Lichtenauer

What Lichtenauer does

Lichtenauer Mineralquellen GmbH is a German privately held beverage manufacturer founded December 13, 1990, in Lichtenau, Saxony, and operating as a subsidiary of the family-owned HassiaGruppe conglomerate (Hassia Mineralquellen Bad Vilbel GmbH & Co.). The company sources natural mineral water from the Erzgebirgisches Becken (Ore Mountain Basin) and produces approximately 700,000 bottles per day, scaling to up to one million in peak summer months, on a ~42,000 sqm production site. Its portfolio of 74+ products (~189 articles) spans four carbonation levels of mineral water (Spritzig, Medium, Sanft, Pur), the FRESH & Fruity & Co. flavoured and tea-infused water range, fifteen varieties of lemonades, wellness and isotonic drinks, fruit spritzers (Schorlen), premium bitter mixers (Tonic Water, Bitter Lemon, Ginger Ale), the Margon sub-brand for bitter beverages, and VITA COLA, with format options across PET and glass returnable plus single-use PET packaging. A dedicated gastronomy line (0.25L/0.75L individual glass bottles, Tonic Water, Bitter Lemon, Ginger Ale, Apfelschorle) is sold through German food retail (Aldi, Lidl, Rewe group and independents), HORECA, and a B2B dealer portal (Händlerbereich).

Revenue is generated primarily through wholesale and retail beverage product sales across retail, gastronomy, and direct distributor channels, with pricing set at point-of-sale rather than via direct e-commerce. Lichtenauer is the #1 mineral water brand in Saxony (23.3% market share) and the strongest regional brand in East Germany, where it grew the non-alcoholic beverages segment 10.1% in 2025 against a -4.0% market. The company is led by Managing Director Thomas Heß under Managing Partners Günter and Dirk Hinkel, employs approximately 220 staff (including 12-14 apprentices), runs multi-channel marketing anchored by OOH, radio, a 2025 Connected TV debut under the 'Da, wo das Leben ist.' brand claim, and is supported by long-running event sponsorships (Lichtenauer Sachsen-Cup, Lichtenauer Wasserlauf) and the Mineralwasser-Erlebnis-Parcours educational programme for schools.

Name

Lichtenauer

Legal name

Lichtenauer Mineralquellen GmbH

Website

https://lichtenauer.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Lichtenauer Mineralquellen GmbH is a privately held Saxon mineral water and non-alcoholic beverage manufacturer under the HassiaGruppe, producing natural mineral water, flavoured waters, lemonades, spritzers, wellness drinks, bitter mixers and the Margon and VITA COLA brands for German food retail and HORECA channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bottled Mineral Water and Non-Alcoholic Beverages

NAICS

Beverage Manufacturing (3121), Soft Drink Manufacturing (312111)

SIC

Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters (2086), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Mineral Water Bottling (Naturally Mineral) (AFAFACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Non-Carbonated Soft Drinks (Juice Drinks, Lemonades, Fruit Drinks) (CRADAHAB), Flavored/Enhanced Bottled Water Production (Essenced, Vitamin, Electrolyte) (AFAFACAF), Sports Drinks & Hydration Beverages (CRADAHAK), Sparkling/Carbonated Bottled Water Production (AFAFACAE), Still Soft Drinks & Flavored Waters (Non-Carbonated) (AFAFABAB)

Keywords

• Natural mineral water
• Non-alcoholic beverages
• Flavored water
• Soft drinks
• Beverage bottling

Headquarters

HQ city

Lichtenau

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Beverage Product Sales: Lichtenauer generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of natural mineral water and non-alcoholic refreshment beverages. Products are sold in various packaging formats including PET multi-way bottles, glass multi-way bottles, and single-use PET. The company produces approximately 174.8 million liters annually and sells through retail, gastronomy, and direct distributor channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Lichtenauer Mineralquellen GmbH manufactures and sells natural mineral water and non-alcoholic refreshment beverages sourced from the Erzgebirgisches Becken (Ore Mountain Basin) in Saxony. The product portfolio includes mineral water in four carbonation levels (Spritzig, Medium, Sanft, Pur), flavored water-plus ranges, fifteen varieties of lemonade, wellness/isotonic drinks, fruit spritzers, and bitter mixers, with sub-brands Margon and VITA COLA. Beverages are sold through food retail, gastronomy/HORECA, and dealer wholesale channels in Germany.

