WEPA APOTHEKENBEDARF GmbH & Co KG

What WEPA APOTHEKENBEDARF GmbH & Co KG does

WEPA Apothekenbedarf GmbH & Co KG is a 140-year-old, family-owned German pharmacy supply company headquartered in Hillscheid, Westerwald, distributing healthcare, laboratory, and formulation equipment and products to pharmacies. The company operates a multi-channel B2B model serving stationary pharmacies (Vor-Ort-Apotheken) across Germany, Austria, and France, offering 8,000+ SKUs through its proprietary WEPA.shop e-commerce platform, 45+ field sales consultants, a 30+ staff service center, and a 10,000 m² logistics center shipping an average of 2,900 packages daily. Its portfolio spans eight proprietary pharmacy brands — aponorm (medical devices and ZL-certified primary packaging with matrix-code traceability since 2019), mosquito (parasite protection, rated 'GUT' by Stiftung Warentest in 2025), PECTORAL (cough candies), apoday (nutritional supplements), apotec (lab software and the 'world's only independently networked medication refrigerator'), TOPITEC (closed-system compounding equipment), ApoLine (Solingen-made care instruments), and WEPA Die Apothekenmarke (OTC line) — complemented by the in-house Paulus & Thewalt printing subsidiary.

WEPA's underlying technology combines physical product distribution with digital services: the apotec LabXpert laboratory software (developed in partnership with pharma4u) integrates compounding workflows, the WEPA 'Mein E-Rezept' app (launched October 2024 at €59/month per pharmacy with €298 onboarding and CardLink e-prescription integration) addresses digital prescription workflows, and the apotec cool connect networked refrigerator provides DIN 58345-compliant pharmaceutical storage with digital monitoring. Revenue mechanics combine one-time B2B product sales (the dominant stream), recurring maintenance and service contracts, a newly introduced SaaS subscription for the E-Rezept app, custom printing services, and consumer-marketing-driven OTC sales via pharmacy partners — with field sales, the Rezeptursymposium continuing-education event series (5 editions, 500+ participants across Germany), national TV campaigns, and installment payment plans (6/12/24-month) all reinforcing customer relationships. The company is DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 certified, GDPR-compliant, and currently led by siblings Dr. Christian Ciesielski and Dr. Heike Ciesielski as Managing Directors.

Name

WEPA APOTHEKENBEDARF GmbH & Co KG

Legal name

WEPA Apothekenbedarf GmbH & Co KG

Website

https://wepa-apothekenbedarf.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1884

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

WEPA Apothekenbedarf is a 140-year-old, family-owned German B2B pharmacy supplier distributing 8,000+ products across equipment, OTC brands, and digital services to pharmacies in Germany, Austria, and France, with a self-declared market-leading position in pharmacy lab and prescription equipment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hillscheid

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Pharmacy Supplies and Equipment Sales: WEPA generates revenue primarily from the sale of pharmacy supplies, OTC products, medical devices, lab equipment, and own-brand products (8,000+ SKUs) to pharmacies across Germany, Austria, and France. The company acts as a B2B distributor/wholesaler for the pharmacy channel.
2. Maintenance and Service Contracts: WEPA offers annual maintenance and service contracts for lab equipment and pharmacy devices (Wartungs-Service-Leistungen). Contracts are sold as service packages with pricing per agreement and annual renewal terms.
3. E-Rezept App Subscription: WEPA offers the 'Mein E-Rezept' app as a subscription product at 59 EUR per month per pharmacy, including onboarding setup (298 EUR one-time). This digital service provides e-prescription management tools for customer retention.
4. Custom Printing and Personalization Services: WEPA operates an in-house printing facility (Paulus & Thewalt) providing customized print products, promotional items, and branded merchandise with pharmacy logos. Revenue from print services and individualized pharmacy marketing materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

WEPA Apothekenbedarf is a B2B specialist distributor and service partner for stationary pharmacies in Germany, Austria, and France, supplying 8,000+ products including laboratory and compounding equipment, medical devices, pharmaceutical primary packaging, OTC consumer health brands, and customized promotional/print materials. The company bundles physical product distribution with technical maintenance services and a digital services stack (E-Rezept app, pharmacy lab software, B2B e-commerce).

