Saffer Wein

What Saffer Wein does

Saffer Wein GmbH is a Munich-based wine importer and distributor founded in 1924 and now led in its fourth generation by managing directors Andreas Saffer and Paul A. Saffer. The company sources a portfolio of more than 500 wines from over 50 wineries across Italy, Austria, Germany, France, and Spain, with approximately 90% of the portfolio concentrated in Italian wines. Its core product set comprises proprietary exclusive brands (Eigenmarken) such as Contessa Marina (Apulia), Bella Aura (Prosecco), and Schräglage (German wines from Rheinhessen and Pfalz), alongside distributed labels from partner wineries including Wittmann, Bassermann-Jordan, and Markus Schneider.

The company monetizes through three channels: distribution to the German Lebensmitteleinzelhandel (food retail) sector across the country (reportedly ~70% of revenue), direct field sales to the gastronomy and specialty trade in Munich and Bavaria (~20%), and direct-to-consumer sales via the winzerwelt.de online shop and two physical vinotheks in Munich-Trudering. Go-to-market is sales-led, combining a national key account team for food retail, a regional HoReCa outside sales force, an external sales agency (Bluhm und Könekamp) covering Nielsen Region 1, and an annual WeinForum Hausmesse trade fair attracting ~800 trade visitors. The business is family-owned, holds organic certification (DE-Öko 006), and reports no external investment or M&A activity. Operational technology is limited to a basic e-commerce storefront and standard CRM-driven B2B order management; AI/ML capabilities are not in evidence.

Name

Saffer Wein

Legal name

Saffer Wein GmbH

Website

https://saffer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1924

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Saffer Wein GmbH is a Munich-based, fourth-generation Italian wine importer and distributor (founded 1924) supplying Germany's food retail chains, regional HoReCa, and private customers with 500+ wines across 50+ wineries and proprietary exclusive brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine Distribution & Import

NAICS

Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (424820), Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (4248), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Alcohol Importers & Brand Owners (Wholesale) (CRAOAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Beer, Wine & Spirits Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAA)

Keywords

• Wine import distribution
• Italian wine specialist
• Food retail supply
• Private label wines
• Wine wholesale Germany

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Wine Distribution to Food Retail (LEH): Distribution of Italian and German wines to the Lebensmitteleinzelhandel (food retail) sector across Germany. This constitutes approximately 70% of company revenue. The company supplies major food retail chains with both exclusive Saffer brands and producer portfolio wines.
2. HoReCa Wine Sales: Direct sales to the gastronomy sector (restaurants, hotels, wine bars) in Munich and Bavaria through an outside sales team. Represents approximately 20% of company revenue. Includes customer acquisition, account management, staff trainings, and event support.
3. Private Customer Sales: Sales to private wine enthusiasts through the online shop (winzerwelt.de) and two physical vinotheks in Munich. Customers can order wines presented on saffer.de which redirect to winzerwelt.de for purchase.
4. Exclusive Own Brands (Eigenmarken): Development and sale of proprietary wine brands exclusive to Saffer Wein, including Contessa Marina (Apulia, #1 premium LEH brand in Germany), Bella Aura (Prosecco), and Schräglage (German wines from Rheinhessen and Pfalz). These brands are developed with designers for professional brand positioning.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Saffer Wein GmbH is a Munich-based wine importer and distributor specializing in quality Italian wines (about 90% of portfolio) alongside German, Austrian, French, and Spanish wines. The company imports cases from more than 50 partner wineries and distributes them to three customer groups: German food retail chains (Lebensmitteleinzelhandel) via key account management, restaurants/hotels/wine bars in Munich and Bavaria via an outside sales team, and private wine enthusiasts via its online shop (winzerwelt.de) and two Munich vinotheks. It also develops and sells proprietary exclusive brands (Eigenmarken) such as Contessa Marina, Bella Aura, and Schräglage, which are produced to specification and sold only through Saffer's distribution network.

