Dr.C.Soldan
Dr. C. SOLDAN is a fourth-generation, family-owned German confectionery manufacturer founded in 1899, producing premium cough drops, gummies, and licorice under brands including Em-eukal, Original B\u00c4RENGARTEN, and Rheila for health-conscious consumers via German pharmacies and international distributors in 20+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1899
- HeadquartersAdelsdorf, Germany
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Dr.C.Soldan does
Dr. C. SOLDAN is a fourth-generation, family-owned German confectionery manufacturer founded in 1899 in Nuremberg by pharmacist Dr. Carl Soldan and headquartered since 1959 in Adelsdorf, Franconia. The company produces premium hard candies, gummy drops, fruit gummies, licorice, dextrose, and throat lozenges under multiple sub-brands, including the flagship Em-eukal cough drops (recognized as "Marke des Jahrhunderts" for the category), Kinder Em-eukal, Em-eukal Frische Pastillen, Original B\u00c4RENGARTEN, Rheila, Kr\u00fcgerol, and Tex-Schmelz. Production is built around traditional candy-making craftsmanship with carefully selected natural ingredients (essential oils, fruit juices, herbal extracts) and is supported by IFS-Food, bio (since 2004), and DIN EN ISO 13485 (since September 2020) certifications.
The core technology is gentle processing of natural inputs into hard-candy, gum-arabic, and cast confectionery formats, with customizable formulations for both proprietary brands and third-party contract manufacturing clients in the pharmaceutical and food industries. SOLDAN generates revenue through one-time sales of its branded confectionery via German pharmacies (the dominant channel, where it holds the #1 position in cough drops and gummy drops per Circana, MAT March 2024), drugstores, supermarkets, partner online brand shops (World of Sweets, Medikamente per Klick, Sanicare), and a direct-to-consumer factory outlet (SOLDAN Erlebniswelt), supplemented by professional-services contract manufacturing for medical devices, food supplements, and customized confectionery. The company operates as a privately held GmbH under SOLDAN Holding + Bonbonspezialit\u00e4ten GmbH with no external shareholders, 251–500 employees, and international distribution via 23 dedicated partners across more than 20 countries spanning Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and North America.
Dr.C.Soldan firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dr.C.Soldan
- Legal name
- SOLDAN Holding + Bonbonspezialitäten GmbH
- Website
- https://soldan.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1899
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Dr. C. SOLDAN is a fourth-generation, family-owned German confectionery manufacturer founded in 1899, producing premium cough drops, gummies, and licorice under brands including Em-eukal, Original B\u00c4RENGARTEN, and Rheila for health-conscious consumers via German pharmacies and international distributors in 20+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dr.C.Soldan industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Confectionery Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Nonchocolate Confectionery Manufacturing (31134)
- SIC
- Sugar & Confectionery Products (2060), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cold, Flu, Cough & Allergy Remedies (Decongestants, Antihistamines, Cough Syrups, Lozenges) (CRADAMAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Fruit Snacks & Dried Fruit (CRADABAJ)
Keywords
Where Dr.C.Soldan is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Adelsdorf
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Dr.C.Soldan business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Confectionery Product Sales: Revenue generated from selling premium candies including cough drops, gummy drops, fruit juice gummies, licorice, and glucose tablets through retail channels including pharmacies, drugstores, supermarkets, and direct-to-consumer factory outlet.
- Contract Manufacturing: Custom manufacturing services for pharmaceutical and food industry clients, producing medical devices, food supplements, and customized confectionery products based on client specifications.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
Dr.C.Soldan product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dr. C. SOLDAN manufactures and markets premium confectionery products — most notably Em-eukal cough drops, throat lozenges, gummy drops, fruit juice gummies, licorice, and glucose tablets — using natural ingredients and traditional candy-making craftsmanship. Products are sold primarily through German pharmacies and drugstores with international distribution to more than 20 countries, and the company also offers IFS-certified contract manufacturing for medical devices, food supplements, and customized confectionery for third parties.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Em-eukal: Premium cough drops and throat lozenges with natural ingredients and the distinctive red-and-white flag trademark. The company's flagship brand and 'Marke des Jahrhunderts' (Brand of the Century) for cough drops since 2019.
- Em-eukal Gummidrops
- Kinder Em-eukal
- Em-eukal Frische Pastillen
- Original BÄRENGARTEN
- Rheila
- Krügerol
- Tex-Schmelz
- Laetitia
Products and services
- Em-eukal (cough drops and throat lozenges)
Quantifiable outcome
- Number 1 market position in cough drops and gummy drops in German pharmacies (Circana, MAT March 2024)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Dr.C.Soldan
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Dr.C.Soldan technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Dr.C.Soldan partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
28 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- ATME DAS LEBEN – Lungenstiftung BremenminorNon-profit lung foundation supported since 2020. Focuses on prevention, public education, and building a specialized hospice for lung disease patients.
- Apotheker ohne Grenzen e.V.coreCharitable organization supported through annual donations. Total donations of 114,000 EUR since 2017, including 15,000 EUR in 2025. Supports healthcare projects in developing countries.
- Karaka PrometminorInternational distribution partner for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- LIME PHARMAminorInternational distribution partner for Denmark.
