Goof Earths

What Goof Earths does

PATZER ERDEN GmbH is a German owner-managed Mittelstand manufacturer of professional soils and substrates, headquartered in Sinntal-Altengronau with four strategically distributed production sites across Germany. The company produces cultivation substrates under the PATZER SUBSTRATES color-coded line (Red, Blue, Green, Orange) and the Einheitserde brand (produced since the mid-1950s under the patented recipe of Prof. Fruhstorfer), serving commercial horticulture, landscaping contractors (GaLaBau), specialist retailers, cemetery horticulture, and cannabis cultivators. Its core technology centres on proprietary peat-substitution formulations using natural clay and wood fibre as alternatives, with peat-substitute rates of 30% by volume in production soils and 50% by volume in sales soils and landscaping substrates — described in company materials as above the industry average.

The company's business model combines direct B2B sales through its own field sales organisation for professional accounts, an e-commerce storefront (dieflora.eu) for consumer sales of NATUR Erde and frux brands, and distribution through specialist retailers across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. PATZER ERDEN operates a vertically integrated supply chain covering raw material extraction (peat, natural clay, wood fibre, fertiliser), in-house production, and an owned logistics fleet, which the company cites as the basis for short transport routes and fast delivery. Consumer retail pricing for hobby-grade products ranges from approximately €7.99 to €13.99 per unit, while professional substrate pricing is quote-based and handled through the sales department. Custom private-label formulations are offered to specialist retail partners, and the company distributes French and Italian trade catalogues, indicating modest international footprint beyond the DACH region.

Name

Goof Earths

Legal name

PATZER ERDEN GmbH

Website

https://patzer-erden.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PATZER ERDEN GmbH is a German Mittelstand manufacturer of peat-reduced and peat-free soils and substrates serving commercial horticulture, landscaping contractors, specialist retailers, cemetery horticulture, and cannabis cultivators across the DACH region via direct sales, e-commerce, and retail channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Horticultural Substrates Manufacturing

NAICS

Fertilizer and Compost Manufacturing (32531), Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (3253), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240)

SIC

Agricultural Chemicals (2870), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Soil Amendments & Conditioners (Lime/Gypsum/Humates) (IMAEAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lawn Nutrition & Biostimulants (Compost Tea, Humic/Fulvic, Microbes) (HSAIAGAF), Soil Testing, pH Adjustment & Soil Amendments (Lime/Gypsum/Organic Matter) (HSAIAGAC), Soils, Mulch, Fertilizers & Lawn Care Chemicals Retail (CRAIAIAC)

Keywords

• Horticultural substrates
• Growing media
• Peat-reduced substrates
• Landscaping products
• Garden retail products

Headquarters

HQ city

Altengronau

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Substrate Sales (B2B): Sale of professional cultivation substrates under the PATZER SUBSTRATE and Einheitserde brands to commercial horticulture operations. Products sold as bagged goods on pallets, big bags, jumbo bales, or unpacked bulk goods. Revenue generated from direct sales through the company's own sales department.
2. Landscaping (GaLaBau) Products: Sale of standard soils, special substrates, and decorative materials under the frux GaLaBau brand to landscaping companies and contractors.
3. Specialist Retail / Hobby Consumer Products: Sale of consumer soils, fertilisers, and decorative materials under the frux, GartenWerk, Villa Flora, and FlorBest brands to specialist retailers (garden centers, nurseries). Also includes private label/custom customer formulations for the specialist trade.
4. Private Label / Custom Formulation: Individual customer or association soils, fertilisers, and decorative materials produced as private label for specialist retailers, offering customized formulations.
5. Raw Materials and Fertiliser Sales: Sale of various raw materials (peat, natural clay, wood fibre) and fertilisers for customers' own mixtures.
6. E-commerce (Online Shop): Direct consumer sales via dieflora.eu online storefront for NATUR Erde and frux products to end consumers.
7. Sponsorship and Project Partnerships: In-kind sponsorship of substrates for collaborative projects (e.g., 10 cubic metres of Red substrate donated for the Württembergische Friedhofsgärtner eG football EM planting project on Stuttgart's Königstraße).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

PATZER ERDEN manufactures and supplies professional soils, cultivation substrates, and growing media for commercial horticulture, landscaping, specialist retail, and cemetery gardening. The portfolio spans the PATZER SUBSTRATES colour-coded product family (Red, Blue, Green, Orange), Einheitserde standard soils based on a patented Prof. Fruhstorfer recipe, frux landscaping products, NATUR Erde and related consumer/hobby brands (GartenWerk, Villa Flora, FlorBest), specialty Cannabis Substrate, and decorative materials such as natural pumice (Bims).