Product overview

Saffer Wein GmbH is a Munich-based wine importer and distributor specializing in Italian quality wines (90% of portfolio) as well as wines from Austria, Germany, France, and Spain. The company operates as both a distributor to food retail (LEH - 70% of revenue) and gastronomy (20% of revenue), and as a direct-to-consumer retailer through its online shop winzerwelt.de and physical vinotheques in Munich. Saffer's product portfolio includes proprietary exclusive brands (Eigenmarken) such as Contessa Marina, Bella Aura Oro, and Schräglage, alongside distributed wines from partnered wineries including Wittmann, Bassermann-Jordan, Markus Schneider, Kuhn, Hensel, Thörle, Seehof, Espenhof, Fullminant, Immel, and Scherner-Kleinhanß. The company hosts an annual WeinForum trade fair and provides wine consulting services to retail and hospitality partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weinimport & Distribution (Wine Import and Distribution) Core import and distribution service: sourcing Italian (90% of portfolio), Austrian, German, French, and Spanish wines from over 50 partner wineries and supplying them to German food retail chains (~70% of revenue), Bavarian gastronomy/hotels (~20%), and private customers.
• Saffer Wein Exklusivmarken (Own Exclusive Brands) Proprietary wine brand portfolio developed by Saffer Wein, available exclusively through the Saffer distribution network. Brands include Contessa Marina (Apulia), Bella Aura / Bella Aura Oro (Prosecco), and Schräglage (German wines from Rheinhessen and Pfalz). Designed for consistent high quality at competitive prices and exclusive to Saffer.
• Contessa Marina Premium Apulian wine brand exclusive to Saffer Wein. The #1 selling wine brand in German food retail above €6, achieving 8.7% revenue growth in 2024 against a declining wine market.
• Bella Aura Oro (Prosecco) Prosecco brand exclusive to Saffer Wein. Won first place in the LEH Test by WEIN+MARKT magazine in April 2023.
• Schräglage German wine exclusive brand featuring wines from Rheinhessen and Pfalz regions, produced by young winemakers. Includes Grauburgunder, Weißburgunder, Riesling, Rosé, and Pinot Noir wines, positioned as approachable wines for everyday enjoyment. Awarded silver and gold medals at awc Vienna and 88-90 points in Meiningers Weinwelt.
• WinzerWelt Online Shop (winzerwelt.de) Consumer e-commerce platform offering the full Saffer wine portfolio for direct purchase by private customers, with nationwide shipping from the Munich warehouse.
• Saffer's WinzerWelt (Vinothek) Two physical wine shop (vinothek) locations in Munich-Trudering where private customers can purchase wines, attend tastings, and receive personalized recommendations from Saffer wine experts.
• WeinForum (Hausmesse / Annual Wine Trade Fair) Annual house wine fair hosted by Saffer Wein in Munich-Trudering, featuring over 50 wineries, more than 500 open wines, and attracting approximately 800 trade visitors from retail, gastronomy, and wine trade. Scheduled annually in mid-November (next edition 14 November 2026).

Quantifiable outcome

• Contessa Marina achieved 8.7% revenue growth in 2024 while overall wine market was declining
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bluhm und Könekamp AgenturminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 June 2024Sales agency Bluhm und Könekamp handles customer care for Saffer Wein in Nielsen Region 1 (covering Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, and Weser-Ems). The agency has over 20 motivated employees and previously handled Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, now expanded to include Niedersachsen and Weser-Ems.
• Cavit (Trentino)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCavit is a Trentino wine cooperative that represents one of Saffer's key Italian partnerships. The cooperative produces quality Italian wines that Saffer distributes in the German market. Cavit was ranked 2nd in the world at the WEINWIRTSCHAFT CO-OP Contest 2026, confirming its position as a leading wine cooperative. Saffer's CEO Andreas Saffer emphasizes the cooperative's strength in production while Saffer handles distribution and marketing.
• Schreckbichl (Südtirol/Alto Adige)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchreckbichl (also known as Girlan) is a South Tyrol wine cooperative that partners with Saffer for the German market. The cooperative is known for quality wines and innovation in the Alto Adige region.
• Colomba Bianca (Sizilien/Sicily)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerColomba Bianca is a Sicilian wine cooperative that represents one of Saffer's key Italian partnerships. The cooperative specializes in sustainable wine production and offers a strong price-quality ratio that aligns with Saffer's portfolio strategy.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mack & Schühle: German wine distributor with a strong private-label/exclusive-brand program supplying food retail and HoReCa across Germany. Closely comparable to Saffer on the Eigenmarken/LEH-driven model.
• Hawesko Holding: Hawesko is Germany's largest specialty wine retailer and B2B distributor, operating its own e-commerce and food-retail distribution channels. Like Saffer, it supplies wines to German food retail and runs DTC operations, making it the closest direct peer in scale and channel mix.
• Reidemeister & Ulrichs: A long-established German wine importer and distributor headquartered in Bremen, supplying food retail, HoReCa, and specialty trade with a broad international portfolio. Comparable to Saffer in national wholesale reach and multi-channel GTM.
• Eggers & Franke Gruppe: Hamburg-based German wine and spirits importer and distributor with broad international portfolio coverage across food retail and specialty trade. A direct comparable on import-led B2B wholesale.

Regional players

• Wein & Co: Austrian specialty wine retail chain and HoReCa supplier (Hagen/Lenz Mosel group) with curated portfolio and in-store vinotheks. Comparable to Saffer's DTC vinothek model, though operating primarily in Austria.
• Schlumberger Wein- und Sektkellerei: Austria's leading sparkling wine producer under the German-owned Schwarzach/Underberg group, with comparable food-retail and HoReCa distribution in the DACH region. Comparable on premium sparkling and own-brand playbooks, though primarily Austrian-territory.

Emerging players

• Vicampo Wein GmbH: German online wine marketplace connecting consumers directly with wineries, including premium Italian and German producers. An emerging digital-native player partially overlapping Saffer's DTC ambition and Italian-sourcing angle.

Others

• WirWinzer / BayWa Weinwelt: German wine marketplaces/e-commerce platforms aggregating producers for direct consumer sales, sitting adjacent to Saffer's DTC wine shop as enabling/distribution ecosystem players rather than direct B2B competitors.

Broad incumbents

• Schloss Wachenheim AG: One of Germany's largest sparkling wine and beverage alcohol producers, listed and operating internationally. Relevant as a broad incumbent competing for the same LEH shelf space with branded alcoholic beverages.
• Rotkäppchen-Mumm Sektkellereien: Germany's leading sparkling wine producer (Rotkäppchen, Mumm, Freixenet Deutschland) with deep LEH penetration. Comparable as a broad incumbent in branded alcoholic beverages competing for retail listings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SafferWein
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saffer-wein

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Saffer Wein