Schwarz Group
Grocery retail with production, recycling and IT · Germany
Schwarz Group is a private German group that runs Lidl and Kaufland stores and also owns the factories, recycling business and cloud that supply them.
What makes it different
One discounter generates most of the group's revenue.
€140.2BLidl store revenueFY2025
Lidl's stores account for roughly three-quarters of the €185.6B total, while the group's factories, recycler and IT arm are far smaller.
How big it is
How big is Schwarz Group?
€185.6BRevenueFY2025
14,500StoresFY2025
604,000EmployeesFY2025
How it makes money FY2025
Mostly Lidl stores.
- Lidl store revenue74%€140.2B
- Kaufland store revenue19%€36.7B
- Production companies3%€5.7B
- PreZero recycling2%€4.1B
- Schwarz Digits1%€2.2B
How the business works
Sell in-store. Supply and serve in-house.
- 1Lidl and Kaufland stores
- 2Own factories, ships, recycling
- 3In-house IT and cloud
Retail volume gives each in-house company a guaranteed first customer, and some now sell outside the group.
Brands and businesses
More than Schwarz Group.
Who owns it
CEO: Gerd Chrzanowski
Who it competes with
Key moments
- 1930Lidl & Schwarz KG founded in Heilbronn
- 1973First Lidl discount store opens
- 1984First Kaufland store opens in Neckarsulm
- 1989Lidl opens its first store abroad
- 2009GreenCycle founded, origin of PreZero
Sources
Every number on this page comes from Schwarz Group's own reports.
Full profile
The rest of the story is in the app.
What Schwarz Group tracks27 metrics
Lidl and Kaufland stores
Country locations
Loyalty programme users
Results, quarter by quarterwith a chart
Revenue
Profit
Margin
Where the money comes from2 regions
Germany
Outside Germany
The full timeline17 moments
2021
2022
2026
Schwarz Group vs ALDI SÜDside by side
Revenue
Profit
People
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