficient domestic production and seasonal differences. The lack of processing and marketing structures for regional food as well as hardly any existing partnerships between producers and retailers make access to fresh, local products difficult.

Many agricultural businesses therefore shift the marketing of their products on their own initiative, for example via farm shops, milk filling stations or weekly markets. This development shows that there is a growing demand for regional food and that innovative business models in the area of ​​regionality are becoming increasingly important. The new location in Holzgerlingen could make a valuable contribution here and serve as a model for other communities.

A public tender for the vending machine space will be held in autumn 2025, with preference given to local and regional providers. This shows the city's commitment to ensuring support for local agriculture and offering consumers a diverse selection of regional products.