Lidl’s owner expands further into logistics by acquiring carrier

CE Beteiligungs GmbH, part of the Schwarz Group (which owns Lidl and Kaufland), has acquired a 35% stake in the Austrian forwarding company Gartner Group, according to the German portal Verkehrsrundschau.

Gartner Group, headquartered in Lambach, Austria, operates in 23 locations across eight countries, including Austria, Germany, Hungary, Romania, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The company has a fleet of 2,100 tractors and approximately 3,200 trailers. In 2023, Gartner’s turnover was approximately EUR 648 million. The range of services provided by Gartner includes the transport of refrigerated cargo, a service that Lidl and Kaufland’s parent company will likely find particularly valuable.

This acquisition is not the Schwarz Group’s first foray into logistics, but rather another move that underscores the group’s growing presence in the TSL market.

Two years ago, Lidl established its own shipping company, Tailwind Shipping Lines. Today, this company offers connections between Europe, China, and Bangladesh and operates eight small container ships, each with a capacity of up to 5,000 TEU (20-foot equivalent units).

A year ago, Lidl expanded further by founding Tailwind Intermodal. This company, based in Graz, Austria, is responsible for transporting containers to and from the Slovenian port of Koper. Vessels from the sister company, Tailwind Shipping Lines, arriving from China, dock at this Adriatic port.

Additionally, as “Verkehrsrundschau” highlights, Lidl is increasingly managing its logistics operations directly. Through Lidl Road Solutions, the grocery chain now handles the outsourcing of transport to forwarders and manages settlements with forwarders and suppliers—a responsibility that was previously managed by the suppliers themselves.