Kehr Berlin

What Kehr Berlin does

Kehr Berlin GmbH & Co. KG is a privately held, family-owned pharmaceutical wholesaler headquartered in Ludwigsfelde, Germany, operating as a full-line distributor of medicines and health products to independent pharmacies. The company maintains a manufacturer-neutral inventory of more than 82,000 pharmaceutical and pharmacy products (over 120,000 across the broader PHARMA PRIVAT network) and delivers to pharmacies multiple times per day from three distribution branches in Braunschweig, Dessau, and Ludwigsfelde, covering six German federal states (Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony, and North Rhine-Westphalia). Its core logistics capabilities include cold chain handling for temperature-sensitive medications, GDP-certified warehousing, and modern picking and commissioning systems.

Kehr Berlin generates revenue through product margins on pharmaceutical distribution under a B2B, sales-led go-to-market model, with personal account managers and sales representatives serving independent owner-operated pharmacies (Vor-Ort-Apotheken). The company is part of the PHARMA PRIVAT cooperative network (founded 1984), which aggregates six independent private wholesalers, approximately 1,000 employees, and combined sales of roughly €1.5 billion serving over 3,500 pharmacies nationwide. Beyond core distribution, Kehr Berlin offers value-added services through the PHARMA PRIVAT WAVE digital platform (digital, business, continuing education, and marketing tools for over 1,800 partner pharmacies), the PTA des Jahres award program, the Apothekenjobs recruitment portal, a marketplace, and the Apothekenwald sustainability initiative. Leadership transitioned in 2024 with Felix Kehr becoming Managing Director alongside Stefan Holdermann and Thomas Linsenmaier, and the company has publicly identified AI implementation and process automation as priority agenda items.

Name

Kehr Berlin

Legal name

Kehr Berlin GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://kehr-berlin.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kehr Berlin is a family-owned pharmaceutical wholesaler headquartered in Ludwigsfelde, Germany, operating three distribution branches that deliver over 82,000 medicines and health products multiple times daily to independent pharmacies across six German federal states as part of the PHARMA PRIVAT cooperative network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Wholesale Distribution

NAICS

Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (424210)

SIC

Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Line Pharmaceutical Wholesalers (HLAIAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty Pharmaceutical Distributors (HLAIAJAB)

Keywords

• Pharmaceutical wholesale distribution
• Pharmacy supply services
• Cold chain logistics
• Pharma cooperation network
• Pharmacy digital services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ludwigsfelde

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical wholesale distribution: Kehr Berlin operates as a full-service pharmaceutical wholesaler under the PHARMA PRIVAT cooperation. The company purchases pharmaceutical products from manufacturers and resells/distributes them to pharmacies, generating revenue through product margins. Services include multiple daily deliveries, inventory management, and logistics support for independent owner-operated pharmacies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kehr Berlin is a fully supplying pharmaceutical wholesaler that purchases medicines and pharmacy products from manufacturers and resells and distributes them to independent owner-operated pharmacies in Germany. It maintains a manufacturer-neutral warehouse stock of more than 82,000 medicines and pharmacy products (over 120,000 across the PHARMA PRIVAT network) and delivers to pharmacy customers multiple times per day from three branches in Braunschweig, Dessau, and Ludwigsfelde, also offering complementary services through the PHARMA PRIVAT WAVE digital cooperation platform.

Product overview

Kehr Berlin is a pharmaceutical wholesaler operating under the PHARMA PRIVAT cooperation. The core offering is pharmaceutical distribution services, delivering over 82,000 medicines and health products to pharmacies multiple times daily. The product portfolio includes the WAVE cooperation system (digital, business, marketing services for pharmacies), the annual PTA des Jahres award program, Apothekenjobs recruitment services, Apothekenwald sustainability initiative, seminars, and a marketplace platform. Kehr Berlin, along with five other independent wholesalers, forms the PHARMA PRIVAT network serving over 3,500 pharmacies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PHARMA PRIVAT WAVE: A cooperation system for independent pharmacies under the PHARMA PRIVAT umbrella, offering services in digital solutions, business support, continuing education, and marketing to help pharmacies succeed.
• PHARMA PRIVAT
• Richard Kehr
• Kehr-Gruppe
• Apothekenwald
• Kehr goes green

