Zeller

What Zeller does

Max Zeller Söhne AG, operating under the Zeller brand, is a Swiss phytopharmaceutical company founded in 1864 and headquartered in Romanshorn, Switzerland, with a secondary site in Uttwil housing a proprietary medicinal plant garden. The company develops, manufactures, and markets clinically proven herbal medicines across three product lines: an OTC portfolio (prefemin for PMS, zeller schlaf forte for sleep disorders, remotiv 500 for mood disorders, angocin for respiratory and urinary inflammation, zeller entspannung for anxiety and restlessness, zeller heuschnupfen for hay fever, and zeller wechseljahre for menopausal symptoms), the Zeller plus dietary supplements line, and prescription herbal medicines distributed through its wholly-owned subsidiary Zeller Medical AG (founded 1996) covering gynaecological, urological, dermatological, allergological, cardiac, and central nervous system indications. The underlying technology platform is standardized phytotherapy — combining traditional herbal medicine knowledge with clinical validation and standardized extract manufacturing to ensure consistent active-ingredient concentrations across batches.

Zeller's business model is primarily B2C retail with channel-based distribution. OTC and Zeller plus products are sold without prescription through Swiss pharmacies, chemists, and online retailers including Coop Vitality, Sun Store, Amavita, Rotpunkt Apotheke, and Zur Rose Group; prescription products are routed through medical professionals. Revenue streams are transactional one-time product sales across the three product categories. The company supplements consumer demand with a B2B medical professional engagement layer via the Zeller Academy education platform and content marketing through its health and well-being information portal and medicinal plant dictionary. Geographic operations are limited to Switzerland, and the company operates as an independent private firm with no disclosed parent company, venture capital, or private equity ownership. The company is described as the leading Swiss developer and manufacturer of clinically proven herbal medicines, with 101-250 employees.

Name

Zeller

Legal name

Max Zeller Söhne AG

Website

https://zellerag.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1864

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Herbal Pharmaceuticals

NAICS

Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411)

SIC

Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Herbal & Botanical Supplements (CRADAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Botanical & Herbal Extracts (Adaptogens, Polyphenols, Essential Oils, Standardized Extracts) (AFAJAKAD), Allergy, Sinus & Respiratory (Non-Asthma) (HLAIADAC), Cold, Flu & Cough Remedies (HLAIADAB), Medicinal Plant Farming (Botanical/Pharmaceutical Crops) (AFAGAGAE)

Keywords

• Herbal medicines
• Phytotherapy products
• OTC pharmaceuticals
• Botanical medicines
• Dietary supplements

Headquarters

HQ city

Romanshorn

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. OTC Herbal Medicines: Over-the-counter herbal medicines sold without prescription through pharmacies and chemists. Products include zeller schlaf forte (sleep), remotiv 500 (mood), angocin (inflammation), zeller entspannung (relaxation), prefemin (PMS), and zeller wechseljahre (menopause).
2. Prescription Medical Products: Prescription-only herbal medicines for treating gynaecological, urological, dermatological ailments, allergies, coughs, cardiac conditions and central nervous system disorders. Distributed through medical professionals.
3. Zeller Plus Dietary Supplements: Food supplements combining nature, science and experience for health optimization. Sold through pharmacies and chemists with personalized advice from specialist staff.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Max Zeller Söhne AG develops, manufactures, and markets clinically proven herbal medicines in three categories: OTC products (sleep, mood, PMS, menopause, hay fever, nervousness, respiratory and urinary infections), Zeller plus dietary supplements for holistic health, and Zeller Medical prescription products for gynaecological, urological, dermatological, allergological, cardiac and central nervous system conditions. The portfolio is grounded in phytotherapy, with standardized extracts and vertical integration from medicinal plant cultivation in Uttwil to the finished product.

Product overview

Max Zeller Söhne AG is the leading Swiss developer and manufacturer of clinically proven herbal medicines. The company offers a portfolio of three product categories: (1) OTC (Over-the-counter) products in green packaging available without prescription from pharmacies and chemists, including prefemin® (PMS/menstrual disorders), zeller schlaf forte (sleep disorders), remotiv® 500 (mood disorders), angocin® (respiratory/urinary infections), zeller entspannung (nervousness/restlessness), zeller heuschnupfen (hay fever), and zeller wechseljahre (menopausal symptoms); (2) Zeller plus dietary supplements for holistic health boosting; and (3) Zeller Medical prescription products for gynaecological, urological, dermatological, allergological, cardiac and central nervous system conditions, provided through subsidiary Zeller Medical AG founded in 1996. All products are plant-based herbal medicines based on phytotherapy principles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zeller Medical: Subsidiary focused on herbal medicines for medical professionals, covering gynaecological, urological, dermatological ailments, allergies, coughs, cardiac conditions and central nervous system disorders.
• Zeller plus

