The Shop "DasGastroPortal.de"
A Common User Experience
DasGastroPortal.de is the digital hub for hospitality partners – unique in the industry and consistently tailored to their needs.
It offers, for example, practical support for hospitality entrepreneurs. From concept development to property listings, founders will find tips, checklists, and inspiration for a successful start. Additionally, the portal provides impulses for digitalization such as digital menus, personnel management, or tools for customer engagement. Hospitality professionals also learn everything about the diverse range of the Bitburger Brewing Group and receive valuable tips on draft technology.
To expand the offering, a shop for promotional materials and hospitality items was developed based on Shopware. The goal was a seamless user experience between the portal and the web shop. For this purpose, single sign-on was integrated, so users only need to register and authenticate once.
Five Brand Shops – One System
Following the successful implementation of the DasGastroPortal shop for B2B customers, the five brand shops for consumers were migrated. Additional features such as voucher systems and deposit billing were integrated.
As part of the migration, the Bitburger shop received a fresh design, and all shops were optimized for accessibility and an inclusive shopping experience.
The online shops of the five renowned beer brands Bitburger, König Pilsener, Licher, Köstritzer, and Benediktiner Weißbräu offer beer enthusiasts a diverse range with a wide selection of beers, glasses, barbecue accessories, fan merchandise, and much more.
Helm & Walter, Shopware and the Bitburger Brewing Group
A Success Story
Daniel Walter and his team reliably support us in maintaining and developing our web shops. The team works professionally, constructively, and always solution-oriented. We appreciate the high level of expertise and the trusting collaboration that enables us to efficiently implement complex requirements.
Bitburger Braugruppe
The Bitburger Brewing Group
The Bitburger Brewing Group is a family-owned company with 1,400 employees and is now managed by the seventh generation. The brewing group includes the brands Bitburger, König Pilsener, Köstritzer, Licher, as well as Königsbacher and Nette. Additionally, there is a distribution partnership with Benediktiner Weissbräu GmbH. Founded in 1817 as a small country brewery in the Eifel region, Bitburger is today Germany's top draft beer brand. As the company's flagship, the brewery stands for unique taste – and has done so for over 200 years.
Helm & Walter as a Strong Partner
>> For the Bitburger Brewing Group, we implemented a modern e-commerce infrastructure. This included building the DasGastroPortal shop for B2B customers as well as migrating the five brand shops – Bitburger, König Pilsener, Köstritzer, Licher, and Benediktiner Weißbräu – to a powerful Shopware framework. Additionally, we integrated new features to sustainably improve the user experience for consumers. <<
Daniel Walter
Shopware 6 as a High-Performance Framework for Modern E-Commerce
Shopware is a modular e-commerce platform that helps businesses of all sizes develop and operate scalable and high-performance online shops. With a focus on flexibility, user-friendliness, and an open approach, Shopware offers a comprehensive range of features and tools for an exceptional shopping experience.
The platform impresses with its modern architecture, suitable for both B2C and B2B business models. Individually customizable templates, advanced SEO features, and a strong developer community enable companies to optimally design their digital presence. With Shopware, manufacturers can efficiently realize their vision of an online shop, strengthen customer loyalty, and sustainably increase revenue.
Our Services
Web Design
In the design process, we consistently oriented ourselves to the strong brand identity of the Bitburger Brewing Group. Through careful modernization of existing design elements, we created a contemporary appearance that preserves the high recognizability of the brands. This way, long-time customers can navigate intuitively, while new users benefit from an optimized user experience.
Web Frontend Development
Based on a flexible CMS concept, we developed performant, interactive frontend pages that seamlessly adapt to different devices. Special attention was paid to accessibility to enable equal access for all users. Thanks to well-thought-out API architectures, the seamless integration and connection of various subsystems is guaranteed at all times.
Single Sign-On for Seamless Authentication
For the DasGastroPortal shop and the hospitality portal of the Bitburger Brewing Group, we implemented a powerful SSO solution. It enables B2B customers to log in once and then switch between all professional applications without re-authentication. This provides a significantly improved user experience, simplifies the management of customer accounts, and sustainably reduces support effort.
The Contribution of Our Team Members
Daniel Walter – E-Commerce Consultant and Project Manager
In this project, I took on the role of e-commerce consultant and project manager. As CEO of our agency, my focus was on close coordination with the Bitburger team and coordinating our developer team. I ensured clear task distribution, structured processes, and efficient implementation of project goals.
My focus was to holistically support the digital vision of the Bitburger Brewing Group – from conceptual consulting to successful implementation. This resulted in a scalable, future-oriented e-commerce ecosystem that sustainably connects brands, processes, and technology.
Jens Bornschein – Expert in Accessibility and Web Analytics
As part of my consulting work, I supported the project with a focus on accessibility and web analytics. First, I conducted a comprehensive review of the existing shop systems and developed concrete measures for WCAG-compliant implementation and a legally compliant accessibility statement.
In parallel, I implemented fully data protection-compliant conversion tracking with eTracker, with the focus on success tracking of social media campaigns. Finally, I trained the team in the practical use and evaluation of eTracker data to ensure sustainable analytical competence.
Robert Schwabe – Web Design for the Brand World of the Bitburger Brewing Group
As part of the renovation of the brand shops, I was responsible, together with colleagues, for the web design. My focus was on a modern, user-oriented appearance that strengthens brand identity and makes the shopping experience more emotional. This included a comprehensive redesign of the landing page of the Bitburger shop, featuring high-quality, visually appealing imagery to offer customers an attractive and inspiring shopping experience. Additionally, I adjusted colors, typography, and numerous UI elements in all five brand shops to meet the requirements of the Accessibility Enhancement Act (BFSG) and ensure inclusive use for all target groups.
In addition, I developed a new, uniform voucher design for all brands that strengthens recognition while highlighting the diversity of the brewing group. For me, this project was a complete success.
Steffen Mämpel – API Integration and Voucher Features
Within the Bitburger brand shops, I was responsible for the connection to the Bitburger API. I developed an automated, regular synchronization of inventory levels and the transfer of orders. A special focus was on error communication. For example, the shop operator is automatically informed when problems occur or manual intervention is necessary.
Furthermore, I extended the Shopware voucher system. Unlike the standard version, voucher products can now be reused and gifted. For better management, I implemented an overview page that displays all vouchers including remaining value and validity period.
Thomas Sicker – Custom Shopware Themes and Tailored Features
My tasks included implementing custom Shopware themes in the frontend based on provided design templates.
Additionally, I developed several tailored features for the shops. These include a pre-order system for upcoming products with integrated quantity management, as well as an automatic notification system that informs customers as soon as previously sold-out products are available again. I also implemented a deposit system that separately displays the deposit amount for deposit-required items and correctly considers it in the shopping cart. These extensions improve the shopping experience and facilitate shop management.