Kaufland
German hypermarket chain combining a broad grocery and household assortment with a value-oriented retail model.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Kaufland is a German hypermarket retailer belonging to Schwarz Gruppe, the retail group that also owns Lidl. Its first Kaufland store opened in Neckarsulm in 1984, building on the longer history of Lidl & Schwarz, a food wholesaling and retail business connected to the Schwarz family since Joseph Schwarz became a shareholder in 1930. Kaufland was developed as a larger-format complement to Lidl’s discount stores, offering customers a substantially broader assortment in one location while retaining a strong emphasis on competitive pricing. The chain expanded rapidly after the reunification of Germany. Its first store in the former East Germany opened in Meißen in 1990, followed by international expansion beginning in the Czech Republic in 1998. Kaufland subsequently entered Slovakia in 2000, Croatia and Poland in 2001, Romania in 2005, Bulgaria in 2006 and Moldova in 2018. The company’s stores operate primarily as large supermarkets or hypermarkets, combining food, fresh produce, meat, bakery goods and household necessities with selected non-food categories. The assortment has been described as averaging around 30,000 items, although the precise range varies by market and store format. Kaufland sells national and international manufacturer brands alongside private-label products. Its retail proposition includes everyday groceries, fresh foods, bakery products, household supplies and selected general merchandise. The company has operated its own bakeries since 1994 and maintains meat-processing facilities in Germany and the Czech Republic, giving it greater control over parts of the supply chain. It has also broadened its offer through organic and biodynamic products, including Demeter-certified goods introduced into the range in 2018, as well as services and brand extensions such as Kaufland Mobile in relevant markets. The business has grown through organic store openings, conversions and selected acquisitions. In 2010, German competition authorities cleared the purchase of twelve stores associated with famila Handels-Betriebe Rhein-Neckar and the Lupus Food Service cash-and-carry operation. Kaufland also acquired five Schleckerland drugstores in the same period, converting most of them to Kaufland locations. From 2011, former Handelshof stores were progressively converted to the Kaufland brand and, in some cases, rebuilt or enlarged. Kaufland has also pursued expansion beyond its established European markets, although not every initiative reached launch. It announced an Australian entry plan in 2019 after preparing stores, a distribution centre and local staffing, but abandoned the project in January 2020 before opening any outlets. In contrast, its Moldovan expansion proceeded: the first two stores opened in Chișinău on 26 September 2019, with further construction announced in Comrat and Ungheni during 2020. The retailer’s current identity is therefore rooted in a large-format, value-led food and household retail model, supported by the infrastructure and purchasing scale of Schwarz Gruppe. Alongside store expansion, Kaufland has publicised sustainability objectives, including a 2030 decarbonisation strategy involving lower-emission maritime transport and sustainable marine fuel. The company remains active across Central and Eastern Europe and Germany, with its precise store count and operating details changing over time.
History
Kaufland’s origins lie in the commercial history of Lidl & Schwarz. Joseph Schwarz joined the fruit-wholesaling company Südfrüchte Großhandlung Lidl & Co. as a shareholder in 1930. The business was renamed Lidl & Schwarz KG and gradually expanded from fruit into food wholesaling and general goods for the Heilbronn-Franconia region. Wartime destruction required the company and its facilities to be rebuilt. In 1954 it moved into its own premises in Heilbronn and joined the A & O retail association, now associated with Markant. The company opened a regional warehouse through Handels- und Fruchthof Heilbronn GmbH and added a meat department in 1964. In 1968, Lidl & Schwarz opened its first Handelshof discount store in Backnang. A larger Handelshof hypermarket followed at the same location in 1977, using a self-service format with a substantial sales area and a large workforce. After Joseph Schwarz died in 1977, his son Dieter Schwarz assumed control. He developed Lidl as a discount-store chain and created Kaufland as a complementary larger-format business designed to offer a wider assortment than the discount format. The first Kaufland hypermarket opened in Neckarsulm in 1984, where