Private brewery Waldhaus Joh. Schmid

What Private brewery Waldhaus Joh. Schmid does

Privatbrauerei Waldhaus Joh. Schmid GmbH is a fourth-generation family-owned brewery founded in 1833 and headquartered in Waldhaus, in the Southern Black Forest region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The company produces over 100,000 hectoliters of beer annually across 17 varieties including Diplom Pils, Spezial Gold, Hell, unfiltered naturtrüb styles, Hefe Weizen, Radler shandies, the seasonal Doppel Bock, craft expressions (Hopfensturm, Waldhaus Aloha), and an alcohol-free range, plus the Waldi cola-mix sub-brand. Brewing relies on traditional methods including copper kettles and extended maturation (up to six months for Doppel Bock), combined with proprietary inputs that the company treats as differentiators: natural aromatic hop cones (placing Waldhaus among roughly 2% of German breweries using cones rather than extract), water from five owned springs in Black Forest primary rock, and an in-house biological pure culture yeast.

Revenue is generated through three primary channels: on-trade sales to regional gastronomy (restaurants, bars, hotels) served by dedicated Bierfahrer direct delivery; direct-to-consumer sales via the waldhaus.shop e-commerce storefront; and on-premise consumption at the brewery's Brauerei Gasthof restaurant. Distribution is supported by a 4,600 square meter logistics center opened in 2015 and a 458.4 kWp photovoltaic system installed in 2017. The company is privately held by the Schmid family with no external investors, operates with approximately 60 employees, and is led by Managing Director Dieter Schmid (fourth generation), with Janina and Yannik Schmid being prepared for fifth-generation succession. A dedicated Export Manager and a multilingual website in German, English, Italian, and French indicate active international expansion alongside the Southern Black Forest domestic base. Quality validation is extensive, with more than 1,200 national and international medals including multiple 'World's Best' titles at the World Beer Awards and the Bundesehrenpreis in Gold (Best Brewery in Germany 2013).

Name

Private brewery Waldhaus Joh. Schmid

Legal name

Privatbrauerei Waldhaus Joh. Schmid GmbH

Website

https://waldhaus-bier.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1833

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Privatbrauerei Waldhaus is a fourth-generation family-owned German Black Forest brewery producing 17+ premium beer varieties plus the Waldi cola-mix. It serves regional gastronomy, direct-to-consumer retail, and international premium consumers via direct delivery, e-commerce, and a multilingual export platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Brewery

NAICS

Breweries (31212), Beverage Manufacturing (3121), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)

SIC

Malt Beverages (2082), Beverages (2080), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)

Keywords

• Craft beer brewing
• Traditional brewery production
• Alcohol-free beer
• Gastronomy beer supply
• Wheat beer specialties

Headquarters

HQ city

Waldhaus

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Beer Product Sales: Sale of 17 beer varieties plus Waldi cola-mix through online shop, retail, and gastronomy. Products include Pilsner, wheat beers, unfiltered beers, craft beers, shandies, and alcohol-free options.
2. Brewery Restaurant (Brauerei Gasthof): On-site restaurant serving brewery products and food, located in the Black Forest.
3. Online Direct Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales through waldhaus.shop online store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Privatbrauerei Waldhaus Joh. Schmid is a traditional family-owned Black Forest brewery that brews and sells 17 distinct beer varieties (pilsners, lagers, unfiltered beers, wheat beers, shandies, craft beers, seasonal Doppel Bock, and alcohol-free options) plus the Waldi cola-mix beverage. Products are sold direct-to-consumer through the waldhaus.shop online store and the on-site Brauerei Gasthof restaurant, and supplied to gastronomy establishments through dedicated beer delivery drivers across the Southern Black Forest region.

Product overview

Private brewery Waldhaus Joh. Schmid is a traditional Black Forest brewery producing 17 beer varieties and one non-alcoholic beverage. The core portfolio includes pilsners (Diplom Pils, Diplom Pils Leicht), lagers (Spezial Gold, Hell), unfiltered beers (Ohne Filter Naturtrüb, Extra Herb Naturtrüb, Dunkel Naturtrüb), wheat beers (Hefe Weizen), shandies (Natur Radler variants), craft beers (Hopfensturm, Waldhaus Aloha), Doppel Bock seasonal specialty, and alcohol-free options across most styles. The sub-brand Waldi offers a cola-mix beverage. The brewery operates a farm shop/restaurant (Brauerei Gasthof) at its location in Waldhaus, Südschwarzwald.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Waldi: A caffeinated cola mix beverage with 0% alcohol content and 100% flavor, positioned as a non-alcoholic alternative to beer for young and old. Available in 0.33L and 0.5L bottles.

