KURIER

What KURIER does

KURIER AG (legal name 29 19 19 KURIER AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT) is a Hamburg-based, privately held courier company founded in 1979 that operates a same-day city delivery network and a national/international overnight parcel service. The company is organized as a German Aktiengesellschaft and has been owned by its couriers and employees since a 2004 buyback from German Parcel (now GLS), with Svend Jacobsen on the executive board and Anton Steinberger as Chairman of the Supervisory Board. KURIER AG operates from its Reiherdamm 44 headquarters and runs a small central staff (~1-10) supplemented by a network of approximately 150 independent courier entrepreneurs who collectively serve more than 2,000 addresses per day within the Hamburg metropolitan area.

The product portfolio is divided into two core lines. The City Service offers same-day Hamburg delivery via bicycle, Kombi, Caddy, and Bus/Transporter vehicles priced on a per-shipment basis (base €10.40 for bicycle up to €42.80 for a 1,000 kg transporter, with per-kilometer, per-stop, and waiting-time increments). The Overnight Service, run through the wholly-owned 29 19 19 KURIER Overnight Service GmbH subsidiary founded in 2005, covers nationwide and seven international zones with weight-banded pricing (national from €24.00 per kg). The technology backbone comprises a data-radio dispatch system introduced in 1996 (replacing voice radio for fair, transparent order allocation) and fleet-wide GPS tracking deployed in April 2013, plus an online ordering portal and overnight pricing calculator for self-service booking.

KURIER AG monetizes through transactional shipment fees in both B2B and B2C channels, augmented by ancillary advertising services: product sampling campaigns that leverage the courier fleet to distribute samples to Hamburg households (with brands such as Altoids, Bionade, Jelly Belly, Dr. Oetker, Biobob, and Euryza cited as past users) and paid advertising space on courier bags and jerseys. Go-to-market is sales-led via the memorable 29 19 19 phone number and a web-based ordering portal, with a FairKEP sector certification from BdKEP serving as a fair-employment and environmental differentiator in the German courier industry.

Name

KURIER

Legal name

29 19 19 KURIER AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT

Website

https://kurierag-hamburg.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

KURIER AG is a Hamburg-based courier company (founded 1979, employee-owned since 2004) that delivers same-day city shipments via ~150 independent couriers and runs nationwide/international overnight parcel delivery, serving B2B and B2C customers through phone and online ordering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Courier and Logistics Services

NAICS

Local Messengers and Local Delivery (4922), Couriers and Express Delivery Services (49211)

SIC

Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)

akta.pro primary industry

Same-Day / On-Demand Express Courier (TLAAABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Micro-Mobility Couriers (bike/e-bike/scooter walkers) (TLAAAGAH), Local Document & Small Parcel On‑Demand Courier (TLAAADAA), Oversize/Heavy Express & White-Glove Time-Definite (TLAAABAJ)

Keywords

• Same-day courier services
• Overnight parcel delivery
• Urban bicycle courier
• Express delivery Hamburg
• Product sampling distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. City Courier Services: Same-day courier delivery in Hamburg area using various vehicle types (bicycle, car, van, truck). Pricing based on base price, distance traveled, waiting time, and optional time slots.
2. Overnight Delivery Services: Overnight and international parcel delivery service through the Overnight Service GmbH subsidiary. Pricing based on weight zones, fuel surcharge, and extra services.
3. Product Sampling and Advertising: Couriers deliver product samples to addresses in Hamburg. Advertising space on courier bags and uniforms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

KURIER AG provides same-day city courier delivery within Hamburg using a fleet of bicycles, cars, vans, and transporters, complemented by nationwide and international overnight parcel delivery via its Overnight Service GmbH subsidiary. The company also offers product sampling distribution and advertising space on courier bags and uniforms for consumer brands, all dispatched through GPS-tracked independent couriers and supported by a 24/7 phone (29 19 19) and online ordering portal.

