What Rapunzel Naturkost does

Rapunzel Naturkost GmbH & Co. KG is a privately-held, 100% family-owned German organic food manufacturer founded in 1974 and headquartered in Legau, Allgäu (Bavaria). The company produces and distributes approximately 550 organic vegetarian and vegan branded products spanning nut butters (Nussmuse), cold-pressed oils, coffee roasted in-house, pasta, legumes, chocolate, specialty flours, muesli, dried fruits, sweeteners, and snacks; the bionella sub-brand (fair-trade hazelnut-nougat cream) is its largest single consumer brand and, since January 2026, is stocked in over 2,150 dm-drogerie markt stores. Vertically integrated production at Legau incorporates a proprietary OXYGUARD cold-press oil-extraction process, an on-site quality lab, and an automated Bad Grö-nenbach logistics centre, with additional supply secured through the wholly-owned Rapunzel Türkei subsidiary (Ören, est. 1997) for hazelnuts and the acquired sister company Zwergenwiese Naturkost GmbH (vegetarian/vegan spreads, est. 2017). Sourcing spans raw materials from 57 countries via the proprietary HAND IN HAND fair-trade program (launched 1989), and approximately 21.2% of revenue comes from exports to around 30 countries.

The company sells through four primary channels: German natural-food specialty retailers, mass-market grocery and drugstore chains (Edeka, Rewe, Kaufland, dm-drogerie markt), food-service/hospitality accounts (Deutsche Bahn, Motel One), private-label manufacturing, and a direct-to-consumer web shop. Pricing is standard retail unit-pricing through trade channels; no public pricing disclosure. Revenue streams include branded product sales, private-label manufacturing, raw-material trading, and direct e-commerce. 2024 net revenue was €232 million with approximately 530 employees. The product portfolio is certified under EU-Bio, Bioland, Demeter, Bio-Suisse, Naturland, Fair for Life, FLA, RSPO, EMAS, IFS Food, IFS Broker, and ISO 14001, and the firm operates the Rapunzel Welt visitor center and company store at Legau. Leadership transitioned in January 2024 (founder Joseph Wilhelm exit; second-generation daughters Seraphine Wilhelm and Rosalie Dorn joining the board) and again in April 2026 (board expanded to four members with external executives Werner Berlage and Stefan Schmaus joining the Wilhelm siblings). The company is privately held with no external institutional investors and is steered by the founding family.

Name

Rapunzel Naturkost

Legal name

Rapunzel Naturkost GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://rapunzel.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Rapunzel Naturkost is a family-owned German organic food manufacturer (founded 1974, Legau) producing ~550 branded organic products under the Rapunzel and bionella brands, plus private label and Zwergenwiese spreads, distributed through specialty retailers, mass-market chains, food service, and 30 export markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Food Manufacturing

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Bakery Products (2050)

akta.pro primary industry

Dried & Dehydrated Foods Manufacturing (AFAKACAK)

Keywords

• Organic food manufacturing
• Fair trade products
• Cold-pressed oils
• Nut butters production
• Organic coffee roasting

Headquarters

HQ city

Legau

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Brand Product Sales: Sale of Rapunzel branded organic food products through retail channels
2. International Distribution: Export of products to approximately 30 countries worldwide
3. Private Label Manufacturing: Manufacturing of private label products for retail partners
4. Raw Material Trading: Trading of organic raw materials sourced from 57 countries
5. Direct-to-Consumer Web Shop: Online direct sales through Rapunzel's own e-commerce platform

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rapunzel Naturkost manufactures and distributes a portfolio of over 550 organic and fair trade food products manufactured at its Legau/Allgäu production facilities. Core products include in-house produced nut butters (Nussmuse), cold-pressed and extra-virgin cooking oils processed using the proprietary OXYGUARD cold-press extraction method at maximum 27°C, organic coffee roasted in the company's own roastery, pasta, legumes (including regionally sourced sweet lupine), chocolate (the company launched the world's first organic chocolate in 1987), specialty flours from seeds and legumes, muesli and dried fruits. Products carry the proprietary HAND IN HAND fair trade seal for direct supplier relationships across 57 countries. Distribution spans natural food retailers, mass-market chains (Edeka, Rewe, Kaufland, dm-drogerie markt), a direct-to-consumer webshop, food service clients including Deutsche Bahn and Motel One, and export to approximately 30 countries.

