Birken-Apotheke

What Birken-Apotheke does

Birken-Apotheke is a privately held German specialty pharmacy headquartered at Hohenstaufenring 59 in Cologne, founded on April 5, 1993 by pharmacist Erik Tenberken as a sole proprietorship (e.K.). The business focuses on chronic and complex disease states, with HIV/AIDS as its primary specialty; it also dispenses and clinically supports hemophilia, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, polymedication/elderly, and oncology patients. Core assets include two physical pharmacies in Cologne (Birken-Apotheke and the sister Westgate-Apotheke), an oncology clean room, a clean-room compounding capability for oral antitumor therapy, patient-individual blister packaging delivered through the affiliated Kölsche Blister GmbH, free city-wide prescription pickup and home delivery, and a 3cx-based video consultation service. Digital channels include a 2015-launched mobile app (iOS and Android) that handles ordering, encrypted consultation requests, and current offers, and E-Rezept integration via the national Gesund.de platform.

The business model is fundamentally a dispensing-and-services operation. Revenue is generated through prescription and OTC dispensing (transaction fees), home care and practice supply (Sprechstundenbedarf) contracts, blistering fees for patient-individual packaging, and insurance-reimbursable pharmaceutical services (Polymedikationsberatung, Inhalationstechnik, Blutdruck-Risikoerfassung, orale Antitumortherapie). In September 2017, Tenberken and partner Hexal introduced an affordable PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) program at approximately 50 EUR per 28 tablets, roughly one-tenth of the prior ~800 EUR branded price, distributed through a network that scaled from 7 cities to about 30 cooperating pharmacies within weeks. The pharmacy is also a board member of DAHKA (Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft HIV- und Hepatitis-kompetenten Apotheken) and an honorary member of AIDS-Hilfe Köln, anchoring its position in Germany's HIV-competent pharmacy ecosystem. Recognition includes the 2014 Zukunftspreis öffentliche Apotheke and a 2017 German Design Award nomination for its mobile app.

Name

Birken-Apotheke

Legal name

Birken-Apotheke | Inh. Erik Tenberken e. K.

Website

https://birkenapotheke.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Birken-Apotheke is a Cologne-based specialty pharmacy founded in 1993 that focuses on HIV/AIDS, hemophilia, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, polymedication, and oncology patients. It operates two retail pharmacies, a mail-order pharmacy, a blister packaging subsidiary, and a 30+ pharmacy PrEP distribution network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Pharmacy

NAICS

Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (456110)

SIC

Retail-Drug Stores And Proprietary Stores (5912)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAFALAJ

Medication Adherence, Packaging & Fulfillment Services (Blister/Unit-Dose)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Pharmacy & Medication Management Services

SECONDARYHSABALAM

OTC, Vitamins & Supplement Management

Home & Personal Services/Elder Care & In-Home Care Services/Medication Management & In-Home Pharmacy Support

Keywords

• Retail pharmacy services
• HIV specialty pharmacy
• Medication blister packaging
• Home medication delivery
• Pharmaceutical care services

Headquarters

HQ city

Cologne

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Prescription Dispensing: Traditional pharmacy revenue from dispensing prescription and over-the-counter medications to walk-in and delivery customers.
2. PrEP Distribution: Distribution of affordable HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) at approximately 50 Euro per 28 tablets through partnership with Hexal/generic manufacturers. Revenue generated from medication sales with volume-based pricing.
3. Individual Blister Packaging (Verblisterung): Patient-individual medication packaging service, particularly for patients with HIV, polymedication, or care facilities. Revenue from blistering fees.
4. Home Care (Heimversorgung): Home medication delivery and care services for patients, including medication management and consultation.
5. Practice Supply (Sprechstundenbedarf): Supply of medical products and medications to physician practices.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Birken-Apotheke is a specialty retail pharmacy in Cologne that dispenses prescription and over-the-counter medications, with deep expertise in HIV/AIDS care (including affordable PrEP), hemophilia, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, polymedication management, and oncology. Beyond dispensing, it operates a clean room for sterile oncology preparations, offers patient-individual blister packaging via Kölsche Blister, and provides home delivery, video consultation, e-prescription, and mobile app services across Köln.

Product overview

Birken-Apotheke operates as a traditional pharmacy network with multiple service channels. The core offering consists of two physical pharmacies in Cologne (Birken-Apotheke and Westgate-Apotheke) serving as the primary point of service. These are complemented by digital services including a mobile app for medication ordering and encrypted consultations, video consultation via 3cx, and E-Rezept integration with the Gesund.de platform. Specialized offerings include affordable HIV PrEP programs through blister packaging, oncology services with clean room facilities, home healthcare, and pharmaceutical care services. The pharmacy network is connected to a shipping pharmacy (Fliegende Pillen) and the Kölsche Blister blistering center for patient-individual medication packaging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kölsche Blister: Blister packaging service for patient-individual medication packaging operated through Kölsche Blister GmbH

