Getranke Waldhoff

What Getranke Waldhoff does

Getränke Waldhoff GmbH & Co. KG is a German family-owned beverage distribution and logistics company headquartered in Höxter, founded in 1949 by Theo Waldhoff. It operates from nine logistics locations across Germany with a fleet of 220 trucks and 200,000 m² of warehouse capacity, serving approximately 9,500 points of sale split between 5,500+ gastronomy customers and 4,000+ trade/retail customers. The product range spans beer, soft drinks, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and hygiene products, distributed as both third-party brands and own labels including Waldecker Mineralbrunnen (from the company's Volkmarser mineral spring acquired in 1987), Braugold/Riebeck (from the Erfurt brewery acquired in 2007), Waldbräu, Fruchtgold, and Röstwerk. Downstream, the company operates more than 70 owned beverage retail markets and over 140 franchise/partner markets, and provides event logistics for roughly 2,400 events per year.

Operationally, Waldhoff runs an enterprise field-sales model supported by an in-house CRM and e-commerce portal (COPA at ais.waldhoff.de), telematics-based tour planning, warehouse management with pick-by-voice, and EDI for order-to-invoice automation. Revenue is generated through three primary streams: B2B wholesale distribution to gastronomy and food retail (transaction-fee model on beverage volumes), direct consumer sales through owned and franchised retail beverage markets, and manufacturing/own-brand sales from the Volkmarser mineral spring and Braugold brewery. The company is a co-founder/shareholder in the GET N (2009), GDN, and PSGL purchasing and distribution networks, which extend its effective reach and procurement leverage beyond its owned footprint. Governance remains family-controlled across generations of the Waldhoff family, with no disclosed external institutional or private-equity ownership.

Name

Getranke Waldhoff

Legal name

Getränke Waldhoff GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://waldhoff.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Getränke Waldhoff is a family-owned German beverage wholesaler and logistics operator, founded 1949 in Höxter, running nine logistics centers, a 220-truck fleet, own mineral water and beer production, 9,500+ gastronomy and retail customers, and 70+ own plus 140+ franchise retail stores.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Beverage Wholesale and Distribution

NAICS

Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (4248), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (424820), Beer and Ale Merchant Wholesalers (424810), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180), Beverages (2080), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Malt Beverages (2082), Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters (2086)

akta.pro primary industry

Beverage Wholesale (Alcoholic & Non-Alcoholic) (AFAIABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Beverage Logistics, Warehousing & Cold-Chain Distribution (AFAIAGAM), Beverage Wholesale Distribution (Non-Alcoholic) (CRAOAAAH)

Keywords

• Beverage wholesale distribution
• Gastronomy beverage supply
• Drink logistics services
• Mineral water production
• Franchise beverage retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Höxter

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Beverage Distribution: Core business of distributing beverages to gastronomy (5,500+ customers) and trade (4,000+ customers) from 9 locations with 220 trucks. Full range of beer, soft drinks, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and hygiene products delivered via field sales force.
2. Own Retail Markets: Operation of more than 70 owned beverage retail markets and over 140 franchise/partner markets selling directly to end consumers.
3. Mineral Water Production (Volkmarser Mineralbrunnen): The company operates its own mineral spring (Volkmarser Heil- und Mineralbrunnen, acquired 1987) producing mineral water and beverages under own brands (Waldecker Mineralbrunnen).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Getränke Waldhoff is a family-owned German beverage wholesaler and logistics provider that supplies the largest assortment of beverages (beer, soft drinks, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, mineral water, hygiene products) to over 5,500 gastronomy customers and 4,000 trade customers across Germany from 9 locations using a fleet of 220 trucks and 200,000 m² of warehouse space. The company also produces own-label mineral water through Volkmarser Heil- und Mineralbrunnen, operates its own brewery brands (Braugold/Riebeck, Waldbräu), runs 70+ own and 140+ franchise beverage retail markets, and provides event logistics, technical service for draft systems, EDI-enabled order processing, and empty container management to its trade partners.

