Kaufland is a German hypermarket chain, part of the Schwarz Gruppe which also owns Lidl and Handelshof. In 1984, the first store was opened in Neckarsulm and quickly expanded to become a leader in what was formerly East Germany. The chain operates over 1,200 stores in Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia. Kaufland plans to open stores in Australia, and Moldova.