Kaufland Dienstleistung Süd- Ost GmbH & Co. KG

What Kaufland Dienstleistung Süd- Ost GmbH & Co. KG does

Kaufland is a European hypermarket and discount retailer operating 1,600+ stores across eight countries (Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia, and the Republic of Moldova), with 162,000+ employees and 790+ stores in Germany alone. The company, founded in 1968 and headquartered in Neckarsulm, is part of the privately held Schwarz Group, which also owns Lidl. Kaufland generates revenue primarily through direct-to-consumer physical retail, offering approximately 30,000 articles per store with a portfolio of 4,000+ private label products spanning brands such as K-Classic (discount), K-Bio (organic), K-take it veggie (vegan/vegetarian with 1,200+ products), K-Purland (meat), K-free (Nutri-Score), bevola (personal care), K-to go (convenience), and Kuniboo.

The company's operational technology centers on a digital customer journey that includes the Kaufland mobile app, self-checkout systems, digital produce price labels, contactless and mobile payments, and an online marketplace operated through subsidiary Kaufland Marketplace GmbH. Infrastructure extends to 300+ EV charging stations across store locations and a climate-coupled refrigeration system that recovers heat from cooling operations. Business model is the classic discount-retail flywheel: high store throughput, private label depth, and group-level procurement scale via Schwarz Group, with non-food private label sourcing being consolidated through sister company Lidl since end of 2021.

Customer segments are mass-market, price-conscious consumers and families, with secondary emphasis on health-conscious and plant-based buyers and regional product seekers. The company pursues ESG leadership through the REset Plastic strategy (31% plastic reduction achieved), Science Based Targets Initiative commitments via Schwarz Group, ISO 50001 energy management certification, Lean & Green 3rd Star logistics recognition, and food donation partnerships with Tafel Deutschland. Customer-facing and third-party awards include multiple first-place rankings for price-performance ratio, customer reviews, and family-friendliness across Preis-König 2025, Preis-Champion 2026, WirtschaftsWoche Preisfavorit 2026, and Von Familien empfohlen 2026.

Name

Kaufland Dienstleistung Süd- Ost GmbH & Co. KG

Legal name

Kaufland Dienstleistung GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://unternehmen.kaufland.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kaufland is a privately held European hypermarket and discount retailer operating 1,600+ stores across 8 countries with 162,000+ employees, offering ~30,000 SKUs per store and 4,000+ private label products to mass-market consumers, as part of Schwarz Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Discount Retail / Hypermarket Grocery

NAICS

Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers (except Convenience Retailers) (445110), Grocery and Convenience Retailers (4451)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Retail-Nonstore Retailers (5960)

akta.pro primary industry

Limited-Assortment Hard Discounters (Private-Label Led) (CRAHADAA)

Keywords

• Discount retail
• Hypermarket grocery
• Private label brands
• Fresh produce retail
• Food retail chain

Headquarters

HQ city

Backnang

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales: Kaufland generates revenue primarily through retail sales of food and non-food products across its 1,600+ stores in 8 European countries. The company offers approximately 30,000 articles per store including private label brands and branded products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kaufland operates a hypermarket/discount retail business through more than 1,600 physical stores across 8 European countries, offering approximately 30,000 food and non-food articles per store with a strong emphasis on fresh produce, dairy, and meat. The company sells its own portfolio of private label brands (K-Classic, K-Bio, K-take it veggie, bevola, K-to go, K-Favourites, K-Purland, K-free, Kuniboo) alongside national brands at competitive price points, supported by digital services such as the Kaufland App, online marketplace, self-checkout, contactless/mobile payment, and on-site EV charging.

Product overview

Kaufland is a hypermarket retail chain operating over 1,600 stores across eight European countries. The company offers a multi-brand private label portfolio including K-Classic (discount), K-Bio (organic), K-take it veggie (vegetarian/vegan), K-to go (convenience), bevola (personal care), K-Favourites, Kuniboo, K-Purland, and K-free, spanning food, beverages, household goods, textiles, and personal care. Digital services include the Kaufland App, online marketplace, self-checkout systems, digital price tags, and contactless payment. Additional services include over 300 E-charging stations at store locations. The company operates as part of the Schwarz Group and focuses on sustainability initiatives including packaging reduction, recycled materials, and supply chain transparency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• K-Classic: Main discount brand offering controlled brand quality at low prices, covering products from bakery items to personal care.
• K-Bio
• K-take it veggie
• K-Favourites
• K-to go
• bevola
• K-FREE

Products and services

• K-Classic Kaufland's main discount private label brand offering controlled brand quality at low prices, spanning groceries, household items, and personal care products.
• K-Bio Organic private label brand offering products from controlled ecological agriculture, certified under EU Organic standards.
• K-take it veggie Vegetarian and vegan private label brand with more than 1,200 products including tofu, ready-made products, spreads, sliced meats, yogurt, snacks, and plant-based milk alternatives.
• K-Favourites Private label brand offering favorite products at competitive prices.
• K-to go Convenience and on-the-go private label brand for quick meals and snacks.
• bevola Drogerie and personal care private label brand including products such as shower gels made with recycled plastics.
• K-Purland Private label brand for meat products, awarded the Bundesehrenpreis for high quality.
• K-free Private label brand featuring Nutri-Score labeling for free-from products.
• Kaufland Online Marketplace Third-party online marketplace platform operated by Kaufland Marketplace GmbH enabling external sellers to offer products through Kaufland's online presence.
• E-Charging Stations (E-Ladestationen) Electric vehicle charging infrastructure available at more than 300 Kaufland store locations, supporting Type 2/AC, CCS/DC, and CHAdeMO charging standards, offered to customers during their shopping visit.

