HERW!N connects 127 circular retail stores to Tilroy: one platform, local strength

From islands to one platform

The search for a solution was thorough. HERW!N wrote to dozens of suppliers, from local players to big international names. The requirements were fixed: a partner that understands the context of the social economy, open APIs for integrations, support for sales, service and rental, and above all a cash register that is simple enough for everyone. Also for people with a distance to the labor market.

"Tilroy stood out because they listened," says Hans. "With other players, customization was out of the question. Tilroy thought along and gave us the freedom to adapt the system to our reality."

What began with a few pioneering Circle stores grew into a project with national support. Each member got its own tenant in Tilroy, but through a master sub-tenant structure, all stores are connected. That set-up combines the best of both worlds: local autonomy with the power of a central platform. Customers are recognized everywhere, gift cards are universally usable, and prices and bar codes are the same everywhere.

From POS system to innovation platform

What sets Herwin apart is how they not only use Tilroy, but actively build on it. Hans and his team develop their own applications via Tilroy's APIs. For example, they built a registration terminal that allows customers to register themselves at the checkout, useful for non-native speakers or people with limited digital skills. They also automated the way products are registered: barcodes now combine product and price information, eliminating thousands of manual entries.

"Tilroy is not a closed system for us," Hans explains. "We build on it. That's the power of an open platform: it grows with us."

That openness also forms the basis for the next step: one common loyalty card system that works across all stores. On top of that, Herwin is building a central marketing platform in which customer and sales data from Tilroy are linked directly to a CDP. "Before, everyone had their own Mailchimp," says Hans. "Soon we'll be sending personalized campaigns based on purchase behavior, all from one data source."

The cash register as the front end of circularity

At HERW!N, retail is not just about sales, but about impact. Every transaction contributes to social employment and reducing waste. Even the checkout logic is geared to this: transactions are recorded not only at the product level, but also by waste category.

"Our cash registers work on waste codes instead of product codes," Hans explains. "That way we literally measure how many tons we take off the waste mountain. Indeed, you could say that Tilroy is the front end of our circular mission."

That way of working is unique. It shows how technology can help to make social goals concretely measurable, without making the operation more complex for employees on the floor.

Moving forward together

Today, more than 120 Kringwinkels are live with Tilroy, and the network continues to grow. "The cooperation between Herwin and Tilroy is down-to-earth, honest and forward-looking," indicates Hans, " we can count on it. And if there's something, you guys always help find a solution."

What once began as a fragmented landscape of local systems has evolved into one connected ecosystem where collaboration is key. Herwin proves that digital transformation is also possible in the social and circular economy, and that technology, if properly deployed, not only streamlines processes, but also brings people closer together.