Which German retail group owns the Lidl and Kaufland supermarket chains?

Schwarz Gruppe owns the Lidl and Kaufland supermarket chains.

The German company is headquartered in Neckarsulm, Baden-Württemberg, and is one of Europe’s largest retail groups. Lidl operates discount supermarkets across numerous countries, while Kaufland operates larger hypermarket-style stores with broader product ranges.

The group grew from a grocery business established by Josef Schwarz in the 1930s. Dieter Schwarz later developed the Lidl discount format and expanded it internationally. The Lidl name is linked to Ludwig Lidl, whose name was acquired for a relatively small sum so the business could avoid trading under the Schwarz name.

A common mix-up is confusing Schwarz Gruppe with Aldi. Aldi is a separate German discount retailer divided into Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd. Schwarz Gruppe’s other major retail brand is Kaufland, not Aldi.