Kwizda Pharmahandel

What Kwizda Pharmahandel does

Kwizda Pharmahandel is the pharmaceutical wholesale arm of the Kwizda Unternehmensgruppe, a privately held Austrian family-owned enterprise now in its fifth generation, with its roots tracing to a small pharmacy in Korneuburg in 1850 and an herbal trading house in Linz dating to 1834. The Group operates seven autonomous divisions spanning the pharmaceutical value chain — Pharma (proprietary OTC drug development), Pharmadistribution (GDP-compliant pre-wholesale and direct-to-pharmacy logistics), Pharmahandel (nationwide wholesale to pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, and doctor's office medicine cabinets), Apothekenservice (pharmacy optimization consulting), Kosmetik (cosmetics distribution), Agro (crop protection and pest control), and Büsscher & Hoffmann (bitumen waterproofing membranes) — coordinated through the Kwizda Holding GmbH parent headquartered at Universitätsring 6 in Vienna.

The Group's core operations rest on physical distribution infrastructure: a network of pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution centers with over 19,000 pallet slots, 50,000+ pharmaceutical SKUs available immediately, 20-minute order processing, and 59 million items shipped annually, complemented by galenical production, GMP secondary packaging, and pharmacy POS IT services through the Apotronik subsidiary. The Agro division manufactures crop protection formulations, contract-manufactures for partners, and develops proprietary products based on low-risk substances for global niche markets, selling to 10,000 Austrian farmers and through international distribution partners. Büsscher & Hoffmann operates as Austria's leading bitumen and polymer-modified bitumen waterproofing sheet producer, manufacturing 17 million m² per year and exporting to 31 countries.

Kwizda generates revenue through a mix of transaction-fee wholesale distribution, managed pre-wholesale logistics services, proprietary OTC product sales (Bronchostop, Uro-Akut, Leaton, Traumasalbe, Ateia), exclusive cosmetics distribution (ARTDECO, INGRID MILLET, ANNY), agrochemical sales, and industrial waterproofing membrane sales. The customer base spans every Austrian public pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, and doctor's office medicine cabinet; 500+ cosmetics retail points of sale; 10,000 farmers; and a CEE-and-Western-Europe construction supply chain. The Group reports €1,471 million in revenue, 1,816 employees, 34 locations across Austria and Europe, and is led by Managing Directors Mag. pharm. Richard P. Kwizda and Dkfm. Dr. Johann F. Kwizda with no external shareholders, capital raised, or public listing.

Name

Kwizda Pharmahandel

Legal name

Kwizda Holding GmbH

Website

https://kwizda.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1850

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Kwizda Pharmahandel is the pharmaceutical wholesale division of the privately held, fifth-generation Austrian Kwizda Group, distributing over 50,000 SKUs to Austrian pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, and doctor's offices alongside sister divisions in OTC pharma, agro, cosmetics, and waterproofing membranes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Wholesale and Distribution

NAICS

Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (424210), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254), Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (42421)

SIC

Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Pharmacy Supply Chain & Secondary Distribution (Repackagers/Redistributors) (CRAOAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

OTC Medicines & Consumer Health Products Distribution (CRAOAHAB), Pharmacy Front-End & Sundries Distribution (Health & Wellness, Personal Care, Convenience) (CRAOAHAG)

Keywords

• Pharmaceutical wholesale
• Pharmaceutical distribution
• OTC pharmaceuticals
• Crop protection products
• Waterproofing systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices27 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Sales: Development and production of proprietary OTC pharmaceutical drugs sold internationally. Includes cough syrup Bronchostop, urological products, vitamins, and pain relief medications.
2. Pharmaceutical Wholesale: Nationwide supply of pharmaceutical drugs to public pharmacies, medicine cabinets in doctor's offices, and hospitals. Over 59 million items sold per year from 5 locations.
3. Pharmaceutical Distribution Services: Pre-wholesale and direct-to-pharmacy services for pharmaceutical industry. Full-service logistics covering reception, commissioning, transport, and accounting. GDP and GMP compliant.
4. Cosmetics Distribution: Distribution of international cosmetics brands (ARTDECO, INGRID MILLET, ANNY) and proprietary sun care brand Ateia exclusively in Austria through perfumeries, drugstores, and pharmacies.
5. Agro Product Sales: Crop protection products, contract manufacturing, pest control solutions, and organic proprietary products. Sales to farmers in Austria and international markets.
6. Waterproofing Systems: Manufacturing and sale of bitumen and polymer modified bitumen roofing and waterproofing sheets. Sales through builders, planners, and contractors in Austria and CEE countries.

