- Business
- Fielmann Group AG is a Germany-based, stock-listed family business specializing in vision care and audiology. The company designs, manufactures, and sells a comprehensive range of visual aids including eyewear frames, glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses, and lenses, as well as hearing aids and accessories. Its product offerings extend to fashionable metal and plastic frames and a wide variety of over 600 styles under different brands, serving active customers primarily through more than 1,200 retail stores and digital sales channels across Europe and the United States. Founded in 1972 and headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, Fielmann is a leading player in the European optical retail market and operates with a strong omnichannel platform.
In the last two years, Fielmann Group has significantly expanded its market presence and improved profitability. Recent major changes include the acquisition of Shopko Optical in the United States, marking the company’s entry into the world's largest eyewear market and adding approximately 145 retail locations. The group has also been advancing its Vision 2025 growth strategy, focusing on digitalization, international expansion, and enhanced product mix that has driven a 15% sales increase to about €2.3 billion in 2024, along with a 23% rise in adjusted EBITDA to €491 million. It introduced customer-centric innovations like the nationwide availability of Eye Health Services in Germany and Switzerland and a progressive lens simulator (ADD-Vision). Additionally, Fielmann has developed partnerships such as its equity stake in the tele-ophthalmology platform Ocumeda, aiming to scale digital eyecare services. The company also replaced health insurance frames with a broader assortment of fashionable frames, boosting its brand appeal and market share.
Fielmann Group operates mainly in the optical and hearing care industry segments, targeting consumers seeking high-quality yet affordable eyewear and audiology products. Its geographic operations span Germany, Central Europe (including Switzerland and Austria), Spain through the Óptica & Audiología Universitaria brand, and the expanding US market. The company employs over 22,000 people and leverages a vertically integrated model that covers all stages from design and manufacturing to retailing and customer service to maintain competitive pricing and quality control. Its growth strategy includes continued market share gains, service innovation, and operational efficiency improvements across all its key markets.
Overall, Fielmann Group AG presents itself as a comprehensive provider of eyewear, contact lenses, hearing aids, and related services, operating a mix of brick-and-mortar stores and digital channels across multiple countries, grounded in a vision of customer-centric, affordable product offerings, and ongoing strategic international expansion and digital transformation.