Product overview

Rapunzel Naturkost is a family-owned organic food company founded in 1974, operating as one of Europe's leading organic food manufacturers with approximately 550 vegetarian and vegan Bio products. The product portfolio centers on nut butters (Nussmuse) produced in-house at the Legau/Allgäu headquarters, complemented by pasta, legumes (Hülsenfrüchte) including German-sourced sweet lupine, coffee roasted in the company's own roastery, cold-pressed and extra-virgin olive oils, chocolate (the company launched the world's first organic chocolate in 1987), specialty flours (Spezialmehle) made from seeds, legumes, coconut and tiger nuts, muesli and porridge, dried fruits, sweeteners and baking ingredients. The portfolio includes sub-brand bionella (fair-trade hazelnut-nougat cream, available in dm-drogerie since 2026), the proprietary HAND IN HAND fair trade program, and sister company Zwergenwiese (acquired 2017, vegetarian spreads and ready meals). Over half of products are manufactured at the Legau site; remaining products are produced by long-term contract manufacturers using Rapunzel recipes and certified organic raw materials. The company operates the Rapunzel Welt visitor center with an organic restaurant and company store (RAPUNZEL Bio-Markt), and exports to approximately 30 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• bionella: Solitärmarke (standalone brand) launched in 2009 — a fair-trade, vegan hazelnut-nougat cream. Germany's best-selling organic nut-nougat cream by sales volume. Available in dm-drogerie markt (over 2,000 stores) and other retailers. Recognizable by its green lid.
• Zwergenwiese

Products and services

• Nussmuse (Nut Butters) In-house produced nut and seed butters made from 100% nuts or seeds without additives, available in creamy and crunchy variants. Manufactured at the Rapunzel Legau/Allgäu facility.
• Organic Pasta (Bauernhof Pasta Semola and other pasta SKUs) Organic pasta products distributed across multiple sub-categories including Antipasti & Pesto and legumes. Includes Bauernhof Pasta Semola.
• Hülsenfrüchte (Legumes) including Pardina Linsen Legume products including Pardina Linsen (lentils) and sweet lupine sourced regionally from Germany with high protein content.
• Kaffee, Kakao & Getränke (Coffee, Cocoa & Beverages) including Heldenkaffee Mild, Heldenkaffee Honduras and decaffeinated varieties Organic coffee products from the company's own roasting facility in Legau, including Heldenkaffee Mild, Heldenkaffee Honduras whole bean and new mild and decaffeinated varieties.
• Öle (Cooking Oils), including cold-pressed olive oils and extra virgin oils Cooking oils processed using the proprietary OXYGUARD cold-press extraction at maximum 27°C, including olive oils from Crete and other origins, meeting extra virgin standard.
• Schokolade & Snacks (Chocolate & Snacks) including Fruit-Balls Feige-Haselnuss & Kakao Organic chocolate and snack products; the company launched the world's first organic chocolate in 1987 and continues to expand snack formats such as Fruit-Balls Feige-Haselnuss & Kakao.
• Süßen & Backen (Sweeteners & Baking) including Rapadura whole cane sugar and specialty flours Sweeteners and baking ingredients including Rapadura whole cane sugar, specialty flours (hemp, chickpea, linseed, coconut, lupine, tiger nut) and crunchy toppings, naturally gluten-free with plant proteins and fibre.
• Trockenfrüchte & Nusskernmischungen (Dried Fruits & Nut Mixes) Dried fruits (including mangoes via the HAND IN HAND partnership since 2001) and mixed nut kernel products.
• Müsli, Porridge & Flocken (Muesli, Porridge & Flakes) including Schmetterlings Müsli and Original Müsli Muesli and porridge products including Schmetterlings Müsli and the Original Müsli (the company's first recipe created in 1974), plus muesli bars 'to go'.
• Spezialmehle (Specialty Flours) and new 2026 highlights including Macadamianüsse naturbelassen Specialty flours from seeds, legumes, coconut and tiger nuts naturally gluten-free with plant proteins and fibre, plus natural macadamia nuts featured as a 2026 product highlight.
• Pistazien-Creme (Pistachio Cream Spread, 2026 new product highlight) Pistachio cream spread featured as a 2026 product highlight on the Rapunzel Naturkost website.
• Topping Knackige Kerne (Crunchy Seed Topping, 2026 product highlight) Crunchy seed toppings for enhancing meals, salads and dishes, featured as a 2026 product highlight.
• Fruit-Balls Feige-Haselnuss & Kakao (2026 product highlight) Snack ball product combining fig, hazelnut and cocoa, featured as a 2026 product highlight.
• Heldenkaffee Mild (whole bean, 2026 product highlight) Organic whole-bean coffee roasted at the Rapunzel Legau roastery, featured as a 2026 new product highlight under the Heldenkaffee line.
• bionella (Fair-Trade Hazelnut-Nougat Cream sub-brand) Premium organic fair-trade hazelnut-nougat cream brand launched in 2009, made with fair-trade cocoa, Bourbon vanilla, sugar and HAND IN HAND certified palm oil. Germany's top-selling organic hazelnut-nougat cream by Nielsen sales volume, recognised by green lid. Available in 2,150+ dm-drogerie markt stores since January 2026 and made vegan since 2012.
• HAND IN HAND Fair Trade Sourcing Program (proprietary) Proprietary fair trade program introduced in 1989 and formalised in 1992, combining 100% organic agriculture with fair trade principles and defined social criteria for suppliers. Certified by Ecocert and bio.inspecta Switzerland; approximately 150 Rapunzel brand articles carry the seal.
• RAPUNZEL Bio-Markt (Company-Operated Organic Retail Store at Legau) Company-operated organic supermarket at the Legau headquarters within the Rapunzel Welt visitor centre, offering the complete Rapunzel product range plus other organic brands, fresh baked goods, regional produce, cheese, charcuterie, antipasti and selected organic wines.
• Rapunzel Welt Visitor Center (Bio-certified restaurant, museum and educational venue at Legau) Interactive visitor centre opened in 2022 at the Legau headquarters featuring an organic-certified restaurant (Bioland certified), museum, club, events, lectures and workshops on organic food and sustainability, with its own coffee roastery.
• Zwergenwiese (Vegetarian and Vegan Spreads, Mustards, Fruit Spreads, Ready Meals and Tomato Sauces) Vegetarian and vegan specialty food company acquired in 2017 as a sister brand, based in Silberstedt, producing spreads, mustard, fruit spreads, ready meals and tomato sauces. Operates with 170 SKUs and over 148 employees.
• Samba (Hazelnut-Chocolate Spread) Legacy hazelnut-chocolate spread launched in 1990 combining hazelnuts from the Rapunzel Turkey cultivation project with fair-trade cocoa, whole cane sugar and regional organic milk powder.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products exported to 30 countries worldwide
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and regional.

