What Buchinger Wilhelmi does

Buchinger Wilhelmi is a fourth-generation family-owned operator of medically supervised therapeutic fasting clinics, headquartered in Überlingen, Germany, with additional clinics in Marbella, Spain and (newly opened in 2025) Roquefort-les-Pins on the French Riviera. The company delivers multi-day inpatient fasting programs—typically 10 to 21 days—based on the proprietary Buchinger Therapeutic Fasting Method, in which patients consume approximately 200-250 calories per day of organic juices and broths while receiving integrative medicine, psychotherapy, nutritional counseling, and supervised physical activity. It serves roughly 6,000 guests annually, more than half of whom are repeat customers, across use cases spanning metabolic disorders (type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, fatty liver), chronic inflammatory conditions, digestive disorders, and affluent preventive/longevity seekers.

The core offering is the Buchinger Med Programm, developed by founder Dr. Otto Buchinger in the early 20th century and continuously refined through the company's dedicated research department led by Medical and Scientific Director Dr. Françoise Wilhelmi de Toledo and Scientific Director Dr. Robin Mesnage. Supporting programs include the premium AMPLIUS offering, the FastForward post-fasting support program with continuous glucose monitoring, and the FASTENBOX home fasting kit sold through a wholly-owned e-commerce storefront. Scientific output is anchored by the world's largest clinical fasting study (1,422 subjects, published in PLOS ONE) and active research collaborations with Charité University Hospital Berlin, King's College London, ETH Zurich, and Universidad de Málaga. Revenue is generated primarily through multi-day clinic stay packages priced by location and room category (Standard through Villa Casa la Mariposa), individual medical services and therapy vouchers, the FASTENBOX online shop, and partial reimbursement available from German statutory health insurers under §111 SGB V for qualifying metabolic indications. The company holds DIN EN ISO 9001 certification, operates the world's first Demeter-certified clinic kitchen, and distributes exclusively through its own clinic facilities and direct-to-consumer digital channels—no third-party resellers are used.

Name

Buchinger Wilhelmi

Legal name

Buchinger Wilhelmi GmbH

Website

https://buchinger-wilhelmi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1868

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Überlingen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Clinic Stay Packages: Multi-day therapeutic fasting programs at clinic facilities. Packages include accommodation, meals, medical consultations, therapies, and access to facilities. Prices vary by location (Überlingen vs Marbella), room category, and duration. Revenue recognized upon service delivery.
2. Medical Services: Physician consultations, medical examinations, laboratory tests, and individual therapeutic treatments provided during stays. May be partially covered by health insurance for qualifying patients.
3. Therapy Vouchers and Applications: Individual therapy sessions and treatments beyond the base package, charged separately via voucher system.
4. FASTENBOX E-commerce: Online shop selling fasting products, literature, minerals, and home fasting kits. Shipped directly to consumer homes.
5. Health Insurance Reimbursement: Statutory health insurance (via §111 SGB V for metabolic conditions), private health insurance, and beihilfe (government health assistance) partially cover treatment costs for eligible patients with qualifying medical conditions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Buchinger Wilhelmi operates medically supervised therapeutic fasting clinics at three locations (Überlingen am Bodensee, Germany; Marbella, Spain; and Côte d'Azur, France). The core offering is the Buchinger Med Programm — a medically supervised fasting protocol developed over 100 years ago by Dr. Otto Buchinger, combined with integrative medicine, psychotherapy, and nutritional counseling. Supporting offerings include the AMPLIUS Programm, post-fasting FastForward support, FASTENBOX home fasting kits via e-commerce, and the Maria Buchinger Foundation's research activities.

Product overview

Buchinger Wilhelmi is a fourth-generation family company operating world-leading clinics for therapeutic fasting and integrative medicine. The core product is the Buchinger Med Programm, a medically supervised fasting therapy with over 100 years of tradition, complemented by the Buchinger Wilhelmi AMPLIUS Programm. The company offers three clinic locations: Überlingen am Bodensee (Germany), Marbella (Spain), and Côte d'Azur (France). Supporting products include the FASTENBOX (a home fasting kit sold through their online shop), the FastForward Programm for post-fasting support, and the Maria Buchinger Foundation for research. The company also operates a YouTube channel and publishes scientific research on fasting through its dedicated research department.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FASTENBOX: Home fasting box product line sold through the company's online shop for at-home fasting experiences
• Buchinger MED Programm
• Buchinger Wilhelmi AMPLIUS Programm

Products and services

• Buchinger Med Programm
• Fastenklinik Überlingen am Bodensee
• Fastenklinik Marbella
• Fastenklinik Côte d'Azur
• FASTENBOX Home Fasting Kit
• Buchinger Wilhelmi AMPLIUS Programm

Quantifiable outcome

• Average weight loss of 2.7 kg (women) and 3.9 kg (men) after 5 days of fasting
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 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

