What Falstaff does

Falstaff is an Austrian for-profit media company headquartered in Vienna (Schottenring 2-6) that has published wine, restaurant, travel, and lifestyle content since 1980. Its core product is the Falstaff magazine, supported by a multi-brand portfolio including Falstaff LIVING (interior/lifestyle), Falstaff Happy Life (wellness), Falstaff TRAVEL, Falstaff PROFI (industry professionals), and Bühne Magazin (culture). The company operates eight country-specific website editions serving Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Slovakia, Portugal, an International edition, and the Nordics, alongside dedicated iOS and Android mobile applications and an e-commerce shop at shop.falstaff.at.

The technology backbone is a digital media platform with multi-regional content management, a proprietary wine and restaurant rating system (Falstaff-Punkte), and an extensive editorial database of wine producers, grape varieties, regions, restaurants, and bars accumulated over decades. The company maintains a premium membership program (Gourmetclub) that gates full access to wine and restaurant ratings and provides member benefits at events.

Falstaff generates revenue through four primary streams: recurring magazine subscriptions (print and digital), one-time e-commerce sales of books, guides, and specialty products, event hosting (wine festivals, tastings, gourmet experiences such as the Falstaff Schaumweinfestival Wien), and advertising/sponsorship including branded editorial integrations and event partnerships with brands such as Nespresso, MSC Cruises, Otto Gourmet, ARNOLD ANDRÉ, and Oettinger Davidoff. Its go-to-market is sales-led and content-led, with editorial content functioning as the top-of-funnel acquisition channel feeding subscriptions, membership, and event monetization across the DACH region and selected international markets.

Name

Falstaff

Legal name

Falstaff

Website

https://falstaff.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Falstaff is an Austrian lifestyle media company publishing wine, restaurant, travel, and lifestyle editorial across eight country-specific editions, a premium membership club, events, e-commerce, and mobile apps for DACH and selected European readers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wine and Lifestyle Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer Lifestyle & Fashion Magazines (MPAJAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD)

Keywords

• Wine ratings publishing
• Lifestyle media
• Restaurant guides
• Culinary journalism
• Gourmet publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Print and digital magazine subscriptions sold through the Falstaff shop, offering access to wine reviews, restaurant guides, and lifestyle content.
2. E-commerce Sales: Online shop selling books, guides, and specialty food/wine products.
3. Event Hosting: Wine festivals, tasting events, and gourmet experiences including the Falstaff Schaumweinfestival Wien and regional tasting events.
4. Advertising and Sponsorship: Sponsored content, advertorials, and brand partnerships featured across the digital platform and events.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Falstaff is an Austrian lifestyle media company that publishes a flagship wine and gourmet magazine (Falstaff) alongside multiple sub-brands covering lifestyle (Falstaff LIVING), wellness (Falstaff Happy Life), travel (Falstaff TRAVEL), professional gastronomy (Falstaff PROFI), and culture (Bühne Magazin). The company operates eight country-specific editions (Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Slovakia, Portugal, International, Nordic), runs a proprietary wine and restaurant rating system, and hosts live wine festivals and tasting events. Revenue is generated through print and digital magazine subscriptions, e-commerce sales of books and specialty products, advertising and sponsored content, and ticketed events.

Product overview

Falstaff ist ein österreichisches Medienunternehmen mit einem Multi-Marken-Portfolio rund um Genuss, Wein und Lifestyle. Das Kernprodukt ist das Falstaff-Magazin mit Weinbewertungen und Restaurantkritiken. Dazu gehören die Submarken Falstaff LIVING (Interior/Lifestyle), Falstaff Happy Life (Wellness), Falstaff TRAVEL (Reisen) und Falstaff PROFI (professionelle Gastronomie). Zusätzlich wird mit dem Gourmetclub ein Premium-Mitgliedschaftsprogramm angeboten. Das Produktportfolio umfasst redaktionelle Inhalte, Bewertungssysteme (Falstaff-Punkte für Wein und Restaurants), sowie Events und Specials wie das Falstaff Schaumweinfestival.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Falstaff Living: Lifestyle publication covering interior design and living trends
• Falstaff Happy Life
• Falstaff TRAVEL
• Falstaff PROFI
• Bühne Magazin

