Odewald KMU has successfully sold its majority stake in Bakery Karl Schmidt to Argos Wityu

In 2017, Odewald KMU acquired a stake in the Karl Schmidt bakery group as part of a succession plan. During the joint partnership, Karl Schmidt was developed from an owner-managed company into a leading bakery group in the region and the succession of the company, now in its fourth generation, was successfully implemented.

In 2017, Karl Schmidt had around 50 branches and 400 employees. In a bakery market that remains highly fragmented, the company has grown successfully and is now an important employer in the region with over 70 branches and more than 700 employees.

Karl Schmidt is a catering chain and serves its customers via four different branch concepts. The group also has a centralized production and logistics system that enables an efficient production process. In addition to a broad product portfolio of high-quality baked goods, Karl Schmidt focuses on an all-day range that includes breakfast and lunch.

In addition to the further development and expansion of the branch network in the core region, the Group was able to open new branches in neighboring regions, particularly Osnabrück and Minden. New branches were opened and individual branch bakeries were taken over. At the same time, the branch network was expanded to include larger café locations with extensive seating and an extended snack range. The new management has also pushed ahead with the introduction of a modern brand concept and a stronger digital focus.

The targets set at the beginning of the investment were thus overall exceeded.