Product overview

WEPA Apothekenbedarf is a family-owned pharmacy supplier operating a multi-channel business model consisting of an e-commerce platform (wepa.shop), proprietary pharmacy brands, and pharmacy equipment/software. The company offers over 8,000 products across three main categories: (1) OTC/Freiwahl (self-service) brands including apoday® nutritional supplements, mosquito® parasite protection, PECTORAL® cough candies, and the WEPA Apothekenmarke line; (2) pharmacy equipment under apotec® including LabXpert laboratory software, TOPITEC® compounding systems, and the networked apotec® cool connect medication refrigerator; and (3) medical devices under aponorm® including blood pressure monitors, thermometers, and inhalators, plus aponorm® ZL-certified primary packaging materials. The portfolio is distributed through an online shop, field sales representatives, technical service technicians, and a customer service center, with operations in Germany, Austria, and France.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• apoday: Nahrungsergänzungsmittel (dietary supplements) including apoday Slim meal replacement products
• Apoline
• aponorm
• mosquito
• PECTORAL
• apotec
• TOPITEC
• WEPA - Die Apothekenmarke

Products and services

• WEPA 'Mein E-Rezept' App (E-Prescription Mobile App) Customizable pharmacy-branded mobile app for e-prescription redemption, photo prescription upload, chat-based medication pre-ordering, push notifications, and Botendienst (click & delivery); subscription at 59 EUR/month per pharmacy with one-time 298 EUR onboarding package.
• apotec LabXpert Pharmacy Laboratory Software Central interface software for processes in pharmacy laboratory and prescription preparation, developed in partnership with pharma4u; connects compounding/lab devices and automates workflows for pharmacies.
• apotec cool connect Networked Medication Refrigerator World's only independently networked medication refrigerator, holding temperatures in the +5°C range and meeting DIN 58345 standards for pharmaceutical cold storage; includes digital connectivity for temperature monitoring and pharmacy inventory integration.
• TOPITEC Closed-System Compounding and Mixing Equipment Closed-system mixing and compounding equipment used in pharmacy prescription preparation (Rezeptur), including the TOPITEC Expert model with internet connectivity for future-oriented compounding workflows.
• aponorm Medical Devices (blood pressure monitors, fever thermometers, inhalators) Medical technology devices for home use, including aponorm Blutdruckmessgeräte (blood pressure monitors), aponorm Fieberthermometer (fever thermometers), and aponorm Inhalatoren (including the Nano model billed as the world's smallest mobile compressor nebulizer); sold exclusively through pharmacies.
• aponorm Primary Pharmaceutical Packaging Materials ZL-certified primary packaging materials for pharmaceutical and pharmacy-compounding preparations, including medication bottles, dropper bottles, eye drop bottles, tubes, wide-neck bottles, and aponorm Drehdosier- and OV-Kruke jars with printed matrix codes providing 100% batch traceability since 2019.
• ApoLine Quality Nursing Instruments Quality medical and nursing instruments manufactured in Solingen, Germany; sold exclusively through pharmacies.
• apoday Nutritional Supplements (including apoday Slim meal replacement) Nutritional supplements including apoday Slim meal replacement (vanilla and chocolate flavors plus savory soups such as potato-leek and tomato, gluten-free, suitable for ovo-lacto vegetarians, high protein) and apoday Vitamin C + Zink vitamin products; sold exclusively through pharmacies.
• mosquito Parasite Protection Products (mosquito repellent, tick repellent, lice treatment) Parasite protection range under the mosquito brand, including mosquito and tick protection sprays (mosquito protect, rated 'GUT (2,1)' by Stiftung Warentest with tick protection rated 'sehr gut (1,3)') and head lice therapy products; ranked the fastest-growing lice-treatment brand in the German OTC pharmacy channel.
• PECTORAL Cough and Throat Lozenges Traditional cough candies based on licorice juice and sage with essential oils, available in six varieties including sugar-free options sweetened with steviol glycosides; also offered as a special Shaun the Sheep children's edition in collectible tins; sold exclusively through pharmacies.
• WEPA – Die Apothekenmarke OTC Products WEPA's house pharmacy brand covering OTC products for movement/muscle care, nasal and congestion relief, skin and wound healing, and hot and cold beverages including 'Heisse Zitrone' (hot lemon); the lead brand for the 2025/2026 national TV campaign.
• Custom Print Products and Promotional Items (via Paulus & Thewalt) Customized promotional items, gifts, and printed products for pharmacy customer-loyalty programs, including branded calendars, pens, bags, coffee cups, and sports bottles; produced in-house at the Paulus & Thewalt print facility in Höhr-Grenzhausen with pharmacy-logo personalization.
• WEPA Maintenance and Service Contracts for Pharmacy Equipment Annual maintenance and service contracts for WEPA-supplied pharmacy laboratory equipment, medication refrigerators, and TOPITEC compounding systems; on-site technical service covering installation, calibration, repair, and renewal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Market leader in pharmacy laboratory and prescription equipment (Marktführer) — implied dominant market share
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Caelo (Caesar & Loretz GmbH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 September 2024WEPA and Caelo co-host the annual Rezeptursymposium, a professional education event for pharmacists and pharmacy staff. The partnership combines WEPA's pharmacy equipment and supply expertise with Caelo's pharmaceutical compounding (rezeptur) product range. Five editions have been held across Germany (Cologne, Oberhausen, Berlin, Munich, Hamburg) with 500+ total participants.
• pharma4ucoreTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2017WEPA partnered with pharma4u to develop apotec LabXpert, a complete software solution for pharmacy lab and compounding processes. The partnership integrates WEPA's lab hardware with pharma4u's pharmaceutical software expertise, combining device management and workflow automation.
• DAC/NRF (Deutscher Arzneimittel-Codex / Neues Rezeptur-Formularium)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDAC/NRF expert speakers contribute to WEPA's Rezeptursymposium educational events, providing scientific and regulatory content on prescription preparation best practices.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Phoenix Group: Europe's largest pharmaceutical distributor with significant German operations. Overlaps with WEPA in pharmacy supply but operates at substantially larger scale across multiple European countries and broader healthcare categories.
• Dermapharm Holding SE: German pharmaceutical company specializing in branded generics, OTC, and dermatology products sold through pharmacies. Comparable in pharmacy-channel OTC focus but operates as a brand manufacturer rather than distributor.
• Alliance Healthcare (Walgreens Boots Alliance): Parent of Gehe Pharma Handel and one of Europe's largest pharmaceutical wholesalers. Competes broadly with WEPA across multiple European pharmacy markets through a much larger distribution footprint.
• Stada Arzneimittel AG: Major European manufacturer of generics and consumer health (OTC) brands with strong German pharmacy-channel presence. Overlaps with WEPA in branded OTC distribution but is a manufacturer rather than distributor.