Go-to-market motion5 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kwizda Pharmahandel is the pharmaceutical wholesale division of the Kwizda Group, providing nationwide distribution of over 50,000 pharmaceutical articles from five locations to public pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, and doctor's office medicine cabinets in Austria. The company handles more than 59 million pharmaceutical items annually with a 20-minute order processing turnaround. As part of the broader Kwizda Unternehmensgruppe, it also operates pre-wholesale distribution services, proprietary OTC pharmaceutical development (including Bronchostop cough syrup), crop protection products, bitumen waterproofing systems, and exclusive cosmetics distribution.

Product overview

Kwizda Pharmahandel operates as part of the Kwizda Unternehmensgruppe, a diversified Austrian family-owned enterprise with seven divisions. The company's core pharmaceutical business spans the entire value chain: Kwizda Pharma develops proprietary OTC products (Bronchostop®, Uro-Akut®, Leaton®, Traumasalbe®), Kwizda Pharmadistribution provides logistics services, Kwizda Pharmahandel handles wholesale distribution of over 50,000 pharmaceutical articles, and Kwizda Apothekenservice supports pharmacy operations. Supporting divisions include Kwizda Kosmetik (cosmetics distribution including ARTDECO, INGRID MILLET, ANNY, and private label Ateia® sun care), Kwizda Agro (crop protection and pest control), and Büsscher & Hoffmann (waterproofing systems). The portfolio also includes subsidiaries Kwizda Kräuterhandel (herbal wholesale since 1834), Apotronik (pharmacy IT/POS systems), and galenical formulation services. The divisions operate autonomously while being coordinated by Kwizda Holding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ateia: Sun care private label with Nopasome® active ingredient complex for effective sun protection and repair, available in pharmacies.
• Bronchostop
• Uro-Akut
• Leaton
• Traumasalbe
• ARTDECO
• INGRID MILLET
• ANNY
• FWEI-ÖL
• BIODERMA

