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Brand origin
Germany
Main production
Several countries, incl. Germany

Cien is Lidl’s German private-label personal-care brand, covering cosmetics, skincare, haircare and other body-care products. Cien is ultimately owned by Dieter Schwarz Stiftung gGmbH through Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG and Schwarz Gruppe.

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Updated: 14 October 2026 · Ownership verified: 13 September 2026 ·
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Ownership chain

  1. BrandCienGermany
  2. Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG
  3. Schwarz Gruppe
  4. Ultimate ownerDieter Schwarz Stiftung gGmbHGermany

About Cien

What is Cien?

Cien is Lidl’s private-label personal-care brand. The range includes skincare, haircare, cosmetics and other personal-care products sold through Lidl stores. Cien originated in Germany and is associated with Lidl’s European retail network. The name Cien comes from the Spanish word for “one hundred.” Lidl describes the name as referring to 100% quality, purity and beauty. Cien is a retail brand rather than a single manufacturing company. Lidl commissions different suppliers to produce products sold under the Cien name. Cien products have been manufactured in several countries. Germany is a primary production location, while France and Poland have also been reported as manufacturing locations. Products made in Germany have been distributed through Lidl stores in the United Kingdom and other European markets. Cien is not the same as a publicly traded company called Cien. The search terms “Cien stock,” “Cien stock price,” “is Cien a buy,” and “is Cien a strong buy” do not describe a listed Cien share. Cien is a consumer brand within Lidl’s privately held retail group.

Who owns Cien?

Cien is ultimately owned by Dieter Schwarz Stiftung gGmbH, according to Made O’Meter’s ownership data verified on 13 September 2026. The ownership chain is Cien, Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG, Schwarz Gruppe, and Dieter Schwarz Stiftung gGmbH. Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG is the retail company associated with Lidl within Schwarz Gruppe. Schwarz Gruppe also operates Kaufland. The ultimate owner is foundation-owned through Dieter Schwarz Stiftung gGmbH, a German charitable limited liability company associated with the long-term ownership structure of the Schwarz businesses. Dieter Schwarz transferred shares of Lidl and Kaufland into the foundation structure in 1999, according to published accounts of the group’s ownership. The foundation is funded through distributions connected with the Schwarz businesses and is intended to support the group’s continuing independence. Cien is therefore not an independently listed cosmetics company. Lidl controls the brand as part of its private-label assortment, while the wider ownership structure runs through Schwarz Gruppe and Dieter Schwarz Stiftung gGmbH. Lidl’s official website is lidl.com.

Where does Cien come from?

Cien comes from Germany and was launched by Lidl in 1982. Lidl introduced the first products under the Cien name as part of its private-label personal-care assortment. Cien developed within Lidl’s European retail business rather than as a standalone cosmetics house founded by an individual cosmetics entrepreneur. Lidl selected suppliers to manufacture products according to the retailer’s specifications and sold them through its stores. The history of Cien is connected with the wider development of Lidl and Schwarz Gruppe. Josef Schwarz became a partner in the fruit wholesaler Südfrüchte Großhandel Lidl & Co. in 1930. His son, Dieter Schwarz, later expanded the family business and developed the retail group that became associated with Lidl and Kaufland. Cien products later became available across European Lidl markets. A 2016 statement from Global Cosmed’s vice-president identified exports through Lidl to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece, Lithuania and Hungary. Cien products have also been distributed through Lidl stores in the United Kingdom and elsewhere in Europe. Cien’s name has a Spanish meaning, but the brand originated in Germany. The Spanish name reflects the meaning assigned to the word by Lidl and does not indicate that Cien was founded in Spain.

What products does Cien make?