Products and services

• Falstaff Magazine The flagship Austrian print and digital magazine covering wine ratings, restaurant reviews, bars, spirits, food, travel, and lifestyle content for general consumers and gourmet enthusiasts.
• Falstaff LIVING Lifestyle sub-brand focused on interior design, living trends, and lifestyle articles as an extension of the Falstaff media portfolio.
• Falstaff Happy Life Lifestyle sub-brand covering wellness, health, and balanced living content.
• Falstaff TRAVEL Travel sub-brand offering travel guides, hotel reviews, and travel news with destination recommendations.
• Falstaff PROFI Professional platform aimed at gastronomy and hospitality industry professionals, providing industry insights, supplier relationships, and professional benchmarking tools.
• Bühne Magazin Theater and stage culture magazine complementing the Falstaff portfolio with cultural event coverage and editorial content.
• Gourmetclub Membership Premium paid membership program providing members with access to wine ratings, restaurant ratings, exclusive content, discounts, and invitations to Falstaff events.
• Falstaff Online Shop E-commerce storefront selling books, guides, and specialty food and wine products tied to the Falstaff editorial brand.
• Falstaff Wine and Gourmet Events Ticketed wine festivals, tasting events, and gourmet experiences including the Falstaff Schaumweinfestival Wien and branded events co-hosted with industry partners such as Otto Gourmet, ARNOLD ANDRÉ, and Nespresso.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• ARNOLD ANDRÉminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 September 2026Joint event 'Smoke meets Spirits' hosted at WILD Schwarzwaldbrennerei, combining ARNOLD ANDRÉ's spirits offerings with Falstaff's event platform for a branded tasting experience.
• Otto GourmetminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 August 2026Co-hosting the Otto Gourmet Sommerfest 2026 event, combining Falstaff's culinary expertise with Otto Gourmet's gourmet food products for an exclusive late summer event.
• NespressominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Falstaff Executive Breakfast partnership featuring Nespresso professional coffee solutions in content and events showcasing modern office coffee culture.
• Oettinger DavidoffminorGTM or Marketing PartnerExecutive interview content featuring Davidoff CEO Beat Hauenstein, covering cigar lifestyle and premium tobacco culture in editorial partnership.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Condé Nast Traveler: Condé Nast Traveler is a global luxury travel and lifestyle publication. Comparable to Falstaff TRAVEL's premium travel content positioning, though at much larger global scale.
• Monocle: Monocle is a premium lifestyle magazine with international editions, retail, and events. Comparable to Falstaff's multi-brand lifestyle publishing + retail + events business model.

Direct peers

• Wine Enthusiast: Wine Enthusiast combines wine ratings, reviews, and e-commerce in a multi-platform media business. Directly comparable to Falstaff's magazine + shop + rating platform model.
• Decanter: Decanter is a global wine magazine with print, digital subscriptions, and industry events. Closely matches Falstaff's wine-centric editorial and event business.
• Der Feinschmecker: Der Feinschmecker is a German gourmet food and wine magazine with restaurant and food guides. Comparable to Falstaff's DACH market positioning and lifestyle culinary editorial coverage.
• Gault&Millau: Gault&Millau is a restaurant and wine rating guide with strong presence in Europe. Directly competes with Falstaff's restaurant rating/Gourmetclub proposition in the DACH region.
• Wine Spectator: Wine Spectator is a leading wine lifestyle media brand with print magazine, digital subscriptions, and a proprietary wine rating system. Most comparable to Falstaff's core wine-reviewing and rating business model.

Emerging players

• Vivino: Vivino is a global wine marketplace and crowd-rated wine app. Competes with Falstaff's wine rating utility through a different, user-generated approach, addressing the same consumer wine discovery use case.
• Robert Parker Wine Advocate: Wine Advocate is a subscription-based wine rating platform with deep editorial authority. Comparable to Falstaff's paid rating subscription approach, though primarily digital.
• Vinous Media: Vinous Media is a wine-focused media and rating platform. Comparable by virtue of wine scoring and media monetization, though more digital-native than Falstaff.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/falstaff
• Facebookfacebook.com/falstaff.living
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/falstaff-verlags-gesmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Falstaff