Product overview

Getränke Waldhoff is a family-owned German beverage wholesale and logistics company founded in 1949. The company operates a comprehensive beverage distribution business with own brands (mineral water from Volkmarser Heil- und Mineralbrunnen, Waldecker, Braugold/Riebeck beers, Waldbräu, Fruchtgold, Röstwerk coffee/tea), distributes international brands (Veltins, Warsteiner, fritz-kola, MAHIKI, SCAVI & RAY), and provides logistics services (220 trucks, 200,000 m² warehouse space, EDI systems). The company serves 9,500+ outlets including 5,500+ restaurants and 4,000+ retail customers through 9 locations. Key digital platforms include COPA CRM web shop, and the company participates in Get N, GDN, and PSGL networks for nationwide distribution. Operations include 70+ own retail stores and 140+ franchise partner stores, plus event logistics for 2,400+ events annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Waldecker: Mineral water brand from Waldecker Mineralbrunnen
• Riebeck
• Waldbräu
• Fruchtgold
• Röstwerk

Products and services

• Gastronomy Beverage Supply Service Full-range beverage wholesale and delivery service covering draft beer, soft drinks, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and hygiene products for over 5,500 gastronomy customers in Germany, with field sales support, technical service, financing consulting, marketing support, and event logistics add-ons.
• Trade/Retail Beverage Supply Service Beverage wholesale supply, assortment planning, benchmark analysis, and multi-mode delivery (central warehouse, partial service, full service) for over 4,000 trade customers including food retail chains (LEH) and beverage specialist wholesalers (Getränkefachgroßhandel) across Germany.
• Eventlogistik (Event Logistics) End-to-end event logistics service supplying beverages, hygiene products, cleaning supplies, furniture, and draft systems for over 2,400 events annually, including large-scale events and concerts across Germany.
• Own Retail Beverage Markets (Eigenmärkte) Network of 70+ company-operated beverage retail markets selling directly to end consumers across Germany.
• Franchise/Partner Beverage Markets Over 140 partner-operated beverage retail markets operating under the Waldhoff franchise/partner system to sell beverages to end consumers in Germany.
• Volkmarser Heil- und Mineralbrunnen (Mineral Water) Own mineral water spring and bottling operation producing mineral water under the Waldecker brand; production facility acquired in 1987.
• Braugold Brewery (Riebeck) Operates the Erfurt brewery production facility acquired in 2007 producing beer under the Riebeck and Braugold brands for distribution through the company's gastronomy and trade channels.
• Waldecker Mineralbrunnen (Waldecker brand) Own-brand mineral water line produced from the Volkmarser Heil- und Mineralbrunnen spring, sold across gastronomy and retail channels in Germany.
• Waldbräu (own beer brand) Company's own beer brand distributed through Waldhoff's wholesale and retail channels.
• Fruchtgold (own fruit beverage brand) Own-label fruit juice and non-alcoholic beverage brand distributed through Waldhoff's wholesale and retail channels.
• Röstwerk (own coffee brand) Own-label coffee and tea brand (under Rösel/Röstwerk) distributed through the company's gastronomy and trade channels.
• COPA CRM Web Shop (ais.waldhoff.de) Customer-facing online ordering and account management portal used by gastronomy and trade customers to place beverage orders with Waldhoff.
• Leergutmanagement (Empty Container Management) Returnable bottle and container management service promoting reusable packaging across the company's distribution network to minimize environmental waste.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving 9,500+ points of sale across Germany
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Barchfeld (Hahn Getränke Union)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 July 2014Acquisition of the Thuringian branch Barchfeld of Hahn Getränke Union in July 2014, expanding Waldhoff's presence in Thuringia.
• Brunnenkopp Wilhelm Kopp e.K.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 May 2011Acquired from insolvency in May 2011. Location in Ronnenberg near Hannover. In August 2011, logistics locations in Langenhagen and Ronnenberg were merged and renamed Brunnenkopp und Staude Logistik GmbH & Co. KG.
• GET N GmbH & Co. KGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Co-founded in September 2009 together with three other family-owned beverage specialist wholesalers. A nationwide network of regional, owner-managed, industry-independent beverage specialist wholesale companies. Enables bundled purchasing volumes, observation of national and global market developments, and mutual promotion of sustainably independent family businesses.
• Kozlik GmbH (Salzgitter)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2007Majority stake acquired in 2007. Beverage distribution company based in Salzgitter.
• Demme-Waldhoff GmbH (Jena)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2007Majority stake acquired in 2007. Location in Jena.
• Wippertaler Getränke GmbH (Nordhausen)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2006Equity stake acquired in 2006. Based in Nordhausen.
• PSGL (PSGL – Profi Sortiments-Gesellschaft für Logistik)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Founded in 2004 as part of the group's network strategy. PSGL is a professional assortment and logistics society that complements the group's logistics and distribution capabilities.
• Getränke Staude (Hannover und Leipzig)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2004Acquired in 2004. Two entities: Getränke Staude Hannover and Getränke Staude Leipzig, later operating as Getränke Staude Leipzig GmbH & Co. KG.
• Biergroßhandlung Voß (Paderborn)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2000Acquired in 2000. Beer wholesale business in Paderborn, now operating as Getränke Waldhoff und Voß GmbH.
• GDN – Gastro Drinks NationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaldhoff is a shareholder in GDN, one of the largest providers of beverages and services for gastronomy in Germany. GDN enables nationwide, gapless distribution and through bundled purchasing volumes creates real advantages that are passed on to customers while optimizing procurement processes.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Radeberger Gruppe (Dr. Oetker): Largest private German brewery group with national distribution across beer, water, and soft drinks, plus owned wholesale/logistics operations. Overlaps with Waldhoff's distribution and own-brand strategy but operates at much larger scale across a broader portfolio.
• Bitburger Braugruppe: Major German brewing and beverage group combining multiple beer brands with national distribution. Comparable to Waldhoff's vertical integration of brewing and distribution but at substantially greater scale and as a brewer-led incumbent rather than a wholesale-led player.