Direct peers

• Gehe Pharma Handel GmbH (Alliance Healthcare Germany): One of Germany's largest pre-wholesale and wholesale pharmaceutical distributors, subsidiary of Alliance Healthcare (Walgreens Boots Alliance). Competes directly with WEPA in supplying pharmacies and operates a comparable multi-channel distribution model.
• Noweda eG: German pharmaceutical cooperative wholesaler serving ~9,000 member pharmacies nationwide. Direct competitor to WEPA in pharmaceutical supply to the stationary pharmacy channel, with comparable breadth across Rx, OTC, and pharmacy consumables.
• Sanacorp eG: German pharmaceutical cooperative wholesaler serving thousands of member pharmacies across Germany. Direct peer in pharmacy supply distribution with a similar cooperative-owned structure and category breadth.

Emerging players

• Redcare Pharmacy NV (formerly Shop Apotheke): Fast-growing European online pharmacy with strong German market presence. Competes for the same end-consumer OTC spend that WEPA routes through pharmacy partners, threatening WEPA's branded OTC portfolio.
• DocMorris NV: Leading online pharmacy in Germany serving end consumers directly. Represents a structural competitive threat to WEPA's pharmacy-channel distribution model by diverting OTC and pharmacy-exclusive product purchases away from physical pharmacies.

Others

• Caelo (Caesar & Loretz GmbH): German supplier of pharmaceutical raw materials and APIs for pharmacy compounding, and WEPA's co-host of the Rezeptursymposium series. Not a competitor but an adjacent supply-chain participant serving the same compounding-pharmacy segment.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/WEPAApothekenbedarf
• Facebookfacebook.com/wepa.update
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wepa-apothekenbedarf-gmbh-&-co-kg/mycompany/?viewAsMember=true
• Instagraminstagram.com/wepaapothekenbedarf

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 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 WEPA APOTHEKENBEDARF GmbH & Co KG