UK, following a consultation period, Tchibo GB decided to close half of its retail stores and re-structure the head office and field teams. The UK board was reduced from 11 directors to 4. In November 2008, a Tchibo spokesman announced that the concessions in Somerfield and Sainsbury's supermarkets would close in 2009, blaming difficult macroeconomic conditions in Britain. Tchibo's lack of success in the British market was summarised by Retail Week as due to it being "a glorified pound shop" (US "dollar store"). In early 2009, the company confirmed it would leave the UK market, by selling its leases. All of the Tchibo GB stores were closed by the end of October 2009. The UK online webstore followed on 1 September 2010. A "new and improved" Tchibo Online Shop was launched in the UK on 28 June 2016 In August 2016, Tchibo acquired Scotland based roasting company Matthew Algie. Corporate structure Tchibo is owned by Maxingvest AG, which changed its name from Tchibo Holding AG in 2007. It is 100% owned by three members of the Herz family, Ingeburg Herz (Max Herz's widow), and two of her sons, Michael Herz and Wolfgang Herz. In 2003, they bought out their brother, Gunter, and sister, Daniela Herz-Schnoekel. Their brother Joachim died in a motorboat accident in 2008. Maxingvest AG is the largest shareholder of the listed company Beiersdorf. In 2002, Tchibo held 850 shops and 22,000 so-called Frische-Depots in bread shops and supermarkets, where shelves bearing the company's "brand" sell packaged coffee (with customer-operated coffee grinders provided in some locations) alongside non-food articles such as clothes and accessories, as well as sporting and household goods. See also List of coffeehouse chains Tele-Fever References External links Companies based in Hamburg Retail companies established in 1949 German brands Coffee brands 1949 establishments in West Germany Coffee in Germany