Direct peers

• Schaeff Getränke GmbH: Family-owned German beverage specialist wholesaler with multiple regional locations serving gastronomy and retail. Comparable in family ownership structure, assortment strategy, and field-sales B2B model to Waldhoff.
• CC Grossmann Getränke GmbH: Mid-sized German beverage specialist wholesaler with multi-location distribution, field sales to gastronomy, and Getränkeabholmarkt retail. Directly comparable to Waldhoff at slightly smaller scale with similar customer segmentation.
• Trinks GmbH: One of Germany's largest independent beverage specialist wholesalers with nationwide depots, full assortment of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and field sales to gastronomy and retail. Directly comparable to Waldhoff in scale, customer mix, and full-service distribution model.
• Getränke Essmann GmbH: Major German beverage specialist wholesaler serving gastronomy and food retail from multiple depots with broad assortment and logistics services. Operates as a direct competitor with overlapping distribution footprint and similar B2B/B2C model to Waldhoff.

Emerging players

• Durstexpress (Dr. Oetker): Online beverage delivery service (now under the Flaschenpost/Durstexpress brand) targeting hospitality and small business customers. Represents the digital distribution model competing for the same SME gastronomy accounts that Waldhoff serves through its field sales force.
• Flaschenpost SE: Digital-first German beverage delivery platform delivering beer, soft drinks, water, and wine directly to consumers and small businesses within minutes. Competes with Waldhoff's on-premise and small-retail beverage supply via a fundamentally different (asset-light, app-based) model.

Regional players

• Waren-Vertrieb Spree-Neiße / Handelskontor Borchers: Regional German beverage wholesaler in northern/eastern Germany supplying gastronomy, retail, and franchise markets. Comparable in business model and assortment breadth to Waldhoff but with a more localized geographic footprint.
• Häusler Getränke GmbH & Co. KG: Family-owned Bavarian beverage wholesaler and Getränkeabholmarkt operator with broad assortment and own retail markets. Comparable to Waldhoff's retail-plus-wholesale hybrid but focused on southern Germany rather than the central/eastern German footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries11 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 Getranke Waldhoff