Hoppstädten-Weiersbach (Rhineland-Palatinate) – How bitter! 27 branches of the toy retailer ROFU Kinderland have to close, causing more than 660 employees to lose their jobs. The good news: Three months after filing for bankruptcy, it is clear that there is an investor. At least 77 stores are to be saved. ROFU Kinderland has concluded an investor agreement with Kids & School Holding GmbH.
Those responsible have already signed the purchase agreement. ROFU Kinderland will now draw up an insolvency plan together with experts in the coming weeks. The aim is to reach an agreement with the creditors so that the investors can take over the business operations and essential assets. Marcus Katholing from Pluta Management GmbH is the restructuring manager and explains to BILD: “The insolvency plan is a settlement. Therefore, the creditors have to agree in the end. Otherwise the entire company would be on the verge of collapse.”
77 ROFU branches will remain in existence
It is planned that ROFU Kinderland will leave the insolvency proceedings behind it from August 2026. 77 branches should therefore remain in existence. A total of 1,035 employees work there. They are taken over by the investor. 27 stores are closing around 330 employees will be laid off. There will be a clearance sale in these branches.
The branch in Weiterstadt was reopened in 2020 and has already been closed again
Much fewer employees in administration
Also at the headquarters in Hoppstädten-Weiersbach (Rheinland-Pfalz) only around 80 of around 360 employees remain. The external warehouse in Ramstein with around 60 employees will be closed. A total of around 1,120 jobs will be retained and more than 660 people will have to leave. “The reduction of jobs is painful, but unfortunately unavoidable,” explains ROFU managing director Katholing to BILD.
Reasons for that insolvency: economic crisis and rising costs are also putting a strain on the toy trade. Competition is becoming increasingly fierce due to online providers and cheap imports from China. The weak Christmas business in particular is said to have been the reason for the bankruptcy filing. But the new investor is looking ahead. Achim Weniger from Kids & School Holding GmbH says: “We see great potential to further develop the Rofu company.” ROFU Kinderland is a leading toy and baby store in southwest Germany and has been selling for more than 40 years toy as well as children’s books, school books, craft sets and board games.