Products and services

• Prescription Dispensing (Birken-Apotheke Hauptapotheke)
• Westgate-Apotheke (Sister Pharmacy)
• Affordable PrEP (HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) Program
• Videoberatung (Video Consultation)
• E-Rezept & Vorbestellung (E-Prescription and Pre-Order)
• Rezeptabholung (Prescription Pickup and Delivery)
• Birken-Apotheke Mobile App iOS and Android application providing medication ordering, encrypted consultation requests, direct calling, current offers, and pharmacy finder functionality; nominated for German Design Award 2017.
• Verblisterung (Patient-Individual Blister Packaging)
• Oncology Services with Clean Room (Reinraum)
• Heimversorgung (Home Care)
• Pharmazeutische Dienstleistungen (Pharmaceutical Services)
• Sprechstundenbedarf (Practitioner Supplies)
• Reiseberatung (Travel Health Consultation)
• ATHINA Medikationsanalyse (Medication Analysis)

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced PrEP cost from ~800 Euro to ~50 Euro per month (approximately 90% cost reduction)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hexal (Generika-Hersteller)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2017Partnership with generic manufacturer Hexal to provide affordable PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) at approximately 50 Euro per month, down from the original 800 Euro price point. This partnership enabled the breakthrough in accessible HIV prevention in Germany.
• Deutsche AIDS-HilfecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for PrEP distribution and HIV prevention awareness. Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe supports and promotes the affordable PrEP initiative through its network.
• AIDS-Hilfe KölncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Cologne AIDS help organization. Erik Tenberken named honorary member. Pharmacy provides HIV medication services and supports organization activities.
• DAHKA (Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschaft HIV- und Hepatitis-kompetenten Apotheken e.V.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerErik Tenberken serves as Vorstand (board member) of this professional association of HIV-competent pharmacies. DAHKA promotes quality and transparency in HIV care and represents specialized pharmacies.
• Johanniter-Stift Köln-PollminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with care home for home care services and blister packaging. Featured in WDR television coverage of successful cooperation.
• Kölsche Blister GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationBlister packaging service company (Kölsche Blister GmbH) providing patient-individual medication packaging for Birken-Apotheke customers. Featured in multiple press reports.
• Westgate-ApothekecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSecond pharmacy location owned by Erik Tenberken at Habsburgerring 2, Köln, operating as sister pharmacy with shared services and expertise.
• fliegende-pillen.de (Versandapotheke)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline shipping pharmacy also owned by Erik Tenberken, part of the pharmacy group's digital presence and mail-order services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• EasyApotheke: Value-oriented German pharmacy chain now integrated with DocMorris/Redcare. Compares as a physical-plus-digital pharmacy footprint competing for the same walk-in and delivery prescription volume Birken-Apotheke serves in Cologne.
• DocMorris (Zur Rose Group): Major European online pharmacy with strong German market presence and discount positioning. Comparable to Birken-Apotheke on E-Rezept handling, prescription delivery, and the broader German OTC/Rx mail-order market it competes against.
• Europa Apotheek (Shop Apotheke Europe): Large Dutch/German mail-order pharmacy (part of Redcare). Comparable prescription fulfillment operations, blister programs for chronic patients, and international reach — competes with Birken-Apotheke's chronic-care positioning at scale.
• Shop Apotheke (Redcare Pharmacy): Europe's largest online pharmacy, headquartered in the Netherlands/Germany. Compares to Birken-Apotheke's online pharmacy subsidiary (Fliegende Pillen) and E-Rezept strategy, but operates at massive scale across non-specialty categories.

Direct peers

• Besamex Versandapotheke: Northern German mail-order pharmacy serving nationwide customers with comparable e-prescription and OTC catalog breadth. Comparable delivery distance, OTC assortment depth, and regulatory framework to Fliegende Pillen.
• Apo-Discounter: Discount online pharmacy (formerly Medipolis/Deutsche Internet Apotheke family) competing on Rx price transparency and mail-order delivery. Directly comparable to Birken-Apotheke's lower-cost mail-order positioning vs. its premium specialty services.
• Center-Apotheke am Larsberg / specialty HIV pharmacies (DAHKA network): Specialty HIV/hepatitis-competent pharmacies organized under DAHKA. Comprise the ~30 cooperating pharmacies on Birken-Apotheke's PrEP network and represent the most direct specialty functional peers for HIV/PrEP dispensing and blister-mediated adherence programs.
• Sanicare Versandapotheke: Established German mail-order pharmacy operating from Bad Laer. Closely comparable business model to Fliegende Pillen: licensed Versandapotheke delivering prescriptions and OTC across Germany, competing for non-Cologne mail-order volume.
• Apotheke am Hackeschen Markt (Berlin): Long-established specialty pharmacy in Berlin and fellow DAHKA member known for HIV/PrEP expertise, blister packaging, and community partnerships. Closest comparable specialty-pharmacy peer in terms of HIV focus and institutional nonprofit partnerships.

Others

• Kölsche Blister GmbH (internal subsidiary): Birken-Apotheke's own blister-packaging subsidiary serving external care homes (e.g., Johanniter-Stift). Listed as a peer for reference because independent blister-packaging service providers (e.g., Blisterzentrum Deutschland, Avie Apotheke blister line) compete for the same care-facility contracts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/birken-apotheke

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Birken-Apotheke