Kamps GmbH

What Kamps GmbH does

Kamps GmbH is one of Germany's largest branded bakery chains, operating approximately 340 bakery locations across Germany and the Netherlands and serving roughly 3.5 million customers per month (approximately 48 million annually). Founded in 1982 in Düsseldorf and headquartered in Schwalmtal am Niederrhein, the company positions itself as market leader in North Rhine-Westphalia and as Germany's most recognized bakery brand. The product portfolio centers on freshly baked bread, rolls, pastries, and snacks produced daily at a centralized craft bakery (Handwerksbäckerei) in Schwalmtal using traditional methods — including self-prepared sourdough, master-baker recipes, and no additives or genetically modified ingredients — supplemented by an in-house vegan product line (Vegane Welt) and a Rainforest Alliance-certified house-roasted coffee line produced in partnership with the 165-year-old Schirmer roastery. The production facility holds ISO 9001 (quality, since July 2016), ISO 50001 (energy, audited annually by GUTcert), and ISO 45001/BGN "Sicherheit mit System" certifications, and operates an on-site blockheizkraftwerk cogeneration plant since June 2016.

The company monetizes primarily through a franchise model in which 98% of stores are run by approximately 240 independent franchise partners operating under open-ended contracts. Franchise partners pay a 7% royalty on net sales plus variable rental/Pacht fees, with no additional advertising charge, supported by the Kamps-Akademie training program and marketing services; entry capital is set low at €10,000 minimum equity. Approximately 2% of stores are company-operated (including locations at Berlin Brandenburg Airport via casualfood GmbH, Berlin Schönefeld via Areas Deutschland/Elior, Frankfurt Airport via Autogrill, and Shell gas stations), supplemented by a corporate Lieferservice delivery offering for meetings and events in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Krefeld, Hamburg, and Köln, and a factory outlet (Werksverkauf) at the Schwalmtal production site. Kamps GmbH is registered at the Mönchengladbach commercial register (HRB 14003) as a private limited company (GmbH) and has been majority-owned by European private equity firm Argos (Argos W&Z GmbH) since March 2026, when Argos acquired the stake from Groupe Le Duff and began integrating Kamps with its Bäckerei Schmidt platform to form the ARTOS Bakery Group operating more than 400 stores nationwide. Operational leadership was transitioned to Katharina Keil (Managing Director) effective 1 July 2025, with Dr. Marc Kranz appointed Group CEO of the enlarged entity.

Name

Kamps GmbH

Legal name

Kamps GmbH

Website

https://kamps.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kamps GmbH is Germany's largest branded bakery chain, operating approximately 340 franchise-led stores in Germany and the Netherlands serving 3.5 million customers monthly with fresh baked goods, house-roasted coffee, and a vegan product line under the Kamps Backstube brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bakery Retail

NAICS

Retail Bakeries (311811)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail Bakeries (Bread & Daily Bakery) (THAFAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Bakery Manufacturing (Gluten-Free, Artisan, Health-Focused) (AFAKAAAG), Artisanal & Craft Bakeries (CRAHAGAA), Wholesale / Commercial Bakeries (B2B Supply) (THAFAFAF)

Keywords

• Artisan bakery retail
• Franchise bakery chain
• Fresh baked goods
• Traditional German bakery
• Craft bakery products

Headquarters

HQ city

Schwalmtal

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Franchise Fees: Franchise partners pay a 7% fee on net sales. This is the primary revenue stream from the franchise model, supporting brand, products, training, and operational support.
2. Rental/Pacht Revenue: Variable rental fees from franchise partners for store locations and equipment. No additional advertising fee charged.
3. Direct Retail Sales: Revenue from company-owned bakery stores and delivery services for meetings and events in select German cities.
4. Franchise Partner Initial Fees: Low initial capital requirement of €10,000 from franchise partners, with support for business account requirements and permitting processes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kamps GmbH operates and franchises a chain of approximately 340 bakeries across Germany and the Netherlands, producing fresh baked goods daily at its central craft bakery (Handwerksbäckerei) in Schwalmtal using traditional methods, self-prepared sourdough, and proprietary recipes without additives. The portfolio includes breads, rolls, pastries, snacks, vegan products, and Rainforest Alliance-certified house-roasted coffee, distributed through franchise partner stores, high-traffic airport/train station locations, gas stations, and a corporate delivery service.