Product overview

PATZER ERDEN GmbH is a manufacturer of soils and substrates operating under the PATZER ERDEN umbrella brand. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of professional and hobby-grade products organized into distinct lines: PATZER SUBSTRATES (Red, Blue, Green, Orange variants) and Einheitserde for professional horticultural production; frux for landscaping (GaLaBau); NATUR Erde, GartenWerk, FlorBest, and Villa Flora for specialist retailers; Gravejard products for cemetery gardening; and specialty Cannabis-Substrate. The company also produces raw materials including natural clay, wood fibre, peat, and fertiliser. All products emphasize sustainable practices with peat reduction initiatives and use of renewable raw materials. The offerings range from industrial-scale substrates for commercial horticulture to packaged consumer soils for hobby gardeners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PATZER SUBSTRATES: Professional substrates for horticultural production, available in Red, Blue, Green, and Orange variants; includes peat-reduced and peat-free options.
• Einheitserde
• frux
• NATUR Erde
• GartenWerk
• Villa Flora
• FlorBest
• NATURE Soil
• Gravejard
• ERD ZEIT
• Cannabis Substrates

Products and services

• PATZER SUBSTRATES Red

Quantifiable outcome

• Peat substitution rate of 30% vol. for production soils and 50% by volume for sales soils and landscaping — above industry average
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Einheitserde WerkverbandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPATZER ERDEN is a member of the Einheitserde Werkverband (Standard Soil Manufacturers Association), producing and distributing standard soils under the patented recipe of Prof. Fruhstorfer. The association represents manufacturers using the standard formula, providing a shared framework for product quality and market presence.
• dieflora.eu (Online Shop)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorE-commerce platform dieflora.eu serves as the company's online retail storefront for direct consumer sales. The platform handles order processing and fulfilment for consumer products including NATUR Erde and frux brands.
• Württembergische Friedhofsgärtner eGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative project partnership with the Württembergische Friedhofsgärtner eG (cemetery gardeners' cooperative). PATZER ERDEN sponsored 10 cubic metres of substrate for a public flower installation project on Stuttgart's Königstraße celebrating the football EM, featuring 4,620 plants. The project combined cemetery horticulture with public visibility and insect protection messaging.

Scale indicators4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• COMPO GmbH: COMPO is a major German garden products manufacturer offering soils, substrates, fertilizers, and lawn care products through retail and professional channels. Broader portfolio than PATZER ERDEN, but significant overlap in consumer soils and growing media at specialist retail.
• Westland Horticulture: Westland is a leading UK and Ireland-based horticulture manufacturer producing growing media, composts, and garden products for retail and professional markets. Comparable consumer substrate product mix but primarily regional to UK/Ireland rather than DACH.
• Premier Tech Horticulture: Premier Tech is a global substrate and growing media producer with peat-based and peat-free product lines serving professional horticulture, including cannabis cultivation. Overlaps with PATZER ERDEN in substrate formulation and serves some of the same professional European customers.
• Sun Gro Horticulture: Sun Gro is a major North American producer of peat-based and peat-reduced growing media for professional horticulture and consumer markets. Comparable product technology and substrate formulation expertise, but serves primarily North American customers rather than DACH.

Direct peers

• Stender AG: Stender AG is a German substrate and growing media manufacturer producing peat-based and peat-reduced substrates for professional horticulture and consumer markets. Direct peer in product, geography, and customer segments.
• Klasmann-Deilmann: Klasmann-Deilmann is Europe's largest producer of growing media and substrates for professional horticulture, with a comparable peat-based and peat-reduced product portfolio serving growers, landscapers, and retailers across DACH and globally. It is the most direct competitor to PATZER ERDEN in German professional horticulture substrates.
• Hawita Group: Hawita is a German manufacturer of substrates, growing media, and specialty growing mats with peat, peat-reduced, and peat-free product lines serving professional horticulture and retail channels. Comparable product portfolio and DACH customer base.
• Gramoflor: Gramoflor is a German substrate manufacturer producing peat-based, peat-reduced, and peat-free growing media for horticulture, landscaping, and specialty applications. Comparable size, German Mittelstand profile, and product mix make it a close regional peer to PATZER ERDEN.
• Floragard Vertriebs-GmbH: Floragard produces horticultural substrates, potting soils, and growing media sold through German garden centers and specialist retailers under multiple consumer brands. Direct overlap with PATZER ERDEN's retail-facing frux and NATUR Erde lines.

Emerging players

• Neudorff GmbH KG: Neudorff is a German manufacturer of organic and natural gardening products including soils, fertilizers, and pest control, with growing emphasis on peat-free substrates. Comparable focus on sustainability but more diversified product range and smaller substrate share.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@patzererden
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ploetziner-erden-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/patzer_erden

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Goof Earths