Products and services

• prefemin® OTC herbal medicine containing monk's pepper (Agni casti fructus) extract for premenstrual complaints such as headaches, mood swings, irritability, breast tenderness and abdominal discomfort, as well as menstrual cycle disorders. Dosed as 1 film-coated tablet daily and available without prescription in Swiss pharmacies.
• zeller schlaf forte OTC herbal remedy for difficulties in falling and staying asleep and for restless sleep, available without prescription in Swiss pharmacies.
• remotiv® 500 OTC herbal medicine for mood disorders, containing St. John's wort extract, available without prescription in Swiss pharmacies.
• angocin® OTC herbal medicine for acute inflammations of the respiratory tract and infections in the urinary tract, available without prescription in Swiss pharmacies.
• zeller entspannung OTC herbal remedy for nervousness, states of tension and restlessness, and exam anxiety, available without prescription in Swiss pharmacies.
• zeller heuschnupfen OTC herbal medicine for hay fever relief when it itches and irritates, available without prescription in Swiss pharmacies.
• zeller wechseljahre OTC herbal medicine for hot flushes and other typical menopausal symptoms, available without prescription in Swiss pharmacies.
• Zeller plus Sub-brand of food supplements combining nature, science and experience for people who want to boost their health mindfully and holistically, available at Swiss pharmacies and chemists.
• Zeller Medical products

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Coop VitalitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss pharmacy chain partner selling Zeller OTC products including prefemin through their online store and physical locations.
• Sun StorecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss pharmacy chain distributing Zeller herbal medicines through their retail and online channels.
• AmavitacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss pharmacy chain partner for Zeller OTC products distribution.
• Rotpunkt ApothekecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss pharmacy group distributing Zeller products through their network.
• Vitamin PlusminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss vitamin and supplement retailer selling Zeller OTC products.
• PuravitaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss health product retailer selling Zeller herbal medicines online.
• DromentaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss pharmacy and drugstore partner for Zeller products.
• Zur Rose GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Swiss online pharmacy and healthcare product distributor selling Zeller products.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Bayer Consumer Health: Large incumbent consumer health player with overlapping botanical franchises (e.g., Iberogast, Kytta). Competes with Zeller for Swiss pharmacy shelf space via broader portfolio and stronger marketing budgets.
• Nestlé Health Science: Global nutrition/health science arm of Nestlé, active in dietary supplements and plant-based wellness products such as Nature's Bounty and Puritan's Pride. Overlaps with Zeller Plus supplement positioning.

Direct peers

• Boiron: French-listed leader in homeopathic and herbal medicinal products sold through European pharmacies. Comparable distribution model (pharmacy channel) and natural-medicine positioning to Zeller's OTC portfolio.
• Bionorica SE: One of Europe's largest phytopharmaceutical companies, producing clinically tested herbal medicines for respiratory, urological, and gynaecological indications. Comparable to Zeller's prescription and OTC herbal ranges (e.g., angocin, prefemin) but at materially larger scale.
• Cefak KG: German manufacturer of herbal and homeopathic medicines, including standardized phytopharmaceuticals for urology, gynaecology, and respiratory indications, overlapping with Zeller Medical's prescription and OTC range.
• Hänseler AG: Swiss pharmaceutical company producing herbal medicines, tinctures, and galenicals, with overlapping therapeutic categories and Swiss pharmacy distribution. Direct comparable in geographic footprint and product mix.
• Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH & Co. KG: German manufacturer of plant-based medicines including standardized extracts such as Tebonin and Umckaloabo. Closest large-scale peer to Zeller in clinically validated phytotherapy and standardized manufacturing.
• A.Vogel / Bioforce AG: Swiss-headquartered maker of A.Vogel herbal medicines and tinctures, also founded on a phytotherapy heritage. Direct competitor to Zeller in Swiss pharmacies and drugstores across overlapping indications such as sleep, stress, and women's health.
• Weleda AG: Swiss-founded manufacturer of anthroposophic and herbal medicinal products sold through pharmacies and natural-health channels. Comparable Swiss heritage, herbal-medicine positioning, and pharmacy distribution to Zeller.

Emerging players

• Flordis: Global herbal-medicine company focused on clinically researched standardized botanical extracts (e.g., Femular, Remotiv). Direct overlap with Zeller's remotiv franchise and standardized-extract positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/zellerag
• Instagraminstagram.com/zeller
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zeller

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Zeller