Products and services

• Diplom Pils Premium pilsner with over 120 international and national awards, named Diplom Pils since 1975. Recognized as World's Best Pilsner multiple times.
• Diplom Pils Leicht
• Spezial Gold Golden lager classic with 31 DLG awards, gold medal at European Beer Star, and world championship at International Beer Cup Japan. Harmonious, balanced and powerful taste profile.
• Hell Bavarian-style pale ale (Helles) with malty freshness, full-bodied and slightly sweet. Brought Bavarian beer culture to the Black Forest.
• Ohne Filter Naturtrüb Unfiltered beer with refreshing fruity taste, fine balance through yeast, malt and discreet bitter hops. Won European Beer Star Gold in 2008 and 2010.
• Extra Herb Naturtrüb Unfiltered bitter beer with selected flavoured natural hop cones from Tettnang, Spalt and Hallertau. Strong in character and authentic.
• Dunkel Naturtrüb Unfiltered dark beer with slightly roasted malt flavour and balanced, light fullness. Germany's Best Dark Lager 2015 and 2017, World's Best Dark Lager 2014.
• Hefe Weizen Top-fermented wheat beer with fine yeast, sparkling, smooth and fruity with banana aroma. 26 DLG awards including 19 gold medals.
• Natur Radler Süsse Zitrone Beer shandy with fruity, light malt sweetness, sweetened lemonade with lemon and orange juice. 60% lemonade content.
• Natur Radler Frische Limette Sugar-free shandy with beer, spring water, and dash of lemon, orange, and lime juice. Only 24 kcal per 100 ml.
• Natur Radler Alkoholfrei Shandy with 40% alcohol-free beer and 60% sugar-sweetened lemonade with lemon and orange juice. Fruity and refreshing.
• Ohne Filter Alkoholfrei Alcohol-free innovation fermented with new yeast from Weihenstephan Research Centre. Fine hop flavour, low bitterness and light body.
• Diplom Pils Alkoholfrei Alcohol-free pilsner fermented with new yeast without alcohol removal. Fine natural hop flavour, light body and good effervescence.
• Hell Alkoholfrei Alcohol-free pale ale with tangy, tasty character. Mildly hopped, malty-sweet full-bodied flavour without alcohol.
• Hefe Weizen Alkoholfrei Alcohol-free top-fermented wheat beer, sparkling, isotonic with tangy taste. Contains vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
• Doppel Bock Strong classic beer brewed from six different hops, matured for six months. Sweet, fresh with 8.5% alcohol. Available October to February as seasonal specialty.
• Hopfensturm Craft beer for 500th anniversary of German Purity Law. 6 hot hoppings, 2 dry hoppings, 8 different flavoured hops with top-fermenting yeast. Low original wort of 11.8 degrees Plato.
• Waldhaus Aloha Tropical selection beer with pineapple, mango, passion fruit, and citrus notes. Limited edition craft beer with 100% natural hop cones from Tettnang, Spalt and Hallertau.
• Waldi Cola-Mix Caffeinated cola mix with 0% alcohol content. Lively, fresh with tangy freshness, delicious sweetness and orangey acidity. Available in 0.33L and 0.5L bottles.
• Brauerei Gasthof (Brewery Restaurant) On-site restaurant located at the brewery in the Black Forest serving Waldhaus beer products and food for on-premise consumption by visitors and local consumers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,200 medals from national and international competitions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Warsteiner Brauerei: Family-owned German brewery producing premium Pilsner and other traditional styles, exporting to over 60 countries. Comparable to Waldhaus through family ownership, premium Pilsner focus, international export orientation, and use of own natural spring water sources.
• Erdinger Weißbräu: Family-owned brewery in Erding near Munich and the world's largest wheat beer brewer, exporting to over 100 countries. Comparable to Waldhaus through family ownership, specialty traditional style focus, strong export orientation, and multi-channel distribution including HoReCa, retail and DTC.
• Krombacher Brauerei: Family-owned brewery in Kreuztal-Krombach, North Rhine-Westphalia, one of Germany's largest privately-held brewers. Comparable to Waldhaus in family ownership, traditional Pilsner focus, strong regional gastronomy presence, and emphasis on natural ingredients and water quality.
• Augustiner-Bräu München: Munich-based traditional Bavarian brewery operating since 1328, known for Helles and other traditional beer styles, with strong on-premise and own-restaurant presence. Comparable to Waldhaus as a heritage-focused German private brewery with traditional brewing methods and integrated gastronomy operations.
• Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus: State-owned brewery located in Grafenhausen in the Southern Black Forest, producing premium lagers and pilsners. Most direct geographic and product peer to Waldhaus given overlapping Black Forest regional identity, premium positioning, and similar traditional brewing approach.
• Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan: Often cited as the world's oldest brewery, located in Freising, Bavaria, producing a wide range of traditional German beer styles including pilsners, wheat beers, and lagers. Comparable to Waldhaus through its traditional brewing heritage, broad premium portfolio, adherence to Reinheitsgebot, and international export presence.
• Privatbrauerei Hoepfner: Family-owned private brewery based in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, producing a range of traditional German beers including pilsners and specialty lagers. Comparable to Waldhaus as a regional German private brewery with similar heritage positioning and multi-channel HoReCa and retail distribution.
• Paulaner Brauerei Gruppe: Munich-based brewery producing traditional Bavarian styles including Hefe-Weißbier, Pils, and Munich Hell, with broad international distribution. Comparable to Waldhaus through traditional German brewing, broad premium portfolio, strong HoReCa channel, and family heritage roots (now Schörghuber group).
• Bitburger Brauerei: Family-owned brewery in Rhineland-Palatinate and one of Germany's largest Pilsner producers with similar emphasis on Reinheitsgebot adherence and quality awards. Comparable to Waldhaus through its premium Pilsner positioning, family ownership, and traditional brewing heritage.

Broad incumbents

• Anheuser-Busch InBev: Global brewing incumbent and the world's largest beer company, owning German brands such as Beck's, Corona, and Stella Artois. Not a direct competitor in craft premium, but the dominant incumbent whose scale, distribution, and pricing power define the competitive context for German breweries like Waldhaus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/privatbrauerei-waldhaus

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Private brewery Waldhaus Joh. Schmid