1930
Our history began in 1930 when Josef Schwarz, father of the current owner, opened a grocery store. The store was destroyed in the Second World War and rebuilt during the late 1940s.
1960-1984
In 1960, the first fruit and retail store was opened as a cash & carry market in Heilbronn. Eight years later, the first Handelshof consumer store opened in Backnang. In 1973, the first Lidl store opened its doors in Ludwigshafen. The first self-service store, located in Neckarsulm, followed in 1984.
1989-1998
International expansion efforts began in 1989, when the first store opened in France, and with Kaufland in the Czech Republic in 1998.
2015
Meanwhile, the Schwarz Group counts more than 11,000 stores in more than 20 European countries.
2017
In 2017, Lidl began its expansion in the U.S.
The beginnings of Schwarz Dienstleistungen
1999
Those units offering corporate administrative services and financial services were brought together in an independent company for the first time in 1999.
2004
Around 50 employees were working for this company in 2004.
2014
Since 2014, Schwarz Dienstleistung KG (SDL) has been the central corporate services provider covering taxes, finance and accounting for Lidl and Kaufland.
2014/2015
Shortly after, the set-up of the operational activities began.
2022
In 2022, Schwarz Dienstleistungen will have more than 6,000 employees and will consist of over 20 departments.
2019
Over the years, more and more areas have been bundled at Schwarz Dienstleistungen. Another milestone was reached in May 2019 with the merger of Lidl IT and Kaufland IT into Schwarz IT.
