Planned Multi-Billion-Euro Investment in Infrastructure and Digitalization: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the Companies of Schwarz Group Form Groundbreaking Partnership

Schwerin, August 27, 2026 – The companies of Schwarz Group and the state government of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are opening a new chapter for Germany as a digital hub. At a press conference, Manuela Schwesig, minister-president of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Gerd Chrzanowski, general partner Schwarz Group, announced a groundbreaking partnership. Their stated common goal is to position Europe at the forefront of digitalization and artificial intelligence, with Mecklenburg-Vorpommern serving as a central, sovereign hub. The partnership focuses on two key areas: an infrastructure project featuring a data center and the joint development of high-performance digital solutions for the state’s sovereign public administration.

Gerd Chrzanowski, general partner Schwarz Group: „Digital sovereignty is not created by appeals or speeches. It is created by action, by reliable infrastructure, and by practical applications. We are not waiting for others to lead. We are assuming entrepreneurial responsibility and investing sustainably in the future of Germany as an economic location”.

Manuela Schwesig, minister-president of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: „The goal of the state government is to become more independent from foreign providers of data centers and cloud and AI applications. We therefore view the Schwarz Group’s investment decision as an opportunity for greater independence and increased data security. Our state will benefit from this investment in many ways”.

Potential for 1-Gigawatt Grid Connection

Subject to standard approvals, the data center is expected to reach a capacity of 240 megawatts by 2033. The companies of Schwarz Group plan to utilize this capacity for their own ecosystem while also strengthening the further development and scaling of sovereign IT solutions, consolidated under the IT and digital division, Schwarz Digits. This offers very concrete prospects for expanding capacity to a grid connection of 1 gigawatt by 2045.

5.6 Billion Euros for Infrastructure in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

The site currently under consideration for the data center is located in the industrial park in the municipality of Dummerstorf. An advantage of Northern Germany is the high availability of sustainably produced electricity, including wind power from both onshore and offshore sources. The proposed site also allows for connection to the 380-kilovolt extra-high-voltage grid. Extra-high-voltage lines make the transport of large volumes of electricity more efficient, and grid fees decrease as the voltage level increases.

Furthermore, the climate favors more efficient free cooling using ambient air. A letter of intent regarding the use of waste heat has been signed with the public utility of Rostock. The goal is to make the data center’s waste heat available sustainably to benefit municipal heating planning. For another data center project by the Schwarz Group in Lübbenau, Brandenburg, the parties involved recently signed contracts for a joint district heating concept.

The Dummerstorf project is in an early stage, and technical specifications - such as the exact requirements for the configuration of cloud and AI microchips - have not yet been finalized. The investment for the 240-megawatt capacity is priced at an estimated volume of approximately 5.6 billion euros.

Blueprint for All of Germany: Digital Administration and Citizen Services

The planned data center also underscores that the cooperation between the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state government and Schwarz Digits in administrative digitalization is designed for the long term. Together, the partners are enabling a modern, efficient, and secure digital administration that brings tangible benefits to citizens and the economy.

Groundbreaking technical applications are slated for implementation in the state’s public administration by the end of 2026. These include digital building permits on the sovereign cloud platform STACKIT, as well as the introduction of OpenDesk, beginning with secure, fully managed teacher workstations in the education sector.

The cooperation is conceived as a scalable and transferable flagship project. The solutions developed are intended not only to modernize Mecklenburg-Vorpommern but to serve as a blueprint for the entire Federal Republic of Germany.

Additional Information

For further information, please visit www.gruppe.schwarz.

Press Contact

Schwarz Corporate Affairs GmbH & Co. KG
Phone 07132 30-788600
presse@mail.schwarz 

About Schwarz Group

Schwarz Group is an international leader in the retail industry with some 14,500 stores and 604,000 employees. In the 2025 fiscal year, the companies of Schwarz Group generated a total sales volume of 185.6 billion euros. Their unique ecosystem lets them cover the full value cycle: from production and retail to recycling and digitalization. They create solutions to make peoples' lives safer, healthier and more sustainable, both right now and in the future - they act ahead.

Lidl and Kaufland form the pillars of the food retail market and are an integral part of customers' daily lives in 33 countries. Many of the own-brand products and packaging come directly from Schwarz Produktion. Through its recycling management solutions, the circular economy division PreZero promotes a functional circular economy and is investing in a clean future. The IT and digital division, Schwarz Digits, provides compelling digital products and services that meet the high German data protection standards, thus ensuring the maximum degree of digital sovereignty. As a partner service provider, Schwarz Corporate Solutions assists the companies of Schwarz Group with all matters related to administration, HR, operational activities and everything in between.

Source: newsaktuell