the company’s headquarters had been located since 1972. Following German reunification, Kaufland expanded into the eastern German states. Its first store in the former East Germany opened in Meißen in 1990. The company then developed an international network, opening its first non-German store in Kladno, Czech Republic, in 1998. Slovakia followed in 2000, Croatia and Poland in 2001, Romania in 2005, Bulgaria in 2006 and Moldova in 2018. The chain’s expansion reflected the wider internationalisation of Schwarz Gruppe and established Kaufland as a major hypermarket operator in Central and Eastern Europe. The company also expanded through acquisitions and conversions. In 2010, competition authorities cleared the acquisition of twelve stores connected to famila Rhein-Neckar and the Lupus Food Service cash-and-carry operation. Kaufland also acquired five Schleckerland drugstores, converting most into Kaufland stores. Beginning in 2011, Handelshof locations were progressively rebranded, rebuilt or enlarged under the Kaufland name. These moves strengthened the company’s store network and allowed it to reuse existing retail sites. Kaufland’s operating model combines large stores, extensive grocery and household ranges, private labels and manufacturer brands. It has maintained its own bakeries since 1994 and operates meat-processing facilities in several German locations and in Říčany, Czech Republic. The assortment expanded to include Demeter products in 2018. A notable unsuccessful strategic initiative was the proposed Australian entry: Kaufland prepared for a launch, acquired a site and began developing distribution infrastructure, but cancelled the plan in January 2020 before opening stores. Its Moldovan rollout continued, with two Chișinău stores opening in September 2019 and additional projects announced in Comrat and Ungheni during 2020. In the 2020s, Kaufland has continued to combine store-based retail with sustainability and supply-chain initiatives. Its 2030 decarbonisation strategy included cooperation relating to maritime transport and sustainable marine fuel. The retailer remains part of Schwarz Gruppe and operates across Germany and seven other European markets.
- 2021
2030 decarbonisation strategy announced
[1]Kaufland announced maritime-transport measures intended to reduce emissions by 2030.
- 2019
Moldovan store network launches
[1]Two stores opened in Chișinău, establishing Kaufland’s retail presence in Moldova.
- 2018
Kaufland adds Demeter products
[1]The assortment was broadened with Demeter-certified organic and biodynamic products.
- 2011
Handelshof conversion programme begins
[1]Handelshof stores began being progressively converted to the Kaufland brand and, in some cases, rebuilt or expanded.
- 1998
First international store opens in the Czech Republic
[1]Kaufland opened its first store outside Germany in Kladno.
- 1994
Kaufland operates its own bakeries
[1]The company began operating in-store or company-linked bakery activities.
- 1990
Expansion into eastern Germany
[1]The first Kaufland store in the former East Germany opened in Meißen after reunification.
- 1984
First Kaufland store opens
[1]Kaufland opened its first hypermarket in Neckarsulm, Germany.
- 1977
Handelshof hypermarket opens
[1]A hypermarket format was established at the Backnang site, preceding the creation of the Kaufland chain.
- 1968
First Handelshof discount store
[1]Lidl & Schwarz opened its first Handelshof discount store in Backnang, laying groundwork for later larger-format retail development.
Products and positioning
Mass-market, value-oriented hypermarket retail with a broad one-stop assortment and a combination of private-label and manufacturer brands.
Food retail · 1984
Kaufland grocery assortment
The core Kaufland offer consists of everyday groceries, fresh fruit and vegetables, chilled and frozen foods, beverages, meat, bakery products and packaged foods. Stores combine manufacturer brands with private-label alternatives and are designed to support one-stop shopping at large retail locations.
Private label
K-Classic
K-Classic is a value-oriented Kaufland private-label range covering everyday food and household requirements. It supports the chain’s low-price positioning by providing standardized alternatives to branded products across multiple categories.
Organic private label
K-Bio
K-Bio is Kaufland’s organic-oriented private-label range. It forms part of the retailer’s effort to offer certified organic products alongside conventional groceries and other specialist lines.
Fresh food · 1994
Kaufland bakery
Kaufland has operated its own bakery activities since 1994. Bakery departments provide fresh bread and baked goods as part of the store’s foodservice and fresh-food proposition.
