Kirsch Import
Kirsch Import is a family-owned German B2B wholesale distributor founded in 1976, supplying over 4,500 premium spirits — including Germany's most comprehensive Single Malt Whisky range — exclusively to registered specialty retailers (Fachhandel) and gastronomy businesses across Germany and Austria via kirschwhisky.de.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersStuhr, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Kirsch Import does
Kirsch Import GmbH & Co. KG is a family-owned German B2B wholesale distributor of premium spirits, founded in 1976 near Bremen by Dieter Kirsch and led since 2015 by Christoph Kirsch in its second generation. The company operates from its headquarters in Stuhr (Mackenstedter Str. 7) and serves exclusively registered trade customers — German specialty retailers (Fachhandel) and gastronomy/hospitality businesses (Gastronomie) — across Germany and Austria, with a trade-only online shop at kirschwhisky.de and supporting email/phone ordering channels.
The product portfolio spans more than 4,500 SKUs, anchored by what the company describes as Germany's most comprehensive Single Malt Whisky selection. It includes exclusive imports such as Edradour, The GlenAllachie, and Waterford; single cask allocations from independent bottlers Gordon & MacPhail and Signatory Vintage; Scotch across all producing regions; Irish, American, Japanese, and German whiskies; premium rum (Hampden, Black Tot, Rhum J.M); craft gin; Cognac and Armagnac; agave spirits (mezcal and tequila); wine, champagne, liqueurs, alcohol-free alternatives; miniatures; and accessories. Kirsch Import also produces proprietary Eigenabfüllungen, notably its Sea Shepherd collaboration series supporting marine conservation.
The business model is straightforward wholesale distribution: Kirsch Import purchases premium spirits from distilleries and independent bottlers worldwide and resells them to trade buyers at B2B pricing exclusive of VAT, with free shipping on orders from €199 net (Germany) and €299 net (Austria), no minimum order quantities, and multi-channel ordering. The company is privately held with no external funding rounds or institutional investors and reports no publicly disclosed revenue.
Kirsch Import firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kirsch Import
- Legal name
- Kirsch Import GmbH & Co. KG
- Website
- https://kirschwhisky.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Kirsch Import is a family-owned German B2B wholesale distributor founded in 1976, supplying over 4,500 premium spirits — including Germany's most comprehensive Single Malt Whisky range — exclusively to registered specialty retailers (Fachhandel) and gastronomy businesses across Germany and Austria via kirschwhisky.de.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kirsch Import industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Spirits Wholesale Distribution
- NAICS
- Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (4248), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (424820)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bulk Beverage & Keg Distribution (AFAIAGAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Bar & Beverage Service Supplies Wholesale (AFAIALAG)
Keywords
Where Kirsch Import is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stuhr
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kirsch Import business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Wholesale spirits distribution: Kirsch Import generates revenue by purchasing premium spirits from distilleries and independent bottlers worldwide, then reselling to German specialty retailers and gastronomy businesses. They operate as a full-range supplier (Vollsortimenter) offering over 4,500 different spirits products with B2B pricing and account-based ordering.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | B2B wholesale pricing for registered trade customers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Kirsch Import product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kirsch Import is a German B2B wholesale importer and distributor of premium spirits, supplying more than 4,500 products from distilleries and independent bottlers worldwide to registered specialty retailers (Fachhandel) and gastronomy businesses (Gastronomie) across Germany and Austria. Its portfolio centers on Single Malt Whisky, Scotch, Irish, American, Japanese and German whiskies, plus rum, gin, cognac, armagnac, agave, wine, liqueurs, alcohol-free alternatives, accessories, miniatures, and proprietary own bottlings such as the Sea Shepherd collaborations.