Cien makes private-label personal-care products, including face creams, moisturisers, anti-wrinkle creams, shampoos, conditioners, hair masks, body-care products and cosmetics. Lidl introduced the Cien Food for Skin vegan cosmetics range at the end of 2018. Torf Corporation was responsible for producing Cien Food for Skin products after the range was introduced. Lidl expanded the portfolio again with the Cien Nature natural-cosmetics line in 2020. The Cien assortment varies by country and by Lidl market. Products have included facial skincare, body lotions, cleansing products, haircare and other everyday personal-care items. A Cien Aqua moisturising cream became particularly visible in Spain after consumer-organisation testing placed the product prominently among the tested creams. Cien does not make every product in one central factory. Lidl uses multiple suppliers, and the supplier can differ by product, country and production period. Product packaging is the most direct source for identifying the manufacturer of a particular Cien item.

Who manufactures Cien products?

Cien products are manufactured by multiple suppliers rather than by one exclusive producer. Reported manufacturers have included Serpol-Cosmetics, Dax Cosmetics, Oceanic, Mann & Schröder Cosmetics, Global Cosmed, Cosmolux Deutschland, PCC Consumer Products Kosmet, Win Cosmetic, Bellmira Cosmetic, Persan and Feintechnik. Mann & Schröder GmbH is one manufacturer associated with Cien. Mann & Schröder began producing private-label products in 1980. The company introduced its first personal-care brand, Alkmene, in 1958. Dalli manufactures some Cien products in German factories, including facilities associated with the company in Stolberg. Win Cosmetic, another reported Cien supplier, became part of the Dalli Group in 1997. A 2023 report stated that Mann & Schröder produced private-label products for Lidl and manufactured a large range of personal-care products for European and United States markets. That association does not mean that Mann & Schröder manufactures the whole Cien range. Cien has used a group of suppliers over time. The country of manufacture can differ between Cien products. Reports have identified Germany as a primary production location, with France and Poland also used for some products.

Is Cien a good brand?

Whether Cien is suitable depends on the specific product, ingredients, formulation and the shopper’s personal-care needs. Cien is a Lidl private-label range with products made by different suppliers, so product quality and composition can vary across the assortment. Cien has received public attention from consumer testing in Spain. A Cien anti-wrinkle cream became widely known after a consumer-organisation test placed it prominently among the products assessed. The result contributed to strong consumer interest in the range. Cien has also faced scrutiny over advertising claims. In 2016, Spain’s Organisation of Consumers and Users, known as OCU, required Lidl to withdraw advertising for a Cien cream because the advertising used OCU’s name and test results in a way the organisation considered improper and misleading. A consumer should assess the individual Cien product rather than treat the entire range as uniform. Relevant information includes the ingredient list, product claims, intended use, warnings, manufacturer and country of manufacture shown on the packaging.

What happened to Cien in Spain?

Cien became widely known in Spain after a Cien anti-wrinkle cream received prominent attention in a consumer-organisation comparison. The product’s visibility helped make Cien one of Lidl Spain’s better-known personal-care ranges. The Spanish success was followed by a legal and advertising setback. Lidl cancelled or postponed plans connected with the launch of a group of new Cien creams after a judicial dispute altered the retailer’s plans for the personal-care range. In 2016, OCU required Lidl to withdraw advertising for a Cien cosmetic. The organisation objected to Lidl’s use of OCU’s name, image and test terminology in commercial advertising. Lidl later stated that the relevant promotional material would be withdrawn and that future campaigns would not use OCU’s name or report terminology for commercial purposes. The episode concerned advertising and the use of consumer-test references. It did not end the Cien range. Lidl continued selling Cien products in Spain, including skincare, shampoos, conditioners, hair masks and other personal-care products.

Where is Cien sold?

Cien is sold through Lidl stores in Europe and in the United Kingdom. Availability depends on the Lidl country operation and the product assortment offered in that market. Cien products have been exported through Lidl to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece, Lithuania and Hungary, according to a 2016 statement by Global Cosmed’s vice-president. Cien products have also been reported in Lidl markets including France and Spain. The same Cien product is not necessarily available in every country. Lidl adapts private-label ranges to local product registrations, consumer demand, packaging requirements and supplier arrangements. Cien products can be made in one country and sold in another. German-made Cien products, for example, have been distributed through Lidl stores in the United Kingdom and other European markets. The packaging identifies the responsible manufacturer and the relevant market information for the individual item.

