DS Group - A company of The Social Chain AG

We have been driving innovation for more than 50 years

It all began in a garage in 1973, when our founder Dieter Schwarz developed new product ideas.

Discover how we make products successful

Dieter Schwarz, founder of DS Produkte, continuously developed new product ideas...

...such as inflatable coat hangers, a splash guard for your frying pan on the stove, or pendants to keep your tablecloth in place. It was not long before he became known for his innovative problem solvers.

The novelty: He had his products manufactured in the Far East, at a time when there was no Internet and long-distance calls were costly. The mail-order business became aware of his innovations and, ever since, DS Produkte has been growing year after year.

At present, we do not sell table pendants or the WasserMaxx. But we do sell more than 4,000 other products.

Our key concept is still the same: We lend a hand when it comes to the customers. However, unpacking, shipping, and many other tasks are nowadays in the hands of our logistics team in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, northern Germany, on more than 30,000 pallet spaces. By the way: This storage capacity corresponds to 3,000 shipping containers.

There was no Internet 50 years ago...

... and our shareholder Ralf Dümmel was a teenager at the time. Thanks to lucky circumstances, Ralf and Dieter got to know each other which, in retrospect, was a magic moment for DS Produkte.

Since 2016, DS Group is well-known all over Germany – that was when Ralf Dümmel established himself as one of the lion investors on the German startup show “Die Höhle der Löwen” (“Lion’s Den”). Since then, we have been even busier: together with the founders and foundresses, we have put more than 300 products on the shelves.

The carefree package

From customized product development to legal reviews, manufacturing, quality assurance, marketing, PR, logistics, and any other success factor, we take care of everything a product needs to make it big.

With verve and strong nerves

DS Insights

A particular highlight to us came to pass in March 2012, shortly before the European soccer championships were held in Poland. In May, our head of sales Lars Stegelmann spotted Germany’s coach Joachim Löw wearing a luck bracelet in the colors of the German national flag, as depicted by the German tabloid newspaper BILD. In the product team, we all knew right away: Millions of Germans will want to have a similar one in June.

Hence, we immediately took the phone, looked for suppliers, ordered containers full of goods, and kept our fingers crossed – that Germany would be among the top teams. And then: Goooooooal!! Germany made it to the semi-finals and we were sold out!

I WISH TO SPEAK TO THE SALES DEPARTMENT!

Over 50 years of DS Group
1973 until today

With proprietary developments and innovative products as well as new retail concepts, DS Group uses its network, its know-how, and its experience to grant people what they need.

1973
Dieter Schwarz founds the mail-order business DS Produkte
1994
DS receives its first action order in the six-digit range
1996
Entry into the teleshopping market as one of the first suppliers of QVC Germany
1997
Inauguration of our logistics center and first direct shipment to end customers
1999
First time our soda maker Wassermaxx is supplied to large food retail corporations
2005
We bring the brand TRi TOP back into the stores and become market leader in syrup products within one year
2010
First shop-in-shop system at one of the largest German corporations with more than 4,000 retail stores 2011
2011
In cooperation with e-commerce expert IN-TRADING, DS Group begins to conquer online marketplaces
2013
Inauguration of the first foreign offices to carry out quality controls on manufacturing sites
2016
Ralf Dümmel becomes an investor on the startup show “Die Höhle der Löwen” and DS Group begins investing in startups
2018
DS Group establishes its first private labels, and coffee and tea specialist BEEM moves under the company umbrella
2019
Manufacturing of merchandising material begins, among others for FC Bayern Munich
2020
During the pandemic, DS Group supplies essential medical products, such as rapid tests and masks
2020
Germany's oldest barbecue manufacturer LANDMANN moves under the umbrella of DS Group
2021
DS Group becomes part of Social Chain AG.
2023
The DS Group will be reacquired by Ralf Dümmel and the other former shareholders of the DS Group.