- CIMIFARminorInternational distribution partner for Greece.
- Fresh OrganicminorInternational distribution partner for Hong Kong.
- ThalerminorInternational distribution partner for Italy.
- ROW & CO.minorInternational distribution partner for Japan.
- HUSKY FOOD IMPORTERSminorInternational distribution partner for Canada.
- Kvantum TimminorInternational distribution partner for Croatia.
- ElpisminorInternational distribution partner for Latvia.
- Comptoir PharmaceutiqueminorInternational distribution partner for Luxembourg.
- Deutsche HeilmittelminorInternational distribution partner for MENA region (Middle East and North Africa).
- Euroalba DooelminorInternational distribution partner for North Macedonia.
- J.B. BOYSENminorInternational distribution partner for Namibia.
- BOS PHARMA SERVICEminorInternational distribution partner for Netherlands.
- Medital PharmminorInternational distribution partner for Poland.
- MORENOminorInternational distribution partner for Portugal.
- SchnarwilerminorInternational distribution partner for Switzerland.
- JAGEminorInternational distribution partner for Slovakia.
- Top PharmaminorInternational distribution partner for Slovenia.
- JEJE ParkminorInternational distribution partner for South Korea.
- Ortopedia MogarminorInternational distribution partner for Spain.
- ReformhausminorInternational distribution partner for Taiwan.
- Tym Pro FarmaciiminorInternational distribution partner for Czech Republic.
- World of SweetscorePrimary online marketplace partner for direct consumer sales of SOLDAN products.
- Medikamente per KlickminorOnline pharmacy marketplace partner.
- SanicareminorOnline pharmacy marketplace partner.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Dr.C.Soldan competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Haribo: German gummy bear and confectionery market leader with direct overlap on Original BÄRENGARTEN fruit-juice gummies and broader German confectionery retail presence.
- Fisherman's Friend: UK-origin menthol lozenge brand competing directly with Em-eukal in the cough drop category across global pharmacy and mass-market channels.
- Ricola: Swiss herb-based cough drop and lozenge manufacturer with comparable premium herbal confectionery positioning and global pharmacy distribution, making it the closest direct competitor to Em-eukal.
- Katjes: German family-owned confectionery company producing fruit gums and licorice products, competing with SOLDAN's BÄRENGARTEN and Rheila brands in the German market.
- Ricola Ltd: Same company as Ricola; listed once to emphasize the closest direct comparable in throat/cough lozenges.
Regional players
- Bären-Schmidt: German specialist gummy bear manufacturer with direct overlap on SOLDAN's BÄRENGARTEN fruit-gummy category within German retail and pharmacy channels.
Others
- Südzucker (Süßwaren / sugar confectionery segment): Large European sugar and confectionery ingredient supplier providing sweeteners and inputs relevant to SOLDAN's sugar-free and bio-certified confectionery production, illustrating upstream supply-chain similarity.
Broad incumbents
- Zentis: Established German confectionery manufacturer with comparable heritage (founded 1891) and fruit/confectionery portfolio, comparable in size and German market focus to SOLDAN.
- Storck: Major German family-owned confectionery group (Werther's Original, Toffifee, Milka) with overlapping sugar-confectionery manufacturing capabilities and global distribution.
- Perfetti van Melle: Global Italian-Dutch confectionery group producing mints, gums, and candies (Mentos, Chupa Chups, Alpenliebe) that overlap directly with SOLDAN's cough drop and gummy categories.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Dr.C.Soldan social profiles
Digital presenceDr.C.Soldan financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dr.C.Soldan leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Dr.C.Soldan funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dr.C.Soldan 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 Dr.C.Soldan
What does Dr.C.Soldan do?
Dr. C. SOLDAN manufactures and markets premium confectionery products — most notably Em-eukal cough drops, throat lozenges, gummy drops, fruit juice gummies, licorice, and glucose tablets — using natural ingredients and traditional candy-making craftsmanship. Products are sold primarily through German pharmacies and drugstores with international distribution to more than 20 countries, and the company also offers IFS-certified contract manufacturing for medical devices, food supplements, and customized confectionery for third parties.
Is Dr.C.Soldan a public or private company?
Dr.C.Soldan is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Dr.C.Soldan founded?
Dr.C.Soldan was founded in 1899. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Dr.C.Soldan based?
Dr.C.Soldan is headquartered in Adelsdorf, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Dr.C.Soldan make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Confectionery Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are contract Manufacturing.
Who are Dr.C.Soldan's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Haribo, Fisherman's Friend, Ricola, Katjes and Ricola Ltd. Bären-Schmidt is listed as a regional player. Südzucker (Süßwaren / sugar confectionery segment) is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Zentis, Storck and Perfetti van Melle.
Does Dr.C.Soldan have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dr.C.Soldan.
What industry is Dr.C.Soldan in?
Dr.C.Soldan's product category is Confectionery Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAMAD, Cold, Flu, Cough & Allergy Remedies (Decongestants, Antihistamines, Cough Syrups, Lozenges), with a secondary code of CRADABAJ, Fruit Snacks & Dried Fruit. Its NAICS code is 31134 and its SIC code is 2060.