European investment company Argos is acquiring a majority stake in the bakery chain Kamps GmbH. An agreement has been signed with the previous owners, the Le Duff Group. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals.
Following the acquisition of the Schmidt bakery in 2024 and further acquisitions in 2025, the integration of Kamps will create one of Germany’s leading bakery groups, with more than 400 branches nationwide.
There are approximately 340 Kamps bakeries in Germany and the Netherlands, primarily located at transport hubs, shopping centers, convenience stores, and in city centers. 98% of these locations are operated by around 240 independent franchise partners. The Schmidt bakery now comprises almost 90 branches in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony.
As part of the transaction, Argos is establishing a new group structure. Marc Kranz will assume overall responsibility as Group CEO. He brings many years of experience from the food industry, having served as CFO of the Food Services division of the Valora Group and as CEO of a traditional German bakery chain. Schmidt Bakery will remain under the leadership of Managing Director Martin Manski. The existing management of the Kamps Group will also remain in place. Katharina Keil will continue to lead the company.
Argos announces its intention to pursue a clear growth strategy with the new group. The goal is to establish itself as the leading bakery group in Germany while continuously improving quality, customer experience, and operational excellence. Rainer Derix, Partner at Argos, stated: “The investment in Kamps marks an important strategic step and underscores our ambition to actively shape the German bakery market.”
Katharina Keil, Managing Director of Kamps Bakery: “We are delighted to have Argos as a new, strong partner at our side, one that shares our strategic vision and actively supports our further development. Kamps has experienced very positive growth in recent years – now we want to take the next steps together and further strengthen our market position.”
Marc Kranz, Group CEO: “With our investment in Kamps, we are laying the foundation for building a leading bakery group in Germany. Kamps is a strong brand with high recognition and excellent locations. Combined with the strengths of traditional regional companies like Bäckerei Schmidt, we will strategically develop the group further and unlock additional growth potential.”
Martin Manski, Managing Director of Schmidt Bakery: “We are delighted about the merger with Kamps into one group. I am convinced that we can combine the best of both worlds in our region, learn a great deal from each other, and continue to make our customers happy every day.”
For customers of Kamps locations throughout Germany and the Schmidt bakery, nothing will change, Argos highlights. They will continue to receive the familiar product range and quality at their respective locations. “For the companies in the group, the merger means better addressing industry challenges and leveraging opportunities together. This includes areas such as employee recruitment and retention, purchasing, logistics, raw material and energy prices, legal requirements, as well as digitalization and the necessary investments,” the announcement details.
Photo: Argos/Kamps