What Cooperativa Farmacéutica Mendoza does

Cooperativa Farmacéutica Mendoza (COFARMEN) is a member-owned pharmaceutical wholesale distribution cooperative founded on June 12, 1955, in Mendoza, Argentina. It operates as an integrated pharmaceutical distributor (droguería integral), serving more than 700 affiliated independent pharmacies across Mendoza and San Juan provinces in the Cuyo region. The cooperative distributes approximately 1.8 million pharmaceutical units per month across more than 20,000 product SKUs, covering 120,000 kilometers per month through its own distribution fleet, with 6,000 m² of facility space in Mendoza and 2,550+ m² in San Juan. As a cooperative under民主 member governance, COFARMEN is owned by its affiliated pharmacies and operates under stated values of honesty, equity, credibility, solidarity, and sustainability.

The company's core technology platform comprises SAP ERP (implemented in 2012) for enterprise operations, the proprietary CofarWeb ordering portal (fully redesigned in 2024) for member pharmacy ordering and administrative management, and the Mercado Farma e-commerce platform integrated with in-store Farmacia Monitor systems and Mercado Pago payment processing. COFARMEN also operates its own private-label product line competing with secondary brands and the Plan Precios Comprimidos monthly pricing program offering margin-protected discounts on high-rotation products to enrolled member pharmacies. Distribution channels include the self-serve CofarWeb portal, a call center and email ordering for promotional programs, and proprietary fleet logistics across Mendoza and San Juan.

Revenue is generated primarily through wholesale pharmaceutical distribution on a transaction-based model, supplemented by private-label sales, e-commerce platform enablement via Mercado Farma, and recurring promotional pricing programs. With approximately 200 direct employees plus 50+ external collaborators for deliveries, freight, and security services, COFARMEN combines commercial pharmaceutical distribution with cooperative social objectives through the FUNSAD foundation (established 2003). Strategic partnerships include co-ownership of FECOFAR (a federation-owned pharmaceutical laboratory), active membership in ADEM (the national association of major integral distributors), VALOS regional organization, and SAP as core ERP vendor.

Name

Cooperativa Farmacéutica Mendoza

Legal name

Cooperativa Farmacéutica Mendoza Ltda.

Website

https://cofarmen.com.ar

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Cooperativa Farmacéutica Mendoza (COFARMEN) is an Argentine member-owned pharmaceutical wholesale cooperative founded in 1955, distributing 1.8 million units monthly to over 700 affiliated pharmacies across Mendoza and San Juan provinces through integrated logistics, e-commerce platforms, and private-label offerings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmaceutical Distribution

NAICS

Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (424210)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Line Pharmaceutical Wholesalers (HLAIAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Prescription Pharmaceutical (Rx) Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAHAA)

Keywords

• Pharmaceutical distribution
• Wholesale pharmacy supply
• Drug wholesaler services
• Pharmacy cooperative
• Medicinal specialties

Headquarters

HQ city

Maipú

HQ country

Argentina

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical Distribution: Core distribution of medicinal specialties to 700+ member pharmacies across Mendoza and San Juan provinces, operating as an integral pharmaceutical wholesaler (droguería integral).
2. Marca Propia COFARMEN (Private Label): Own-brand pharmaceutical products sold exclusively through member pharmacies, competing with secondary brands at competitive prices.
3. Mercado Farma E-commerce: Online sales platform connecting member pharmacies with end consumers for pickup orders. Pharmacies receive wholesale pricing from COFARMEN and sell at published retail prices.
4. Plan Precios Comprimidos: Monthly promotional program offering compressed prices on high-rotation products exclusively to enrolled member pharmacies, driving volume purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

COFARMEN is a member-owned pharmaceutical wholesale distribution cooperative (droguería integral) that distributes medications, private-label products, and pharmacy supplies to over 700 affiliated pharmacies across Mendoza and San Juan provinces in western Argentina. The cooperative operates proprietary ordering portals (CofarWeb), e-commerce integration (Mercado Farma), exclusive pricing programs (Plan Precios Comprimidos), and a private-label product line under the COFARMEN brand. Monthly distribution capacity reaches 1.8 million pharmaceutical units across more than 20,000 different products.

