The parent company of shopping chain Lidl is reportedly gearing up to launch a cloud computing service for third party retailers. 

German-based Schwarz Gruppe recently acquired software firm Camao IDC, according to Lebensmittel Zeitun, and is now looking to build a rival to Amazon Web Services (AWS).

Cloud computing is a fiercely competitive industry with some of the biggest names in tech fighting for a share of the market. Companies like IBM, Google and Microsoft all deliver slightly different cloud-based services, but each one trails behind AWS.

Cloud Pro has approached Schwarz for comment as there is very little detail on the alleged service, but there is a suggestion that it will be more of a rival to China’s Alibaba as it appears to be more e-commerce-based.  

The acquisition is alleged to have brought 70 cloud computing specialists into the Schwarz Gruppe, which is seen as a key part of the strategy. The company’s head of strategy and business management, Stefan Herold is said to be heading up the new cloud division, which is thought to have been accelerated due to the current coronavirus pandemic. 

Many cloud-based services have enjoyed a surge in users, with remote and automated technologies coming to greater prominence since lockdowns have been enforced. Most retail outlets have either closed and furloughed staff or have shifted to online operations only. 

It is thought that Schwarz will use its cloud service to enable an online delivery service for Lidl, which was reported in January as launching sometime this year.

In October, Lidl advertised for ‘digital managers’ for an unnamed e-commerce project and the company’s UK digital director Alex Murray reportedly suggested online plans were in the works during an industry conference in 2018.