Product overview

Lichtenauer Mineralquellen is a Saxon mineral water and beverage company operating as part of the HassiaGruppe family business. The product portfolio centers on natural mineral water from the Erzgebirge basin, offered in four carbonation levels (Spritzig, Medium, Sanft, Pur), supplemented by flavored water lines (FRESH & Fruity, FRESH & FruiTea, FRESH & Veggie, Wellness, and the new Medium mit range), full-flavored lemonades in 15 varieties, fruit spritzers (Schorlen), and premium bitter mixers (Tonic Water, Bitter Lemon, Ginger Ale). The company also produces the regional brands Margon (mineral water and bitter beverages) and VITA COLA (cola and energy drinks). Products are available in various packaging including PET returnable, glass returnable, and foodservice formats. The portfolio comprises over 70 products in approximately 190 articles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FRESH & Fruity & Co. Flavored water products including FRESH & Fruity (fruit flavors), FRESH & FruiTea (tea-flavored waters), FRESH & Juicy, and FRESH & Veggie (vegetable-infused waters)
• Margon
• VITA COLA
• Lichtblicke schenken
• Lichtenauer Sachsen-Cup

Products and services

• Lichtenauer Mineralwasser Natural mineral water from the Erzgebirge basin, offered in four carbonation levels: Spritzig (sparkling), Medium, Sanft (mild), and Pur (still). Characterized by uniquely mild taste and light mineralization, sold across retail and gastronomy channels.
• Lichtenauer FRESH & Fruity & Co. Flavored water range including FRESH & Fruity (fruit-flavored), FRESH & FruiTea (tea-flavored), FRESH & Juicy, and FRESH & Veggie (vegetable-flavored) variants. Sugar-free refreshment with natural flavors for health-conscious consumers.
• Lichtenauer Limonaden & Co. Full-flavored lemonades in fifteen varieties including Orange-Guave, Summer Mix, Melone, Ananas, Mandarine-Mango, Orange, Zitrone, Grapefruit (low-calorie), Orange-Maracuja (low-calorie), Waldmeisterbrause, and Himbeerbrause.
• Lichtenauer Wellness Calorie-conscious refreshment line including Wellness Balance, Wellness Life, Wellness Active, Vitaminquelle Zitrone-Melisse, and Vitaminquelle Apfel-Granatapfel. Designed for health-conscious consumers seeking isotonic and vitamin-enriched options.
• Lichtenauer Schorlen & Co.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7.1% sales volume growth in FY2025 to 174.8 million liters, outperforming overall East German AfG market (-4.0%)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Teigwaren Riesa GmbH (Riesa Nudeln)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2026Lichtenauer and Riesa Nudeln launched a joint consumer promotion 'Von hier – schmeckt dir' (From here – you taste it) from March–April 2026. Consumers who purchase Lichtenauer mineral water and upload their receipt on the Lichtenauer website enter a sweepstakes for All-inclusive enjoyment weekends in Riesa and daily enjoyment packages with Riesa pasta and sauces plus Lichtenauer mineral water. The partnership leverages both brands' regional Saxon identity, consumer reach, and POS promotional materials.
• SOS-Kinderdorf SachsenminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2025As part of the 'Für dich & deine Herzenssache' social action campaign, consumers voted for their preferred charitable organization. SOS-Kinderdorf Sachsen was one of four winning organizations receiving a total of 23,000 liters of Lichtenauer mineral water donated. The campaign ran October–December 2025 with over 6.5 million promotional bottles in the market.
• AWO Landesverband Sachsen e.V.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2025As part of the 'Für dich & deine Herzenssache' social action campaign, AWO Sachsen was selected by consumers as one of four beneficiary organizations, receiving a donation of Lichtenauer mineral water. The campaign engaged consumers through the 'Lichtblicke schenken' initiative.
• Deutsches Rotes Kreuz in Sachsen (DRK Sachsen)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2025As part of the 'Für dich & deine Herzenssache' campaign, DRK Sachsen was selected by consumers to receive a donation of Lichtenauer mineral water. DRK Sachsen relies on volunteer support for major events (Dynamo Dresden games, Highfield Festival, Sächsische Schweiz mountain rescue, lake rescue services).
