kollex
kollex is a Berlin-based B2B digital ordering platform connecting German beverage wholesalers (Getränkefachgroßhändler) with gastronomy buyers via a web shop, mobile app, and supplier portal, monetizing through tiered SaaS subscriptions and integrated with 22+ ERP systems.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What kollex does
kollex GmbH is a Berlin-based B2B digital commerce platform that connects German beverage wholesalers (Getränkefachgroßhändler, or GFGH) with gastronomy buyers (restaurants, cafés, hotels, caterers), replacing legacy fax, phone, and email ordering workflows. The platform is delivered as a web shop and a native mobile application for buyers, paired with a supplier-facing portal (Lieferantenportal/Merchant Center) that enables GFGH partners to manage their own branded shop, product catalog, customer-specific pricing, delivery schedules, and promotional campaigns. The underlying technology stack is hosted on AWS in the Frankfurt region, uses Storyblok as a headless CMS, and is integrated with more than 22 ERP systems (SAP, BSI, DiCo, Tobax, GRS, Coress, Danona, and others), enabling orders placed by buyers to flow directly into the supplier's ERP or via email. A proprietary database of over 120,000 product records is maintained automatically on a continuous (L tier) or monthly basis, removing manual catalog upkeep from suppliers. The company also publishes an annual market intelligence report, the kollex Bier-Monitor, based on aggregated platform ordering data from its 170 GFGH partners.
kollex generates revenue primarily through tiered SaaS subscription fees charged to GFGH suppliers (Starter, M, and L packages, billed monthly with progressively richer features such as continuous product database maintenance, personal onboarding, and shop advertising), supplemented by advertising placements within the shop on M and L tiers. Buyers use the platform free of charge, making the GFGH supply side the monetized leg of a two-sided marketplace. Distribution is direct: web, mobile app, and a field sales motion targeting GFGH decision-makers, supported by content marketing (blog), organic social (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram), an email newsletter, and earned media through industry research. Founded in 2018 by Stefan Kellner (Managing Director/Geschäftsführer), the company is headquartered in Berlin, operates exclusively in Germany, and received a strategic investment from Chefs Culinar in 2021. Key brand-level partnerships include the Coca-Cola/Bitburger/Krombacher joint venture and Rotkäppchen-Mumm, and the company self-identifies as the market standard ('Der Standard') in digital ordering for the German GFGH segment, citing over 170 GFGH partners, more than 30,000 active users, and a recommendation rate above 90%.
kollex firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- kollex
- Legal name
- kollex GmbH
- Website
- https://kollex.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- kollex is a Berlin-based B2B digital ordering platform connecting German beverage wholesalers (Getränkefachgroßhändler) with gastronomy buyers via a web shop, mobile app, and supplier portal, monetizing through tiered SaaS subscriptions and integrated with 22+ ERP systems.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
kollex industry classification
Industry- Product category
- B2B beverage ordering platform
- NAICS
- Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers (4244)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Wholesale-to-Business Online Ordering (B2B Food E-Commerce) (AFAIAMAD)
Keywords
Where kollex is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
kollex business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- SaaS-Plattformgebühren (Abonnement): kollex generates revenue primarily through SaaS subscription fees charged to beverage wholesale distributors (Lieferanten) for access to its digital ordering platform, shop management tools, and the customer network. Pricing is tiered (Starter / M / L packages) with escalating features and support levels.
- Werbeplätze im Shop: The M and L packages include advertising placement within the kollex shop — either as kollex-mediated advertising with revenue sharing or as self-directed advertising by the supplier.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Starter — Basic online shop with essential features for suppliers starting with digital ordering |
| Subscription | Monthly | M — Mid-tier package with extended support and reporting for growing suppliers |
| Subscription | Monthly | L — Premium all-in-one package with continuous product updates and personalized onboarding |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
kollex product offering
Product offeringCore offering
kollex is a B2B digital ordering platform connecting German beverage wholesale distributors (Getränkefachgroßhändler) with gastronomy operators (restaurants, cafés, hotels, caterers). Beverage wholesalers subscribe to operate branded Partner-Shops, manage product catalogs, customer-specific pricing and delivery schedules, and receive orders directly into their ERP systems, while gastronomy buyers place 24/7 orders through a web shop and mobile app accessing a network of 170+ wholesalers and 120,000+ automatically maintained products.
Product overview
kollex operates as a unified B2B digital commerce platform connecting beverage wholesalers (Getränkefachgroßhandel) with restaurant customers (Gastronomie). The platform consists of three core components: the kollex Online-Shop (web-based customer portal), the kollex App (mobile ordering application), and the kollex Lieferantenportal/Merchant Center (supplier-facing administration portal). The offering is structured into three subscription tiers—STARTER, M, and L packages—that progressively add features such as product data maintenance frequency, onboarding support depth, and advertising options. The platform integrates with over 22 leading ERP systems to enable seamless order transmission directly into suppliers' existing workflows.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- kollex Online-Shop (Kunden-Portal) Web-based digital ordering platform enabling gastronomy buyers (restaurants, cafés, hotels) to browse supplier catalogs, place orders 24/7, manage individual order lists, view customer-specific prices and delivery schedules, and access full order history.
- kollex App (iOS/Android mobile application) Native mobile application for gastronomy buyers enabling 24/7 ordering, product browsing with images and availability, customer-specific pricing, order list management and on-the-go ordering.
- kollex Lieferantenportal (Merchant Center) Supplier-facing portal at merchants.kollex.de enabling beverage wholesalers to manage their own branded online shop, invite and onboard customers, send order reminders, configure opening hours and delivery days, manage articles and product data, and run promotional campaigns.
- kollex Bier-Monitor Annual proprietary market research report on German beverage ordering preferences and trends, based on aggregated ordering data from 170 Getränkefachgroßhändler on the platform, published around International Beer Day (August 4).
Quantifiable outcome
- Über 90% Weiterempfehlungsrate (Kundenzufriedenheit)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use kollex
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
kollex technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration17 records
Feature9 records
kollex partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- SAPcoreSAP is one of over 22 ERP systems integrated with the kollex platform. The integration enables beverage wholesalers using SAP to automatically receive and process orders placed through kollex, eliminating manual order entry.
- BSI (BSI GmbH)coreBSI is one of over 22 ERP systems integrated with the kollex platform, enabling automated order data exchange for BSI-using beverage wholesalers.
- DiCo SoftwarecoreDiCo Software is one of the 22+ ERP integrations listed on kollex.de, enabling DiCo-using GFGH suppliers to connect their ERP with the kollex ordering platform.
- DiComputercoreDiComputer is listed among the 22+ ERP partners integrated with kollex for automated order processing.
- Copa SystemecoreCopa Systeme is an ERP integration partner of kollex, listed among the 22+ integrated ERP systems enabling automated data exchange for beverage wholesalers.
- Tobax SoftwarecoreTobax Software is one of the ERP integration partners connected to the kollex platform, facilitating seamless order transmission for Tobax-using GFGH suppliers.
- GRS (GRS Software)coreGRS is one of the listed ERP integrations on kollex.de, enabling automated order processing for GRS-using beverage wholesale distributors.
- CoresscoreCoress is listed among the 22+ ERP integration partners of the kollex platform.
- DanonacoreDanona is listed among the ERP integration partners on kollex.de.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreAWS provides the cloud hosting infrastructure for kollex's trading platform in the Central Europe (Frankfurt) region. AWS processes customer and supplier personal data in kollex's behalf under a data processing agreement (Auftragsverarbeitungsvertrag).
- StorybloksupportingStoryblok provides the cloud-based headless CMS used by kollex to manage website content, including hosting and delivery of images and page content.
- HubSpotsupportingHubSpot is used for live chat customer communication and meeting scheduling on kollex.de, enabling prospects to book product demos directly through HubSpot's calendar integration.
- Inxmail GmbHsupportingInxmail provides transactional email services for the kollex platform, handling order confirmation emails and other transactional communications between suppliers and buyers. A data processing agreement (Auftragsverarbeitungsvertrag) is in place per Art. 28 GDPR.
- GEDAT Getränkedaten GmbHsupportingkollex participates in GEDAT's market research data system, transmitting customer master data (company name, address, GLN, VAT ID) to GEDAT for creation of validated, unique address records for each point of sale. Data is stored by GEDAT for up to 10 years after the last recorded sales transaction.
- Newsletter2GO (Sendinblue GmbH)supportingNewsletter2GO (Sendinblue) provides the newsletter software used by kollex for its email marketing campaigns, enabling list management, newsletter composition, and delivery tracking.
- Coca-Cola, Bitburger & Krombacher (Joint Venture)coreCoca-Cola, Bitburger, and Krombacher formed a joint venture (reported in 2018 by Lebensmittelzeitung) and partnered with kollex as a platform for digital ordering — a landmark partnership in the German beverage industry that established kollex as a credible platform for major brands.
- Rotkäppchen-MummcoreRotkäppchen-Mumm (premium German sparkling wine and spirits brand) partnered with kollex as a supplier on the platform, enabling its products to be ordered digitally through kollex's network of GFGH partners.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
kollex competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Lemoncat: German B2B procurement platform for restaurants and caterers, offering digital ordering from food and beverage suppliers. Directly comparable as a DACH-headquartered B2B food ordering marketplace targeting the same restaurant/hospitality buyer base.
- Choco: Global B2B food ordering platform connecting restaurants with suppliers. Comparable as a two-sided B2B food commerce marketplace with mobile/web ordering and supplier integration, actively expanding into the DACH market.
- Ordermark: US-based B2B restaurant technology platform that consolidates orders from multiple third-party delivery services into a single dashboard. Comparable as a B2B platform addressing restaurant order management, though focused on delivery consolidation rather than wholesale procurement.
- BlueCart (acquired by Cut+Dry): US-based B2B food ordering and procurement platform for restaurants and wholesale food suppliers. Closest US analog to kollex's B2B food commerce model, connecting restaurants with food/beverage suppliers via digital ordering.
Emerging players
- Wolt for Business (Wolt Pro): B2B delivery and ordering arm of Wolt targeting companies and restaurants. Comparable in offering digital ordering infrastructure to restaurants, though more delivery-centric and broader in product scope than kollex's beverage-focused platform.
- OrderYoyo: European B2B SaaS platform providing online ordering infrastructure for restaurants. Comparable as a B2B commerce SaaS targeting restaurants, though more focused on direct-to-consumer online ordering channels than B2B wholesale procurement.
Broad incumbents
- METRO AG: Major German-headquartered broadline foodservice distributor serving HoReCa customers with digital procurement tools (METRO Markets, DIS). Comparable as a large incumbent in German foodservice distribution that is also building B2B digital ordering capabilities — overlapping with kollex's buyer-side and supplier-side value proposition.
Others
- Chefs Culinar: Major German broadline foodservice distributor (and strategic investor in kollex). Comparable as a German foodservice distribution player with deep GFGH/operator relationships; relevant given investment relationship and overlapping customer base in HoReCa procurement.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
kollex social profiles
Digital presencekollex financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
kollex leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
kollex funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
kollex M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about kollex
What does kollex do?
kollex is a B2B digital ordering platform connecting German beverage wholesale distributors (Getränkefachgroßhändler) with gastronomy operators (restaurants, cafés, hotels, caterers). Beverage wholesalers subscribe to operate branded Partner-Shops, manage product catalogs, customer-specific pricing and delivery schedules, and receive orders directly into their ERP systems, while gastronomy buyers place 24/7 orders through a web shop and mobile app accessing a network of 170+ wholesalers and 120,000+ automatically maintained products.
Is kollex a public or private company?
kollex is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was kollex founded?
kollex was founded in 2018. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is kollex based?
kollex is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does kollex make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. SaaS-Plattformgebühren (Abonnement) is the primary driver. The others are werbeplätze im Shop.
Who are kollex's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Lemoncat, Choco, Ordermark and BlueCart (acquired by Cut+Dry). Emerging players are Wolt for Business (Wolt Pro) and OrderYoyo. METRO AG is listed as a broad incumbent. Chefs Culinar is listed as an others.
Does kollex have an API?
No public API is recorded for kollex.
What industry is kollex in?
kollex's product category is B2B beverage ordering platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIAMAD, Wholesale-to-Business Online Ordering (B2B Food E-Commerce). Its NAICS code is 4244 and its SIC code is 5180.