Products and services

• Kwizda Pharmahandel Pharmaceutical Wholesale Nationwide pharmaceutical supply service from five locations to public pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, and doctor's office medicine cabinets. Over 50,000 articles in inventory with 59 million items sold per year and 20-minute order processing.
• Kwizda Pharmadistribution Pre-Wholesale Services Full-service distribution covering reception, commissioning, transport, and accounting with GDP compliance and GMP secondary packaging. Over 19,000 pallet slots and 1.5 million order lines processed yearly.
• Kwizda Pharma OTC Pharmaceutical Products Internationally oriented pharmaceutical development and production of proprietary OTC drugs including Bronchostop, Uro-Akut, Leaton, and Traumasalbe, distributed in almost all EU countries.
• Kwizda Apothekenservice (Pharmacy Services) Service provider for pharmacies offering future-oriented solutions including optimized purchasing within network, POS marketing tools, goods presentations, and training programs for executives, salespersons, and experts.
• Kwizda Agro Crop Protection Products Integrated pest management with crop protection products, contract manufacturing, pest control solutions (Biocides), and proprietary organic products developed from low-risk substances for global niche markets. Serves 10,000 farmers in Austria.
• Büsscher & Hoffmann Waterproofing Systems Austria's leading manufacturer of bitumen and polymer modified bitumen (PMB) roofing and waterproofing sheets. Produces over 17 million square meters annually with distribution across 31 export countries for roofs, bridges, buildings, and drinking water tank lining.
• Kwizda Kosmetik Cosmetics Distribution Exclusive Austrian distributor of ARTDECO (decorative cosmetics), INGRID MILLET (skin care), and ANNY (nail polish) brands, plus proprietary Ateia sun care line with Nopasome technology. Distributed through over 500 points of sale.
• Kwizda Kräuterhandel Herbal Wholesale Herbal wholesale supplying teas, pharmaceutical drugs, medicinal herbs, and spices to pharmacies, drugstores, health food stores, doctors, wellness hotels, veterinarians, and restaurateurs.
• Apotronik Pharmacy IT/POS Systems Complete point-of-sale system for pharmacies including procurement, storage, sales, prescription accounting, and financial reporting solutions.
• Galenical Formulation Services Custom and common formulation galenical production including tinctures, extracts, syrups, and waters with just-in-time delivery, ordered through Kwizda Apo and Kwizda Hapo internet platforms, subject to pharmacopoeia monograph quality controls.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over one-fifth of pharmaceutical products sold in Austrian pharmacies come from Kwizda
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Sonnenapotheke (Linz)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner pharmacy for galenical production including tinctures, extracts, syrups, and waters developed according to individual requirements or common formulations. Modern production processes with constant quality controls.
• Kwizda Kräuterhandel GmbHcoreOthersHerbal wholesale subsidiary operating from former herbal shop established in 1834. Sells teas, pharmaceutical drugs, medicinal herbs and spices to public pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, drugstores, health food stores, doctors, wellness hotels, therapy practices, veterinarians, restaurateurs and farmers.
• Apotronik GmbHcoreOthersIT services company providing complete POS system for pharmacies including procurement, storage, sales, prescription accounting, and financial reporting solutions.
• International Distribution PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKwizda Agro proprietary products developed based on low-risk substances for global niche markets are formulated, registered, and commercialized through international distribution partners.
• Research-Driven Industry PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding close collaboration with national and international partners in crop protection. Traditional focus on successful commercialization of licensed products developed through research partnerships.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• HELM AG: Family-owned Hamburg-headquartered distribution company operating across chemicals, pharmaceuticals, agro, and nutrition — same diversified family-held industrial-distributor archetype as the Kwizda Group, with comparable multi-decade continuity and multi-sector footprint.
• Alliance Healthcare (Walgreens Boots Alliance): European pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution business of Walgreens Boots Alliance, operating pre-wholesale, wholesale, and pharmacy distribution across Western Europe. Direct competitor to Kwizda Pharmahandel and Pharmadistribution in core European markets.
• PHOENIX Group: Europe's largest pharmaceutical wholesale and pharmacy services group, headquartered in Mannheim, Germany, operating across more than 25 countries. PHOENIX is the most direct competitor to Kwizda's pharma wholesale and pre-wholesale distribution operations across Austria and Central Europe.
• STADA Arzneimittel AG: European-focused generics and OTC pharmaceutical manufacturer/distributor, headquartered in Bad Vilbel, Germany. Closely comparable to Kwizda Pharma division for OTC development, branding, and cross-European distribution via Bronchostop-style consumer health brands.
• Krka, d. d., Novo mesto: Slovenian-headquartered pharmaceutical manufacturer and distributor with strong Central and Eastern European footprint. Comparable regional profile to Kwizda's Austrian + CEE platform and similar vertically-integrated pharma manufacturing-distribution model.

Broad incumbents

• Bayer AG: German multinational pharmaceutical and life sciences major with a significant consumer health (OTC) division selling branded cough, cold, and pain products globally — comparable to the OTC brand portfolio of Kwizda Pharma (Bronchostop, Uro-Akut, Traumasalbe), though across much broader pharma and crop science businesses.
• Sika AG: Swiss specialty chemicals company with a significant waterproofing and roofing systems division and global construction-chemicals presence. Directly comparable to the Büsscher & Hoffmann bitumen waterproofing business on product category and end-market (construction/building envelope).
• McKesson Corporation: Global pharmaceutical distribution, wholesale, and healthcare services leader operating across North America and Europe. Far larger scale than Kwizda but operates overlapping pharma distribution, pre-wholesale, and pharmacy services capabilities as part of a broader portfolio.
• ADAMA Ltd. Global crop protection (agrochemical) manufacturer and distributor serving farmers worldwide. Direct comparable to the Kwizda Agro division's crop protection, biocides, and contract manufacturing activities across Austrian and international markets.
• Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen): Global pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution services company formed through the AmerisourceBergen rebrand, with significant European and specialty distribution footprint. Larger and more diversified than Kwizda, but overlaps in pharma wholesale and pre-wholesale distribution services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kwizda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries22 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 Kwizda Pharmahandel