Optical and hearing acoustics retail chain with more than 900 branches for glasses, contact lenses and hearing aids
Apollo-Optik GmbH & Co. KG
Schwabach (company headquarters)New on Amplifa
About Apollo-Optik
Apollo-Optik is a German optical and hearing acoustics company based in Schwabach that sells glasses, sunglasses, contact lenses and hearing aids through a retail chain with more than 900 locations. The product range includes own brands such as iWear as well as designer brands and spans single-vision and progressive lenses, toric and multifocal contact lenses through to AI Glasses. The service offering includes the free vision test, contact lens fitting, hearing tests and hearing acoustics, as well as guarantee services such as the lifetime service guarantee. In addition, Apollo operates an online shop with virtual frame try-on, a contact lens subscription and the iWear Direct delivery service. The company runs its own academy for further training and works with a franchise system. Apollo is part of the GrandVision group, which was acquired by EssilorLuxottica in 2021, and employs around 5,000 staff.
- Site
- Schwabach
- Processes
- Free vision test, Contact lens fitting, Hearing tests and hearing acoustics, Contact lens subscription / iWear Direct delivery service, Online shop with virtual frame try-on, Best price guarantee, Satisfaction guarantee, Lifetime service guarantee (fittings and repairs)
- Founded
- 1972
- Employees
- 5000
- Industries
- Optometry, Hearing acoustics, Retail
Locations
Schwabach
DEService center and manufacturing (company headquarters)
Industries
Additional services
History
- 1969
Apollo is registered as a brand of Foto-Quelle.
- 1972
Apollo becomes an independent company (founded in Schwabach).
- 1985
68 branches, revenue of around DM 130 million.
- 1987
80 branches in Germany, launch of the first franchise branches.
- 1991
Acquisition of Optofot Jena GmbH.
- 1992
Acquisition of AugenTrend Optik GmbH with eleven specialist stores.
- 1998
Sale of the Schickedanz group to Pearle Europe B.V. (effective 1 February 1998).
- 2000
Acquisition of Karstadt's optician business.
- 2002
Acquisition of Synoptik's German branches.
- 2006
Acquisition of Krane Optik, at the time Germany's third-largest optical retail chain.
- 2007
Opening of the 500th branch.
- 2010
Merger of Pearle and GrandVision S.A. to form GrandVision B.V.; Apollo becomes part of the group.
- 2016
Launch of the online business.
- 2021
Acquisition of GrandVision by EssilorLuxottica effective 1 July 2021.
- 2025
Alex Versteeg becomes additional Managing Director effective 1 April; Massimiliano Mutinelli and Antonio D'Agostino take over management effective 1 January.