Products and services

• Pharmaceutical Wholesale Distribution Full-service pharmaceutical wholesale distribution ensuring daily nationwide coverage and safe supply of medicines, health products, nutritional supplements, cosmetics, incontinence products and medical devices to independent pharmacies in Germany; over 82,000 products in inventory, over 120,000 in the PHARMA PRIVAT network.
• WAVE Cooperation System Comprehensive cooperation system offering independent pharmacies services in digitalization, business management, continuing education, and marketing, including online visibility tools, administrative simplification, customer retention via online shop and app, and advertising tools; serves over 1,800 partner pharmacies.
• Apothekenjobs Job portal and recruitment services specifically for pharmacies, connecting pharmacies with qualified personnel.
• PHARMA PRIVAT Seminare Training and continuing education programs for pharmacy staff, offered through PHARMA PRIVAT.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 82,000 pharmaceutical products in inventory (manufacturer-neutral)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PHARMA PRIVAT GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKehr Berlin is part of the PHARMA PRIVAT cooperative network, founded in 1984, comprising 6 independent private pharmaceutical wholesalers. The network provides joint purchasing power, shared services (WAVE digital platform), marketing, and represents approximately 1,000 employees serving over 3,500 pharmacies nationwide with combined sales of approximately 1.5 billion euros.
• PHARMA PRIVAT WAVEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAVE is the cooperation system for independent pharmacies under PHARMA PRIVAT, developing digital solutions, business tools, training, and marketing for over 1,800 partner pharmacies. Services include online visibility, administrative simplification, customer loyalty tools, and e-commerce capabilities.
• Niedersächsische Landesforsten (NLF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Lower Saxony State Forests for the 'Apothekenwald im Harz' (Pharmacy Forest) climate protection project. Since 2019, over 40,000 trees have been planted to reforest areas damaged by storms and bark beetle infestations, with donations from pharmacies nationwide.
• Ostfalia Hochschule für angewandte WissenschaftenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership providing pharmacy students practical insights into pharmaceutical wholesale operations. Students from the Faculty of Health visit Kehr facilities to learn about logistics and the role of wholesalers in medicine supply.
• Otto GeilenkirchencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember company of PHARMA PRIVAT cooperative network of private pharmaceutical wholesalers.
• Max JennecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember company of PHARMA PRIVAT cooperative network of private pharmaceutical wholesalers.
• Richard KehrcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember company of PHARMA PRIVAT cooperative network of private pharmaceutical wholesalers.
• Kehr HoldermanncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember company of PHARMA PRIVAT cooperative network of private pharmaceutical wholesalers.
• C. Krieger & Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember company of PHARMA PRIVAT cooperative network of private pharmaceutical wholesalers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• DocMorris (Zur Rose Group): Leading European mail-order and online pharmacy group with significant German operations, including Shop Apotheke. Indirectly comparable to Kehr Berlin as a competing pharmaceutical distribution channel targeting German consumers, but operating via mail-order/online rather than B2B wholesale to independent pharmacies.

Broad incumbents

• Alliance Healthcare (Walgreens Boots Alliance): Major European pharmaceutical wholesaler with significant German operations (formerly GEHE Pharma Handel). Comparable to Kehr Berlin as a full-line pharmaceutical wholesaler serving German pharmacies, but operating at multi-country scale under a global retail-pharmacy parent.
• Phoenix Group: Europe's largest pharmaceutical wholesale company, headquartered in Mannheim, Germany. Directly comparable to Kehr Berlin as a full-line pharma wholesaler serving pharmacies, but at vastly greater scale across multiple European countries with an integrated retail pharmacy network (Pharmacies BENU, Lloyds).

Direct peers

• Sanacorp: German pharmaceutical wholesale cooperative serving independent pharmacies, headquartered in Planegg/Munich. Comparable to Kehr Berlin as a German full-line wholesaler with a cooperative or member-owned structure focused on independent pharmacy support.
• Kehr Holdermann GmbH & Co. KG: PHARMA PRIVAT member wholesaler, related to the Kehr family, serving pharmacies in southwestern Germany. Directly comparable to Kehr Berlin as a sister regional wholesaler with shared family ownership lineage and cooperative affiliation.
• Otto Geilenkirchen GmbH & Co. KG: PHARMA PRIVAT member wholesaler based in Aachen, serving pharmacies in western Germany. Comparable to Kehr Berlin as a regional independent pharmaceutical wholesaler sharing cooperative services, purchasing power, and the WAVE platform.
• C. Krieger & Co. Nachfolger GmbH & Co. KG: PHARMA PRIVAT member wholesaler serving pharmacies in parts of Germany. Comparable to Kehr Berlin as a regional independent pharma wholesaler within the same cooperative, sharing WAVE and joint purchasing benefits.
• Noweda eG Apothekergenossenschaft: German cooperative pharmaceutical wholesaler serving member pharmacies across Germany. Directly comparable to Kehr Berlin as an independent, member-oriented wholesaler focused on independent Vor-Ort-Apotheken, but with broader national geographic coverage.
• Max Jenne GmbH & Co. KG: Member of the PHARMA PRIVAT cooperative alongside Kehr Berlin. Directly comparable as a regional independent pharmaceutical wholesaler serving pharmacies in northern Germany with multiple daily deliveries and shared cooperative services.
• Richard Kehr GmbH: Wholly-owned subsidiary and PHARMA PRIVAT member handling Kehr Group's pharmaceutical wholesale operations in Braunschweig. Directly comparable to Kehr Berlin as a sister regional pharmaceutical wholesaler with shared brand, family ownership, and cooperative membership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/pharma-privat-gmbh

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Kehr Berlin