Georg Kofler buys Ralf Dümmel's DS Group

Georg Kofler's Social Chain AG acquires 100% of Ralf Dümmel's group, which specializes in consumer goods. Both entrepreneurs are jury members of the TV show "Die Höhle der Löwen".

Georg Kofler and Ralf Dümmel both sit on the jury of the start-up TV show "Die Höhle der Löwen", in which they invest in start-ups. Social Chain AG, whose Supervisory Board Chairman and largest single shareholder is Georg Kofler, has now acquired 100% of the DS Group from Ralf Dümmel. Social Chain AG states that it paid a total price of 220.5 million euros for the purchase. With the acquisition of the DS Group, Social Chain AG now expects total sales of EUR 620 million for 2021.

Ralf Dümmel will not disappear from the day-to-day business despite the takeover: He will now be appointed to the company's Management Board. As Chief Product Officer (CPO), he will be responsible for product, purchasing, trade marketing, logistics and sales.

Previously, the two companies had completely different business models. These are now to be combined. Social Chain AG is a social media marketing agency. The DS Group is a trading company that sells food and consumer goods, among other things. The company offers around 4,000 articles. Now Social Chain AG wants to set up a social commerce platform.

"Together, we will show how a perfect interplay between retail and social commerce can be achieved. We look forward to contributing our many years of expertise in sales, purchasing, product development, marketing and logistics to the new overall group," says Ralf Dümmel. "Consumption has always been a social experience," says Georg Kofler, explaining the move. "Social media will enable us to develop brands and products in a more targeted way and to advertise and distribute them more efficiently."