Product overview

Kamps GmbH operates as Germany's most famous bakery chain with approximately 340 locations across Germany and the Netherlands, serving 3.5 million customers monthly. The company's product portfolio centers on freshly baked goods including breads, rolls, pastries, and snacks produced using traditional craftsmanship and modern processes at their Handwerksbäckerei in Schwalmtal. Key offerings include the core Sortiment (bakery products), the Rainforest Alliance-certified Hausröstung coffee line, and the Vegane Welt vegan sub-brand. The business model combines company-operated bakeries with an award-winning franchise system, where 98% of locations are run by independent franchise partners. Additional revenue streams include a Lieferservice delivery offering for corporate events and a Kamps-Akademie training program for franchise partners. Following Argos's 2026 acquisition, Kamps now forms part of the ARTOS Bakery Group, a combined entity operating over 400 stores nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kamps Bakery Products (Sortiment) Freshly baked breads, rolls, pastries, and snacks produced daily at the Schwalmtal craft bakery using traditional methods, in-house sourdough, and Kamps-specific recipes without additives or genetically modified ingredients; sold at company-owned and franchise bakery locations across Germany and the Netherlands.
• Kamps Hausröstung Coffee House-roasted coffee specialty line featuring 100% Arabica beans certified by Rainforest Alliance, offered as Café Crème, Espresso, Cappuccino, Latte Macchiato, Latte Caramel, Mochaccino, Milchkaffee, and Filterkaffee; roasted in partnership with Schirmer traditional roastery.
• Kamps Vegane Welt (Vegan Line) Vegan bakery product line free from animal-derived ingredients including lard, butter, quark, milk, eggs, honey, and animal fats; includes breads, rolls, fine pastries, pretzel items, and snacks with vegan schnitzel options.
• Kamps Lieferservice (Delivery Service) Delivery service providing fresh baked goods for business meetings and corporate events; available in Berlin, Düsseldorf (including Rhein-Kreis Neuss, Meerbusch, Grevenbroich), Krefeld, and by prior request in Hamburg and Köln, ordered via kamps-lieferservice.de or call center.
• DLG-Gold Awarded Premium Products Premium products recognized with Gold awards by the German Agricultural Society (DLG), including Franzbrötchen (cinnamon pastry) and Schnittbrötchen (sliced roll), awarded for taste, texture, and quality.
• Kamps Franchise Partnership Program Award-winning franchise concept allowing independent partners to operate Kamps bakery locations with brand support, Kamps-Akademie training, marketing materials, and supply chain benefits; partners pay a 7% franchise fee on net sales plus variable rental fees.
• Factory Sales (Werksverkauf) Factory outlet sales at the Handwerksbäckerei in Schwalmtal with extended opening hours, modern store design, and newest product developments offered directly to consumers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3.5 million customers served monthly
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bridor: French premium bakery manufacturer (now under Le Duff Group) supplying breads and viennoiseries to foodservice and retail across Europe; comparable category, premium positioning, and B2B distribution to retail customers overlapping with Kamps' café and bakery offering.
• Bahlsen: Established German baked-goods and confectionery manufacturer (e.g., Leibniz biscuits) and broader baked-snacks operator; overlaps with Kamps in branded baked-goods distribution in German grocery, retail channels, and similar customer demographics.
• Lambertz: German baked-goods and confectionery group producing Lebkuchen, printed biscuits, and seasonal bakery specialties; comparable in product family (German-style baked goods, seasonal SKUs, premium gifting) but with a different go-to-market focus (retail/grocery vs. Kamps' franchise retail).
• Brioche Pasquier: Major French industrial bakery manufacturer producing breads, viennoiseries, and pastries for retail and foodservice across Europe; benchmark for production scale, supply-chain, and product breadth in a category Kamps serves with its Handwerksbäckerei output.
• Harry-Brot: One of Germany's largest industrial bread and bakery producers serving retail and foodservice; comparable in product portfolio (breads, rolls, baked goods) and scale, though operating a wholesale/industrial model rather than Kamps' franchise retail model.
• Groupe Le Duff / Brioche Dorée: French multi-brand bakery-café group that owned Kamps from 2015 to 2026 and operates Brioche Dorée, Bridor, and Délifrance; comparable as a multi-brand European bakery platform with franchise and industrial operations overlapping Kamps' categories and customer base.

Regional players

• Le Pain Quotidien: Artisanal bakery-café chain rooted in Belgium/France with growing international presence; comparable as an artisan bakery-café concept with café/coffee attachment in higher-end daytime-occasion customers, serving as a regional benchmark outside Germany for Kamps' growth ambitions.

Direct peers

• BackWERK / Schmeckt: Self-service German bakery chain with hundreds of franchise and company-operated stores; competes directly with Kamps for breakfast, snack, and bread occasions, particularly in train stations and shopping centers, with a similar low-cost franchise economics model.
• Bäckerei Schmidt: German regional retail bakery chain acquired by Argos in 2024 and now combined with Kamps under the ARTOS Bakery Group; direct strategic peer serving identical customers (daily bakery, bread, rolls, snacks) in similar high-street and station locations, making it the most explicit comparability reference.

Others

• Ditsch / Brezelbäcker Ditsch: German pretzel and bakery chain with stations and high-street locations, owned by Valora; adjacent specialty bakery concept overlapping with Kamps on snack, pretzel, and breakfast occasions in train station and high-traffic venues.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UClH7uSa6ILp4ee2AqlB-3bw
• Facebookfacebook.com/kamps.gmbh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kamps
• Instagraminstagram.com/kamps_de

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kamps GmbH