Multi-tenant platform development for multiple brands
One technical foundation for several brands
Enterprises with several subsidiaries, providers with several tenants: if you build every site separately, you pay for every change several times. We build platforms on which several brands or tenants run side by side.
That covers the multi-tenant architecture, theming, headless CMS integration, migrating existing sites onto the platform, and the tools for editorial, marketing and SEO.
That is how we have been developing the platform that runs sparstrom, badenIT and Stadtwerke Weil am Rhein, together with badenova since 2022.
The typical situation
sparstrom started as a sales brand of the badenova group on its own platform, with its own tech stack and its own content management. As the shared platform grew, the question came up whether a separate codebase was still worth it. At MediaMarktSaturn, frontend and content teams needed to work independently after the move to a headless CMS.
How we approach it
- Multi-tenant architecture with central design tokens and one theme per brand.
- Storyblok as headless CMS, decoupled from the technical platform, so brand teams maintain their own content.
- Migration without disruption: URL structures, metadata and SEO signals are preserved, with no noticeable live impact.
- Custom Storyblok apps that extend the CMS with brand-specific SEO tools right in the editor.
- Engineering contributions inside a large group during the move to a headless CMS on Contentful.
The badenova platform now runs 3 brands with 124 components. The new sparstrom site was live within 4 months.
Platform projects of this size often qualify for public funding. Check your project with the funding check.
How it works
We build platforms in three phases. Each phase ends with a result you use to decide whether and how to continue.
- Consulting and architecture, from one week: We capture brands, tenants and existing sites and decide with you what belongs on the shared platform. The result is a decision paper with architecture, options and an effort estimate.
- Prototyping and pre-study, typically 2–6 weeks: We test theming, the CMS model and the migration path and assess what the build will take. The result is a clickable prototype, a risk assessment and a solid implementation plan.
- Engineering and operations, months to years: We build the platform, migrate existing sites and keep developing it together with your teams. The result is software in production, documented and ready to hand over to your team.
The new sparstrom site was live within 4 months. We have been developing the platform with badenova since 2022. You can find an overview of the phases under Services.
Technologies
These are the technologies we use in platform projects:
- Frontend: React, Next.js and TypeScript
- Theming: central design tokens and one theme per brand
- Headless CMS: Storyblok, Contentful at MediaMarktSaturn
- CMS extensions: custom apps in the Storyblok App Framework
- Components: Storybook, visually tested with Chromatic
- Testing and CI: Playwright and GitHub Actions
The badenova platform now runs 3 brands with 124 components.
Frequently asked questions
Can we migrate existing sites without losing SEO?
Yes. For sparstrom we migrated all editorial content to Storyblok. URL structures, metadata and SEO signals were preserved. The cutover ran with no noticeable live impact on SEO or user experience. The new website was live within four months. Since then, there is no separate codebase to maintain.
Does each brand keep its own look?
Yes. Each brand gets its own theme based on central design tokens. Brand colors, typography and tone stay intact, and components are not duplicated. That is how sparstrom, badenIT and Stadtwerke Weil am Rhein run on the badenova platform. New features from the shared component library benefit every brand.
Can our editorial teams maintain content themselves?
Yes. Storyblok as headless CMS is decoupled from the technical platform, so brand teams maintain their own content. For sparstrom we built custom Storyblok apps that extend the CMS with brand-specific SEO tools, right in the editor and in the editorial workflow. At MediaMarktSaturn we supported the move to Contentful.
- Multi-tenant architecture
- Theming and brand-specific configuration
- Headless CMS with Storyblok and Contentful
- Migration of existing sites
- Editorial and SEO tooling
- Platform operations and ongoing development
- New brands in weeks instead of months
- One maintenance effort for all sites
- Consistency with each brand's own tone
- Editorial teams that work independently
- Infrastructure that holds up long term