• Kinderhospiz Bärenherz Leipzig e.V.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2025As part of the 'Für dich & deine Herzenssache' social action, Kinderhospiz Bärenherz Leipzig was selected by consumers to receive mineral water donations. The organization serves families, guests, and staff with daily hydration support.
• Aktion Mensch (German charity lottery)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2019In the 'Für dich & deine Herzenssache' campaign, Lichtenauer distributed 2,222 annual lottery tickets from Aktion Mensch to participants, providing additional incentive for the social action sweepstakes.
• ABC Zentrum Berlin e.V. (Sportverein)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 March 2018ABC Zentrum Berlin e.V. is the co-organizer of the Lichtenauer Wasserlauf, a sightseeing running event through Berlin's government district. The partnership provides a charitable sports platform combining brand visibility with community engagement and donations to inclusion sports.
• Karower Dachse e.V. (Berlin Sport Club)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2017Karower Dachse specializes in inclusion sports and operates a running tandem program training sighted runners to guide visually impaired runners. The Lichtenauer Wasserlauf event donated 1 Euro per participant to support the running tandem training program. The partnership spans multiple years (2017, 2018, 2019 confirmed).
• Leichtathletik-Verband Sachsen e.V. (Saxon Athletics Association)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Leichtathletik-Verband Sachsen co-organizes the Lichtenauer Sachsen-Cup, Saxony's largest running series with annually ~10,000 participants and over 100,000 cumulative participants since 2005. The partnership provides a platform for sports engagement, brand visibility, and community connection in Saxony.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Adelholzener Alpenquellen: Bavarian mineral water and beverage producer serving retail and HORECA with PET and glass multi-way formats. Comparable scale and product mix to Lichtenauer's regional mineral water plus flavored/functional beverages portfolio.
• Gerolsteiner Brunnen: Germany's leading premium mineral water brand. Directly comparable as a German natural mineral water manufacturer selling through retail and gastronomy with multi-way packaging focus and regional brand strength.
• Bad Pyrmonter: Lower Saxon mineral water brand owned by HassiaGruppe sibling structure, offering natural mineral water and soft drinks. Closely comparable in terms of product portfolio (mineral water, lemonades, Schorlen, bitter beverages) and German multi-channel GTM.
• Spreequell / Mineralquelle Bad Liebenwerda: East German mineral water and beverage brand operating in the same geographic market as Lichtenauer. Direct competitor in Saxony/Brandenburg retail and HORECA with overlapping product categories.
• Franken Brunnen: Franconian mineral water and soft drink producer with broad portfolio across plain water, flavored water, and Schorlen. Operates comparable regional brand model with multi-way packaging leadership in southern Germany.
• Berliner Kindl (Radeberger Gruppe): Berlin-based mineral water and soft drink brand. Direct competitor in the East German beverage market with comparable regional brand positioning, retail distribution, and HORECA focus.

Broad incumbents

• Radeberger Gruppe: Germany's largest private beverage group with diverse portfolio spanning beer, mineral water (e.g., Schönborn Quelle), soft drinks, and Schorlen. Comparable as a diversified German beverage platform competing across multiple Lichtenauer categories.
• Volvic (Danone Waters): International natural mineral water brand operated by Danone. Comparable as bottled still/sparkling mineral water in German retail, with broader portfolio and significantly larger marketing budget competing for the same shelf space.

Regional players

• Thüringer Waldquell: Sibling HassiaGruppe brand serving Thuringia with mineral water and soft drinks. Compares as a regional East German mineral water operator with similar product portfolio structure and parent-level synergies.

Others

• Hassia Mineralquellen (Bad Vilbel): Lichtenauer's parent group and family-controlled mineral water conglomerate. Sibling brands (Glashäger, Thüringer Waldquell, