Zimmermann Graeff & Muller

What Zimmermann Graeff & Muller does

Zimmermann Graeff & Muller (ZGM) is a German wine producer and beverage supplier founded in 1886 in Zell an der Mosel, operating today as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Les Grands Chais de France (GCF Group) following the April 2023 acquisition that ended 137 years of family ownership. The company produces wines (German, European, and New World), Bag-in-Box wines, wine-based cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages including licensed children's drinks (Hello Kitty, Smurfs). It maintains retained heritage brands Michel Schneider, Lorch, Weinbund, and the youth-targeted Allure line launched in 2019. ZGM distributes through German food retail as the primary channel, exports to over 50 countries, and sells directly to B2B business customers with a minimum order of 100 cartons (600 bottles), alongside private-label and exclusively designed products coordinated through its in-house marketing and design team.

The company operates an integrated production and logistics network anchored by a modern automated high-bay warehouse (completed 2017), a photovoltaic system generating ~900,000 kWh/year (installed 2016), and HACCP-based food safety processes. Its 2024 acquisition of Franz Wilhelm Langguth Erben GmbH & Co. KG added the Mont Royal site in Traben-Trarbach, where can production launched in 2025, extending packaging beyond glass bottles, PET, sleeved, and Bag-in-Box into cans. Sourcing relies on long-term contracts with over 1,000 winemakers across Rhineland-Palatinate's Mosel, Pfalz, and Rheinhessen regions, supplemented by owned grape-pressing capacity at Bad Bergzabern (Lorch, acquired 2009). Production is concentrated at the Zell/Mosel headquarters following the 2019 consolidation of Kinheim and Zell sites.

Revenue is generated almost exclusively through product sales — wine and beverages via one-time purchases, licensed royalties on character-branded products, and transaction-based private-label contracts — with pricing not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market is sales-led, organized around domestic retail penetration, international wholesale distribution, and direct B2B account management, supported by digital presence (website, Google Analytics, YouTube, XING) and industry memberships such as Wine in Moderation. Approximately 330 staff are employed across winemaking, production, logistics, sales, purchasing, and finance. Operational sustainability is documented through a 17% reduction in specific primary energy consumption over four years and ~1,050 tons of CO2 saved in 2017 versus a 2012 baseline.

Name

Zimmermann Graeff & Muller

Legal name

Zimmermann-Graeff & Müller GmbH

Website

https://zgm.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1886

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

ZGM is a German wine and beverage producer (founded 1886, Zell/Mosel) supplying wines, Bag-in-Box products, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks to German food retail and export markets in 50+ countries, now operating as a subsidiary of Les Grands Chais de France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine & Beverages

NAICS

Wineries (31213), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAFAHAJ

Fermented Beverage Contract Manufacturing & Private Label

Agriculture & Food Production/Beverage Production/Fermented Beverage Production (Kombucha, Kefir, Probiotics)

Keywords

• Wine production
• Bag-in-box wines
• Private label beverages
• Wine bottling
• Non-alcoholic beverages

Headquarters

HQ city

Zell

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wine and Beverage Sales: Production and sale of wines (German, European, New World), wine-based cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, and lifestyle products through German food retail trade and international exports to over 50 countries
2. Licensed Branded Products: Children's drinks and lifestyle products under licensed brands such as Hello Kitty and Smurfs, demonstrating production and marketing capabilities
3. Private Label / Exclusively Designed Products: Products exclusively designed for individual customers, coordinated between sales representatives and marketing team including designers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Zimmermann Graeff & Muller (ZGM) is a German wine production and supply company that produces and distributes a wide range of wines (German, European, New World), bag-in-box wines, wine-based cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages. The company operates as one of the largest German wine cellars, serving B2B customers including German food retail trade and international retail partners across more than 50 countries. ZGM also develops private-label and custom-branded products for individual business clients.

Product overview

ZGM operates as a unified wine production and marketing company offering a diversified portfolio across multiple product categories. The core offerings include traditional wines (under Michel Schneider, Lorch brands), Bag-in-Box wines (where ZGM is a German market leader), cocktails and drinks, and non-alcoholic beverages including licensed children's drinks (Hello Kitty, Smurfs). Products are available in multiple packaging formats: bottles, PET bottles, bag-in-box, cans, and sleeved variants. ZGM also provides custom brand design services for business customers through its marketing team. The company positions itself as an innovator bridging traditional winemaking with modern consumer trends, particularly targeting younger audiences through the Allure line launched in 2019.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Michel Schneider: Wine brand with significant sales growth through media advertising.
• Lorch
• Weinbund
• Allure

Products and services

• Michel Schneider Wines
• Lorch Wines
• Allure Wine Line
• Bag-in-Box Wines
• Wine-Based Cocktails and Drinks
• Non-Alcoholic Beverages
• Hello Kitty Licensed Children's Drinks
• Smurfs Licensed Children's Drinks
• Private Label / Custom Brand Design

Quantifiable outcome

• 17% reduction in specific primary energy consumption over 4 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Franz Wilhelm Langguth Erben GmbH & Co. KGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Acquisition of shares of Franz Wilhelm Langguth Erben GmbH & Co. KG with headquarters in Traben-Trarbach. Integration of the company through asset growth (Anwachsung). Mont Royal site in Traben-Trarbach began can production in 2025.
• Winery Lorch, Bad BergzaberncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Acquisition in 2009 included integrated press station and bulk wine cellar. Continued collaboration with St. Paul producer group.
• Michel Schneider WinerycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Acquired in 1998. Founded in 1869, it was one of the largest wineries in the Moselle region for a long time. Michel Schneider brand achieved significant growth through media advertising.
• Rudolf Mueller WinerycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Merger in 1998 formed the ZGM group (Zimmermann-Graeff & Mueller). This created the combined company identity.
• 1000+ Contracted WinemakerscoreOthersOver 1000 selected winemakers from Rhineland-Palatinate (Mosel, Pfalz, Rheinhessen regions) supply grapes to ZGM. Long-term grape supply contracts form basis of success. ZGM provides planning security and reliability while securing livelihood of small winegrowing businesses. Support and advice from ZGM's wine cellar professionals and oenologists provided.
• Wine in ModerationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerZGM is a member of the Wine in Moderation initiative, demonstrating commitment to responsible handling of alcoholic drinks within legal requirements.
• Lions Club MittelmoselminorOthersZGM supports Lions Club Mittelmosel through financial sponsoring of various sustainable projects for children, youth and those in need in the region. ZGM also sponsors the Mosel Music Festival.
• Hello Kitty (Licensed Brand)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLicensed brand partnership for children's drinks, along with Smurfs, demonstrating high level of performance in both production and marketing.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Les Grands Chais de France (GCF Group): ZGM's parent since April 2023 and one of Europe's largest wine producers (multi-billion € revenue). Comparable in core production and bottling operations; broad incumbent context for benchmarking ZGM's segment economics within the group.
• Treasury Wine Estates: Global publicly-listed wine major with operations spanning premium and commercial tiers. Comparable in multi-region sourcing, large-scale production, and retail-channel dependence; broader in scale and geography than ZGM.
• Henkell Freixenet GmbH: German-headquartered global sparkling wine and wine major with much broader international scale and category depth than ZGM. Operates in overlapping channels but at different volume and price tiers. Useful peer for benchmarking scale and channel strategy.

Regional players

• Baron de Ley Winery: Large Spanish wine producer with comparable mid-market positioning across European food retail and export channels. Useful as a regional comparable for portfolio strategy and channel economics outside ZGM's German home market.

Direct peers

• Reh Kendermann GmbH: German wine producer operating the Black Tower and Kendermanns brands, with similar mid-tier positioning and comparable distribution through German food retail plus export. Mirrors ZGM's portfolio structure of owned brands plus private-label supply.
• Hawesko Holding SE: Leading German wine retailer and wholesaler (Jacques' Wein-Depot, Wein & Vinos, Hawesko.de). Comparable wine-portfolio depth and extensive distribution into both online and physical retail — overlaps with ZGM on private-label and branded portfolio in German retail.
• Schloss Wachenheim AG: German publicly-listed wine and sparkling wine producer with similar mix of still wine, sparkling, and Bag-in-Box via its partner brand and international footprint. Closely aligned in product format diversity and retail channel exposure.
• Peter Mertes KG Weinkellereien: Large German family-owned wine producer with comparable supply from Mosel/Rhineland growers, similar private-label services to retail chains, and parallel export reach. Operates in adjacent price tiers but with materially overlapping customer base.
• Mack & Schühle AG: German wine producer and distributor focused on private label and contract production for European retail chains. Closely aligned with ZGM's private-label/exclusive-design business model and export-to-retail orientation.
• Rotkäppchen-Mumm Sektkellereien GmbH: One of Germany's largest wine and sparkling wine producers with comparable mid-market positioning across German food retail and similar breadth of private-label offerings. Directly competes with ZGM across overlapping product categories (Sekt, still wine, bag-in-box style packs).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xplus.google.com/+ZimmermannGraeffM%C3%BCllerZellMosel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zimmermann Graeff & Muller