Scientists inspire at the Brandenburg Science Slam in Fürstenwalde

Scientists inspire at the Brandenburg Science Slam in Fürstenwalde

On May 23, 2025, the 4th Brandenburg Science Slam was held in the Kulturfabrik Fürstenwalde. Prof. Dr. Charlotte Köhler from the European University Viadrina was able to convince in this competition with her presentation about the logistical and analytical challenges of online food orders and secured first place. It was her debut in a science slam, and in just ten minutes she gave a clear insight into the processes that follow after clicking “order” at online grocers.

Köhler not only explained complex aspects of logistics and data analysis, but also emphasized the importance of customer satisfaction. Her ability to combine humorous, expert and everyday content contributed significantly to her success. She described the challenge of preparing scientific content in an understandable way and found the interaction with a broader audience to be enriching.

Diverse contributions and exciting topics

During the event, other talents appeared alongside Köhler, such as Oona Malmi, a Viadrina graduate who studied humor in feminism, and Lado Sirdadze, a doctoral student at Viadrina, who presented a legal tech future scenario. Contributions were also heard from the University of Potsdam, including from Prof. Stephan Lewandowsky (University of Bristol) and doctoral student Thoralf Dietrich. The Slam contributions will soon be published on the presence office's YouTube channel.

Köhler's talk touches on an increasingly relevant sector: online grocery ordering. According to recent market analysis, the online grocery delivery market is observed from 2019 to 2029 and shows an impressive annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.24%. This increase is particularly notable in the Asia Pacific region, with North America leading the way as the largest single market.

Growth factors and challenges in the online grocery market

One reason for the growth in e-commerce is changing consumer habits. Consumers increasingly prefer the convenience of online ordering, encouraging providers to invest more in research, development and improving payment options. While in 2021, Indian food delivery platforms already recorded 80 million monthly active users, the aim is to increase this number to 200 million.

In the German market, online retail generated almost 85 billion euros in 2022, with the food sector growing continuously. However, online grocery sales in Germany will show a double-digit decline in 2023 compared to the previous year, which is due to ongoing inflation and changing purchasing habits. Consumers spend over €260 billion a year on food, beverages and tobacco, cementing food retail as a significant sector in the industry.

The market landscape is expected to become more fragmented, with players such as Flink and Gorillas as well as established supermarket chains also offering delivery services. A clear trend is the establishment of cloud kitchens, which are increasingly coming into focus as an investment opportunity for restaurateurs.

The appearance of Prof. Dr. Charlotte Köhler at the Science Slam is not only a personal success, but also illuminates central aspects of a dynamic market that is characterized by technological progress and changing consumer needs.