Quantifiable outcome

• 320,000 tons CO2 saved through logistics optimization
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Philipp Lahm StiftungcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Collaboration with Philipp Lahm Foundation on TELLER-CHAMPIONS initiative for children's nutrition education and Kaufland Spielfreunde youth football sponsorship program. Includes possibility for Philipp Lahm to attend events.
• Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Since 2023, Kaufland is a member of AWS, a global alliance of companies, NGOs, and public sector working together for responsible water use along value chains. The AWS Standard helps take responsibility for water resources.
• Partnerschaft für Nachhaltigen Orangensaft (PANAO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Kaufland is a founding member of PANAO alongside Beckers Bester, BMZ, Christliche Initiative Romero, REWE Group, TIE, TransFair e.V., and ver.di. The partnership aims to improve working conditions and sustainable orange juice supply chains from Brazil.
• The Juice CSR PlatformminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Kaufland has been a member since 2015 of this sustainability initiative for the fruit juice industry, networking stakeholders along the global value chain to promote responsible procurement practices.
• UN Global CompactcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKaufland is a signatory to the UN Global Compact, the world's largest initiative for responsible corporate governance. The company commits to the ten principles covering human rights, labor standards, environment, and anti-corruption.
• Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a member of RSPO, Kaufland supports sustainable palm oil standards, small farmers, and environmental protection. RSPO sets global standards for sustainable palm oil cultivation.
• PreZero (Schwarz Gruppe)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPreZero, the environmental services arm of Schwarz Group, handles waste and recycling for Kaufland. PreZero collects, sorts, and processes plastic waste into reusable materials for new products including storage boxes and shopping baskets.
• Project StopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of REset Plastic's REmove initiative, Project Stop works to remove plastic waste from the environment, specifically focused on river cleanup operations in Indonesia.
• One Earth - One Ocean e.V. (oeoo)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Bekasi River Cleanup (BRIC) project in Indonesia, working to remove plastic waste from rivers before it reaches oceans.
• JAKOcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSports apparel partner for the Kaufland Spielfreunde youth football sponsorship program, providing team kits including jerseys, shorts, socks, training suits, and trainer shirts.
• Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchwarz Group (Kaufland's parent) officially joined SBTi in August 2020, committing to science-based climate targets aligned with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C goal.
• Klim (Berlin AgriTech startup)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support agricultural suppliers in transitioning to regenerative agriculture, with Klim's platform measuring emissions and incentivizing sustainable farming practices.
• Coca-Cola Europacific Partners DeutschlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project partners for moorland rewetting (renaturierung) initiatives across five moor areas and four wetland areas in nine nature parks.
• Verband deutscher Naturparke (VDN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for moorland rewetting and climate protection projects across German nature parks.
• NutrimatorminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConcept and implementation partner for TELLER-CHAMPIONS nutrition education program, providing certified nutrition experts who conduct the program in schools and clubs.
• Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipation in the National Reduction and Innovation Strategy for Sugar, Salt and Fats in ready-made products (Nationale Reduktions- und Innovationsstrategie).
• Tafel DeutschlandcoreOthersFood donation partnership where Kaufland donates food from logistics operations to Tafel (food bank) organizations across Germany. Example: one truckload of 134 tons of food donated nationwide.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lidl: Sister company under Schwarz Gruppe and one of Europe's leading hard-discount grocers. Lidl operates a similar discount model with strong private-label focus, making it the most directly comparable peer despite shared ownership.
• Aldi Nord: Hard-discount grocer active across Northern and Eastern Europe. Closely comparable business model and direct competitor to Kaufland on price-led value proposition.
• REWE Group: Major German full-range grocery and retail group operating supermarkets and discount banners (Penny). Comparable hypermarket/supermarket footprint with overlapping private-label and fresh focus in Germany.
• EDEKA: Germany's largest supermarket cooperative with broad grocery and private-label assortment. Direct competitor to Kaufland in Germany across conventional and discount formats (Netto Marken-Discount).
• Netto Marken-Discount: Discount grocery banner owned by EDEKA, active in Germany and other European markets. Comparable discount format with private-label emphasis competing directly with Kaufland on price.
• Aldi Süd: Hard-discount grocery chain operating across Western and parts of Eastern Europe with a private-label-led, limited-assortment model. Directly competes with Kaufland on price-performance in overlapping markets.

Broad incumbents

• METRO AG: German-headquartered wholesale/cash-and-carry and food service operator. Comparable in German market presence and broad assortment philosophy, though B2B-skewed versus Kaufland's B2C focus.
• Tesco: UK-headquartered multinational grocer with hypermarket, supermarket, and online operations. Broad incumbent comparable to Kaufland on multi-format European grocery and private-label depth.
• Carrefour: French-headquartered global hypermarket and grocery incumbent. Overlaps with Kaufland in hypermarket format and broad food + non-food assortment across multiple European countries.

Regional players

• Biedronka (Jerónimo Martins): Leading discount grocery chain in Central/Eastern Europe (Poland primary) under Jerónimo Martins. Directly comparable to Kaufland in overlapping Central European discount and private-label positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/kauflandde
• Facebookfacebook.com/kaufland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kaufland-dienstleistung-s%C3%BCd--ost-gmbh-&-co.-kg
• Instagraminstagram.com/kaufland
• Pinterestpinterest.de/kaufland
• TikToktiktok.com/@kaufland?lang=de-DE

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Kaufland Dienstleistung Süd- Ost GmbH & Co. KG