Product overview

KURIER AG operates a dual-product courier service portfolio consisting of City Service (same-day deliveries within Hamburg using bicycle, car, van, and transporter vehicles) and Overnight Service (nationwide and international next-day delivery). Both services are complemented by advertising solutions including product sampling and branded courier apparel. The company provides a digital online ordering portal and tracking system, with the subsidiary 29 19 19 KURIER Overnight Service GmbH specifically handling overnight deliveries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• City Service (Stadtkurier) Same-day courier delivery service within Hamburg using a fleet of bicycles, cars, vans, and transporters, with deliveries dispatched directly to recipients via the fastest route and typical 10-15 minute pickup time. Pricing varies by vehicle type (Bicycle base 10.40 EUR, Kombi 17.40 EUR, Caddy 24.40 EUR, Bus/Transporter 42.80 EUR) with per-kilometer, per-stop, and waiting time surcharges. Intended for Hamburg businesses and individual consumers needing urgent intra-city shipments such as documents, lab samples, flowers, and event supplies.
• Overnight Service (Overnight Kurier) Overnight parcel delivery service within Germany and internationally, operated via the Overnight Service GmbH subsidiary, handling packages up to 100 kg. Pricing is structured by weight zones and fuel surcharge, with 7 international zones and optional time-specified delivery windows. Targeted at SMBs, e-commerce senders, and consumers shipping parcels overnight where same-day Hamburg delivery is not sufficient.
• Sampling Service Product sampling distribution service in which KURIER AG couriers hand-deliver product samples to up to 2,000 Hamburg addresses per day on behalf of consumer brands. The service is positioned as wide, hyper-local sample distribution; flyers and other promotional materials are explicitly excluded. Named customers include Altoids, Bionade, Jelly Belly, Dr. Oetker, Biobob, and Euryza.
• Advertising Space (Werbefläche) Mobile advertising service that places client branding on KURIER AG courier bicycle bags (Fahrradkuriertaschen) and jerseys, providing brand visibility as couriers travel across Hamburg. Sold to brands seeking mobile out-of-home advertising reach within the Hamburg metropolitan area.
• Online Ordering Portal Web-based ordering system at bestellung.kurierag-hamburg.de that allows registered customers to book City and Overnight courier services, track shipments, and manage deliveries online as an alternative to the 29 19 19 phone line. Available 24/7.

Quantifiable outcome

• Pickup within 10-15 minutes of order
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• GLS (formerly German Parcel)minorOthers · 1 January 1999German Parcel (now GLS) was the sole shareholder of the DER KURIER group from 1999. The local courier service was later bought back by couriers and employees in 2004.
• BdKEP (Bundesverband der Kurier-Express-Postdienste e.V.)minorOthersKURIER AG is a member of BdKEP and certified under the FairKEP code, demonstrating commitment to fair working conditions and environmental standards in the courier industry.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• GO! Express & Logistics: Germany's largest specialized courier and express delivery network offering same-day, overnight, and international services. Closest direct comparison to KURIER AG's dual city/overnight offering, with broader national coverage and a similar multi-vehicle dispatch model.
• Liefery: Berlin-based same-day delivery service (now part of DHL Group) operating in German cities via a crowdsourced courier network. Comparable urban same-day delivery model using bicycle and vehicle couriers, with B2B and B2C use cases.
• Tiramizoo: Munich-headquartered same-day delivery platform operating in multiple German cities for B2B parcel and spare-parts logistics. Comparable same-day, multi-vehicle courier offering and a similar target customer base of urban businesses needing intra-city delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Hermes Germany: Large German parcel delivery provider (part of Otto Group) covering B2C and B2B shipments. Operates in the same Hamburg metropolitan area and competes for business parcel volumes.
• GLS (General Logistics Systems): One of Europe's largest parcel delivery networks, headquartered in Germany. GLS was the previous corporate parent of KURIER AG (1999–2004), giving it direct historical familiarity; serves as a broad incumbent competitor in the same Hamburg and national parcel market.
• DPD (Dynamic Parcel Distribution): Major European parcel delivery network with strong German operations including B2B and B2C services. Comparable in targeting business customers for express and overnight deliveries nationally and internationally.
• DHL Express / Deutsche Post DHL: Germany's dominant postal and express parcel operator with extensive same-day, overnight, and international capabilities. Overlaps with KURIER AG's overnight and international offering as a much larger incumbent with national reach.

Regional players

• CitySprint: UK-based same-day courier network with multi-vehicle fleet and national reach. Comparable business model and same-day courier service design, but operates in the UK rather than Germany.
• EuroMessenger: European courier network focused on same-day and time-critical deliveries across multiple European countries. Similar time-definite courier value proposition; pan-European rather than Hamburg-centric.

Emerging players

• Messenger Pionier: Munich-based bicycle courier service specializing in inner-city deliveries. Comparable in fleet composition (bicycle couriers) and B2B urban delivery focus, but smaller geographic footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/291919-KURIER-AG-100069726830292
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/291919-kurier-ag

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 KURIER