Organic and biodynamic food · 2018
Demeter products
From 2018, Kaufland expanded its assortment with Demeter-certified products for customers seeking organic and biodynamic production standards.
Telecommunications service
Kaufland Mobile
Kaufland Mobile is a retail-linked mobile telecommunications offering associated with the Kaufland brand in selected markets. It extends the retailer’s private-label and service portfolio beyond physical grocery products.
Marketing campaigns
- 20212030 decarbonisation strategy
International supply chain
Kaufland announced a supply-chain sustainability programme focused on maritime transport, including the use of sustainable marine fuel and a stated objective of materially reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 2030.
Outcome. Created a long-term emissions-reduction framework for part of Kaufland’s logistics network.
- 2020Kaufland children’s festival
Slovakia
Kaufland Slovakia created a children’s festival programme. Its first reported event, titled “Zimná rozprávka,” took place at Bory Mall in Bratislava on 8 February 2020, with Kuniboo used as the festival’s mascot.
Outcome. Established a branded family-oriented event platform in the Slovak market.
Brand decisions
2021
Adopt 2030 maritime decarbonisation planStrategyBackground
Kaufland identified maritime transport of products as an area where supply-chain emissions could be reduced.
Action taken
The company announced cooperation involving sustainable marine fuel and a target of substantially lowering carbon dioxide emissions by 2030.
Aftermath
The programme positioned logistics decarbonisation as part of Kaufland’s longer-term sustainability strategy.
2019
Plan Australian market entryStrategyBackground
Kaufland investigated entry into Australia and announced plans to open approximately twenty stores after preparing local infrastructure.
Action taken
The company hired local staff, acquired a site and began work connected with a distribution centre.
Aftermath
The planned launch was delayed and the entire Australian expansion was cancelled in January 2020 before any store opened.
2010
Acquire famila Rhein-Neckar and Lupus Food Service assetsM&ABackground
Kaufland sought to expand its German store and cash-and-carry footprint through the purchase of twelve stores and a related food-service operation.
Action taken
The transaction was cleared by antitrust authorities and completed with the associated workforce and locations.
Aftermath
The acquisition strengthened Kaufland’s presence in the German market.
2010
Purchase Schleckerland storesM&ABackground
Kaufland purchased five Schleckerland drugstores in southern Germany.
Action taken
Most locations were converted to the Kaufland format; one site was closed because Kaufland already operated nearby.
Aftermath
The deal provided additional retail sites while consolidating overlapping local coverage.
Recent events
Kaufland Czech Republic begins introducing a new receipt type[2]
Reported:
Kaufland Czech Republic said it would gradually introduce a new type of shopping receipt in its stores, with rollout across the country beginning in March and expected at all 135 stores by July.
Everli partners with Kaufland in Poland[3]
Reported:
Everli announced a partnership with Kaufland in Poland, enabling customers in 17 cities to order groceries from Kaufland stores through Everli's website or app for home delivery.
Kaufland opens first hypermarket in Dej[4]
Kaufland opened its first hypermarket in Dej, Romania, bringing its store total in the country to 131.
- Unconfirmed
Kaufland opens its first stores in Moldova[5]
Reported:
Kaufland opened its first two stores in the Republic of Moldova, both located in the capital, Chisinau.
Sources10 sources
- 1Kauflanden.wikipedia.org
- 2Kaufland 捷克开始逐步推出新款购物小票praguemorning.cz
- 3Everli与Kaufland在波兰达成合作hortidaily.com
- 4Kaufland在德日开设首家大型超市zfenglish.com
- 5Kaufland在摩尔多瓦开设首批门店freshplaza.com
- 6Kaufland Opens Hypermarket In Sovata Spa Resort; Reaches 138 Stores In Romaniazfenglish.com
- 7Kaufland Opens Its Fifth Store In 2020, In Bucharest; Reaches 132 Units In Romaniazfenglish.com
- 8Kaufland Opens Its Third Store In Republic Of Moldovazfenglish.com
- 9Kaufland Opens New Store in Timisoara, Reaches 143 Units in Romaniazfenglish.com
- 10Kaufland Opens Store in Roman, Eastern Romaniazfenglish.com
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