The Schwarz Group has acquired real.de, one of the largest online marketplaces in Germany.
The Schwarz Group is an international trading company with 430,000 employees worldwide, over 12,100 branches and specialist stores in 31 countries. In 2018, it generated sales of €104.3 billion. The Schwarz Group, located in Neckarsulm in Baden-Württemberg, essentially consisting of the two retail divisions Lidl and Kaufland.
The continuation of real.de under the Kaufland brand is planned as part of the digital business of the Schwarz Group. The online platform is intended to complement the stationary business and expand the offer for customers and trading partners. Kaufland is an international retail company with around 1,300 branches and around 132,000 employees in eight countries – Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Croatia and Republic of Moldova. Kaufland stands for high quality, large selection, low prices and easy shopping everywhere.
“real.de is an essential component of our future offering. The combination of brick-and-mortar business and online trading will open up additional opportunities for us. This also gives our customers new advantages.”
– Rolf Schumann, Chief Digital Officer, Schwarz Group
The transition to a digital business is subject to the completion of the acquisition of Real by SCP and approval by the antitrust authorities. Both sides agreed not to disclose the purchase price. Offers and services will continue to be available to real.de customers and retailers who use the marketplace as usual.
real.de became part of the International Marketplace Network in late 2019, a partnership connecting real.de, Cdiscount, eMAG and e-PRIC. A merchant only needs to be live on one of the four marketplaces and then the International Marketplace Network manages the interface between the marketplaces, allowing merchants to synchronize their offers and orders in real time. It is not yet known if real.de will remain a part of this network under it’s new ownership.