• HAND IN HAND Program PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFair trade supplier program encompassing partners worldwide who supply raw materials under fair trade conditions. Supports sustainable agriculture and fair wages in 57 countries.
• BurkinaturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMango supplier based in Burkina Faso participating in the HAND IN HAND fair trade program. Represents Rapunzel's direct fair trade sourcing from developing regions.
• dm-drogerie marktflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor German drugstore chain distribution partner for bionella branded products. One of Rapunzel's key retail partners for consumer-facing product distribution.
• Bio Suisse Certified PartnerscoreOthersSwiss organic certification partners allowing access to Bio-Suisse certified products and Swiss market.
• Demeter PartnerscoreOthersBiodynamic farming partners certified under Demeter standards for biodynamic agricultural products.
• Bioland Certified PartnerscoreOthersGerman organic farming association certified partners for Bioland certified organic products.
• Rapunzel Organic Ltd.regionalOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerTurkish subsidiary company located in Izmir, Ören, handling regional operations and sourcing in Turkey.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eden Foods: Long-established independent US organic and natural foods brand offering grains, beans, oils, sweeteners, pasta and Japanese pantry items. Comparable to Rapunzel for organic-only focus, broad pantry SKU set, and reputation for sustainable and fair-trade sourcing.
• Nature's Path: North American independent organic breakfast and snack brand (muesli, granola, bars, cookies) distributed via grocery and natural food channels. Comparable to Rapunzel for organic-only branded portfolio, certified-organic sourcing story, and category overlap with muesli, porridges and snacks.
• Dennree: Germany's leading organic food wholesaler, supplying natural food stores and organic supermarkets with branded and own-label organic products. Comparable to Rapunzel for organic wholesale distribution scale, vertically integrated organic sourcing, and central role in the German Naturkost retail ecosystem.
• Hipp: Family-owned German organic food company, primarily in baby food and jarred meals but also broader organic grocery. Comparable to Rapunzel for family-controlled ownership, EU-organic-plus private organic standards (e.g., HiPP Bio), heavy German retail presence, and international export footprint.
• Alnatura: Germany's largest organic food manufacturer and retailer, producing a broad branded organic portfolio across grocery categories. Directly comparable to Rapunzel in terms of product range (oils, cereals, spreads, snacks), organic-only positioning, and multi-channel distribution through both specialty stores and major German retailers.
• Bauckhof: German organic producer of flours, cereals, mueslis, baked goods and convenience items with biodynamic (Demeter) roots. Directly comparable to Rapunzel in organic milling and bakery-adjacent categories, multi-standard certification strategy (Bioland/Demeter/Naturland), and DACH-focused retail distribution.
• Lebensbaum (Ulrich Walter GmbH): German organic brand best known for organic spices, coffee and tea, with roasting and processing at its own facility. Highly comparable to Rapunzel for in-house processing of organic coffee and beverages, certification-led positioning, and sale through natural food and mass-market channels.

Broad incumbents

• Amy's Kitchen: Major US-based organic and vegetarian prepared-foods manufacturer covering frozen meals, soups, pizzas and snacks. Comparable to Rapunzel for certified-organic positioning, broad packaged-foods portfolio across meals/grocery, and premium shelf pricing relative to conventional CPG.
• The Hain Celestial Group: US-listed CPG holding company whose portfolio spans multiple organic and natural brands across snacks, beverages, baby food and pantry. Comparable to Rapunzel as a group of organic brands competing on similar shelves, but at significantly larger scale and with broader diversification across geographies and categories.

Emerging players

• Naturya: Specialist organic super-foods brand offering powders, seeds, dried fruits and nut-based spreads with a UK and European natural-food distribution footprint. Comparable to Rapunzel for organic-only positioning, branded shelf presence in specialty and grocery, and overlap in seeds, dried fruits and nut-based products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/rapunzel_bio
• Facebookfacebook.com/Rapunzel.Naturkost

Compliance15 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Rapunzel Naturkost