Product overview

Cooperativa Farmacéutica Mendoza operates as a pharmaceutical wholesale distribution cooperative (droguería integral) providing integrated pharmaceutical solutions to over 700 associated pharmacies in Mendoza and San Juan provinces. The core offering is the COFARMEN pharmaceutical distribution service, supplemented by the CofarWeb web portal for online ordering and administrative management. The product ecosystem includes Mercado Farma e-commerce platform enabling pharmacies to capture online sales without commission fees, the Plan Precios Comprimidos discount program with marketing materials, and COFARMEN private-label products for exclusive sale at member pharmacies. Digital infrastructure includes the Farmacia Monitor System for order management and SAP ERP for enterprise operations. The cooperative also channels social responsibility through FUNSAD foundation. Key quantitative offerings include 1.8 million units distributed monthly across 20,000 different products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• COFARMEN Pharmaceutical Distribution Integral pharmaceutical wholesale distribution (droguería integral) serving over 700 affiliated pharmacies across Mendoza and San Juan provinces, providing medications and pharmaceutical specialties from a portfolio of 20,000+ products, with monthly distribution capacity of 1.8 million units and 120,000 km of delivery coverage.
• COFARMEN Private Label Products (Marca Propia COFARMEN)
• Mercado Farma
• Plan Precios Comprimidos (Compressed Prices Plan)
• CofarWeb Portal

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.8M units distributed monthly
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FECOFARcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOFARMEN is co-owner of FECOFAR (Federación de Cooperativas Farmacéuticas), a medicinal specialty laboratory producing products exclusively for pharmacy sale. This partnership provides access to proprietary pharmaceutical products and strengthens the cooperative supply chain.
• ADEM (Asociación de Distribuidoras de Especialidades Medicinales)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOFARMEN is an active member of ADEM, which brings together the most important integral pharmaceutical distributors and cooperatives in Argentina. This membership provides industry representation, collective purchasing power, and regulatory advocacy.
• VALOSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOFARMEN integrates with VALOS, a regional organization whose purpose is not detailed in available sources.
• SAPcoreTechnology or IntegrationSAP was implemented in 2012 as the principal ERP system for managing inventory, distribution, and financial operations across COFARMEN's Mendoza headquarters and San Juan branch facilities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Droguería Gador: Argentine pharmaceutical company combining manufacturing with distribution operations to pharmacies. Comparable to COFARMEN through its distribution arm that supplies drug products to retail pharmacy customers across Argentina.
• Droguería Barracas: Argentine pharmaceutical wholesaler operating in the Buenos Aires region and serving pharmacies nationally. Comparable as a drug and druggists' sundries merchant wholesaler with overlapping customer base of independent pharmacies.
• Disprofarma: Argentine pharmaceutical distribution company supplying pharmacies and healthcare institutions across the country. Comparable to COFARMEN as a drug and druggists' sundries wholesaler serving retail pharmacy customers in Argentina.
• Droguería Nueva Mayoría: Argentine pharmaceutical distributor serving pharmacies with broad pharmaceutical specialty portfolios. Comparable to COFARMEN as a domestic integral wholesaler supplying independent retail pharmacies.
• Droguería del Sur: Argentine pharmaceutical distributor serving pharmacies and healthcare providers, with similar integral wholesaler model. Direct peer in the same core activity of distributing pharmaceutical specialties to retail pharmacies in Argentina.
• Grupo Suizo Argentina (Droguería Suizo): One of Argentina's largest pharmaceutical wholesalers, operating a national distribution network supplying pharmacies and healthcare providers. Directly comparable to COFARMEN as an integral pharmaceutical distributor (droguería integral), though at significantly larger national scale.

Broad incumbents

• Farmacity: Major Argentine pharmacy retail chain with integrated distribution capabilities. Comparable as a pharmaceutical distribution and retail player serving Argentine consumers, though focused on retail rather than independent pharmacy distribution.
• FECOFAR (Federación de Cooperativas Farmacéuticas): Argentine federation of pharmaceutical cooperatives producing medicinal specialties exclusively for pharmacy sale. COFARMEN is itself a co-owner of FECOFAR, but the federation acts as a broader industry cooperative comparable in cooperative pharmaceutical distribution and manufacturing.
• Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen): Global pharmaceutical wholesaler and distributor providing drug distribution and related services to pharmacies, hospitals, and healthcare providers. Comparable at the business-model level as a pharmaceutical wholesaler serving retail pharmacy customers.
• PHOENIX Group: European pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution group serving pharmacies across multiple countries. Comparable to COFARMEN as a pharmaceutical wholesaler serving retail pharmacy customers, though at vastly larger international scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Cofarmen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cooperativa-farmac-utica-mendoza-ltda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Cooperativa Farmacéutica Mendoza