Is Cien a stock or a listed investment?

Cien is not a publicly traded stock and does not have a standalone Cien stock price. Cien is a private-label consumer brand owned within the privately held Lidl and Schwarz Gruppe structure. Searches such as “is Cien a good stock to buy,” “is Cien stock a buy,” “is Cien a good stock to buy today,” “is Cien a good stock to buy now,” “is Cien a buy or sell,” and “is Cien a strong buy” therefore do not refer to a listed Cien security. The relevant corporate entities are Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG, Schwarz Gruppe and Dieter Schwarz Stiftung gGmbH. These entities are part of a private ownership structure rather than a publicly traded Cien company. Cien shoppers can evaluate products, prices and ingredients, but those factors do not create a publicly traded Cien investment.

What does Cien mean in Spanish?

Cien means “one hundred” in Spanish. Lidl says the name refers to 100% quality, purity and beauty. The Spanish meaning explains the name, but Cien originated as a German Lidl personal-care brand in 1982. The name does not identify a Spanish parent company or a separate Spanish cosmetics business. Cien should also be distinguished from unrelated searches for “Cien años de soledad,” the Spanish title of Gabriel García Márquez’s novel One Hundred Years of Solitude. Cien is a personal-care brand, while Cien años de soledad is a literary title and a separate cultural reference.

Frequently asked questions about Cien

Who owns Cien agaves?

Cien personal-care products are ultimately owned by Dieter Schwarz Stiftung gGmbH through Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG and Schwarz Gruppe. “Cien agaves” does not identify the Lidl personal-care range, and no separate agave product owner is established here.

Is Cien a Scrabble word?

Cien is the Spanish word for “one hundred,” but whether it is accepted in a particular Scrabble version depends on that game’s official dictionary. The Cien cosmetics brand uses the Spanish word as its name.

Where are Cien creams made?

Cien creams are made by different suppliers and not by one exclusive producer. Germany is a primary manufacturing location, while some Cien products have also been made in France and Poland.

Are Cien products made by Lidl?

Lidl owns and specifies the Cien private-label range, but multiple external manufacturers produce Cien products. Reported suppliers include Mann & Schröder, Dalli, Global Cosmed, Torf Corporation and other cosmetics manufacturers.

Is Cien Food for Skin vegan?

Lidl introduced Cien Food for Skin as a vegan cosmetics range at the end of 2018. Product claims can change, so the packaging of the individual item remains the appropriate source for its current formulation and certification details.

What is Cien años de soledad about?

Cien años de soledad means One Hundred Years of Solitude, the title of a novel by Gabriel García Márquez. It is separate from Cien, Lidl’s personal-care brand, and does not describe Cien products.

What is Cien stock price?

Cien has no standalone stock price because Cien is a private-label brand rather than a publicly traded company. The brand sits within Lidl’s private ownership chain, which leads through Schwarz Gruppe to Dieter Schwarz Stiftung gGmbH.

What is cien pesos?

Cien pesos means “one hundred pesos,” with the exact value depending on the country and currency involved. The expression is unrelated to Cien cosmetics, although cien is the Spanish word for one hundred.

Sources: economiadigital.es, observer.com, ocu.org, bloomberg.com, swr.de, derwesten.de, trendencias.com, de.wikipedia.org, antena3.ro, spotrebitelov.cz, wiadomoscikosmetyczne.pl, makeup.com.ua, desired.de, stylebook.de, lasprovincias.es, madeometer.com: Cien Personal Care, elplural.com, huffingtonpost.es, madeometer.com: Cien Men Gel Raser Hydro, inspirefrance.fr, click.ro, madeometer.com: Cien Personal Care

Sources: de.wikipedia.org: Dieter Schwarz Stiftung, de.wikipedia.org: Schwarz Gruppe

Ownership data is compiled from public sources and verified where possible. Spotted an error? Suggest a correction below.

Products from Cien

141

and 117 more products

Made O'Meter uses AI-powered analysis to estimate production origins. Results are not always 100% accurate.

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