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Charité University Hospital BerlincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with Prof. Andreas Michalsen from Charité for fasting studies. Joint publications including the landmark 1,422 subject study published in PLOS ONE on the safety and health effects of Buchinger therapeutic fasting.
• King's College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Robin Mesnage holds a research fellow position in the Department of Nutrition investigating the role of gut microbiome in health benefits of plant foods. Contributes to company's scientific research output.
• ETH ZurichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with doctoral student Marie Knufinke on dissertation research, contributing to academic research capabilities.
• Universidad de Málaga - Chair of Health TourismcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership with the new Chair of Health Tourism in Málaga for medical and dietetics program development.
• University of JenacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for continued development of work in medical and dietetics research.
• Ärztegesellschaft Heilfasten und Ernährung e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Medical Association for Fasting and Nutrition, co-founded by Dr. Françoise Wilhelmi de Toledo in 1986. Organizes international medical congresses every two years.
• Deutsche Akademie für Ernährungsmedizin (DAEM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman Academy for Nutritional Medicine partnership for medical education and certification in fasting therapy.
• Asociación Española de Médicos NaturistasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish Association of Naturopathic Doctors - partnership for natural medicine community in Spain.
• Slow Food Deutschland e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Slow Food movement for sustainable, regional, and organic food sourcing principles.
• Right Livelihood Award FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation dedicated to honoring and supporting those who have made outstanding contributions to a peaceful, just, and sustainable world. Shared values on sustainability and social responsibility.
• Lassalle-Haus Bad SchönbrunnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpiritually-related institution for contemplative education and personal development programs.
• Fundación CudecaminorOthersCudeca Hospice Foundation - charitable healthcare organization supported by the clinic.
• Médecins sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders)minorOthersInternational humanitarian medical organization partnered for global health initiatives and social responsibility.
• Amigos de la músicaminorOthersMusic appreciation society in Marbella providing cultural enrichment programs for clinic guests.
• Centro de Divulgación Musical del MediterráneominorOthersMusical education center providing cultural programs and concerts for guests.
• Arboretum MarbellaminorOthersBotanical garden organization for environmental education and nature-based wellness programs.
• CIT (Tourist Information Center Marbella)minorOthersOfficial tourist information center for local tourism support and guest services in Marbella.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• BodyHoliday Saint Lucia: Caribbean all-inclusive wellness resort combining fitness, nutrition, and detox programs. Adjacent in the luxury wellness/medical-spa category but focused on U.S./Caribbean clientele rather than European medical fasting.

Broad incumbents

• Canyon Ranch: U.S.-based large-scale luxury wellness resort group with broader wellness programming including nutrition, fasting-mimicking, and longevity. Comparable on luxury wellness positioning and affluent consumer base, though geographically distinct from Buchinger's European footprint.

Direct peers

• Clinique La Prairie: Swiss longevity clinic known for Revitalization and detoxification programs, premium pricing, and science-led wellness branding. Comparable on the high-end longevity/preventive medicine value proposition that Buchinger Wilhelmi increasingly targets.
• Palazzo Fiuggi: Italian medical wellness retreat offering medically supervised weight-management, longevity, and detox programs in a luxury-hotel setting. Comparable on medically supervised fasting-adjacent weight-loss offerings and affluent international clientele.
• Vivamayr: Austrian operator of Mayr-based medical clinics (Maria Wörth, Altaussee) focused on digestive health, detox, and medically supervised fasting. Direct competitor in the German-speaking premium fasting market.
• Chenot Palace Weggis / Chenot Espace: Swiss-led luxury medical spa and detox clinic group founded by Dr. George Chenot, offering fasting-inspired detox protocols, longevity programs, and integrative medicine. Direct overlap on premium fasting/detox clientele and European-riviera positioning.
• Mayr Clinic (Original FX Mayr): Long-established Mayr-based clinic offering medically supervised fasting, detox, and digestive-health programs in Austria. Closely comparable in clinical fasting methodology, premium European health-resort positioning, and repeat-guest demographic.
• SHA Wellness Clinic: Spanish luxury medical wellness clinic in Albir (and expanding to Mexico/Emirates) integrating nutrition, fasting-adjacent therapies, longevity, and integrative medicine. Comparable Mediterranean-riviera positioning and overlap on metabolic/longevity guests.
• Lanserhof: European luxury clinic group specializing in medically supervised fasting, integrative medicine, and Mayr therapy across locations in Austria, Germany, Italy, and the UK. Direct comparator on therapeutic fasting methodology, premium positioning, and multi-location clinic model.

Emerging players

• Noom: Digital weight-management and behavior-change platform addressing metabolic health and dietary intervention at scale. Adjacent in the metabolic-disease and weight-management value chain that Buchinger serves, but operates as a low-cost digital alternative to clinical fasting stays.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BuchingerWilhelmiFasting
• Facebookfacebook.com/buchingerwilhelmi
• Instagraminstagram.com/buchingerwilhelmi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Buchinger Wilhelmi