Product overview
Kirsch Import is a German B2B spirits importer and distributor founded in 1976, operating primarily through its Kirschwhisky.de online shop. The company offers over 4,500 premium spirits including an extensive Single Malt Whisky portfolio (Germany's largest), Scotch from all regions, Irish, American, Japanese and German whiskies, premium rum, craft gin, cognac, armagnac, agave spirits, wine, liqueurs, and alcohol-free alternatives. The product portfolio includes exclusive imports like Edradour, The GlenAllachie, and Waterford; single cask selections from Gordon & MacPhail and Signatory Vintage; proprietary own bottlings including Sea Shepherd collaborations; and accessories/miniatures. Kirsch Import supplies specialist retailers and gastronomy businesses across Germany with free shipping on orders over €199 net.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Single Malt Whisky Portfolio
Companies that use Kirsch Import
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Kirsch Import technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Kirsch Import partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Sea ShepherdminorKirsch Import produces own bottlings (Eigenabfüllungen) in cooperation with Sea Shepherd, the environmental organization. These special editions support Sea Shepherd's marine conservation efforts while offering unique spirits to their customers.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Kirsch Import competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Borco-Markenimport: Hamburg-based premium spirits importer and distributor serving the German on-trade and specialist retail. Highly comparable B2B model with a similar premium-portfolio focus and direct relationships with international distilleries.
- Reidemeister & Ulrichs: Münster-based German premium spirits and wine importer with B2B distribution to specialty retail and gastronomy, comparable portfolio breadth and customer segments to Kirsch Import.
- Eggers & Franke: Hamburg-based premium beverages distributor with a B2B focus on specialist retail and gastronomy, comparable in scale, customer mix, and product breadth to Kirsch Import.
- Mack & Schühle: German premium wine and spirits distributor with a comparable B2B sales-led model supplying specialist retail and gastronomy across Germany with international brand portfolios.
- Diversa Spezialitäten: German specialty importer and distributor serving retail and foodservice with premium international food and beverage brands — a comparable B2B specialty distribution model focused on Fachhandel and gastronomy.
Broad incumbents
- Hawesko Holding SE: Publicly listed German wine and spirits distribution group with a wider portfolio including own retail (Jacques' Wein-Depot), specialty distribution, and e-commerce — broader and partially vertically integrated, but overlapping in B2B specialty distribution.
- Beam Suntory Deutschland: German arm of Beam Suntory distributing premium spirits to retail and on-trade; comparable target customers and category focus but with the backing of a global multinational and vertically integrated brand ownership.
- Diageo Deutschland: German subsidiary of Diageo plc operating as an integrated spirits manufacturer-distributor; competes with independents for shelf space and on-trade listings across the same specialty and HoReCa channels as Kirsch.
- Pernod Ricard Deutschland: German arm of Pernod Ricard operating integrated spirits manufacturing and distribution; directly comparable sales channels but a substantially broader portfolio and scale than Kirsch Import.
Emerging players
- Speciality Drinks Ltd: UK-based independent premium spirits distributor with a similar B2B specialist model focused on craft, single-cask, and independent bottlings — directly comparable category focus though serving a different geography than Kirsch.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Kirsch Import social profiles
Digital presenceKirsch Import financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kirsch Import leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Kirsch Import funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kirsch Import 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 Kirsch Import
What does Kirsch Import do?
Kirsch Import is a German B2B wholesale importer and distributor of premium spirits, supplying more than 4,500 products from distilleries and independent bottlers worldwide to registered specialty retailers (Fachhandel) and gastronomy businesses (Gastronomie) across Germany and Austria. Its portfolio centers on Single Malt Whisky, Scotch, Irish, American, Japanese and German whiskies, plus rum, gin, cognac, armagnac, agave, wine, liqueurs, alcohol-free alternatives, accessories, miniatures, and proprietary own bottlings such as the Sea Shepherd collaborations.
Is Kirsch Import a public or private company?
Kirsch Import is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Kirsch Import founded?
Kirsch Import was founded in 1976. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Kirsch Import based?
Kirsch Import is headquartered in Stuhr, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Kirsch Import make money?
One revenue line is on record: wholesale spirits distribution.
Who are Kirsch Import's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Borco-Markenimport, Reidemeister & Ulrichs, Eggers & Franke, Mack & Schühle and Diversa Spezialitäten. Broad incumbents are Hawesko Holding SE, Beam Suntory Deutschland, Diageo Deutschland and Pernod Ricard Deutschland. Speciality Drinks Ltd is listed as an emerging player.
Does Kirsch Import have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kirsch Import.
What industry is Kirsch Import in?
Kirsch Import's product category is Spirits Wholesale Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIAGAK, Bulk Beverage & Keg Distribution, with a secondary code of AFAIALAG, Bar & Beverage Service Supplies Wholesale. Its NAICS code is 4248 and its SIC code is 5180.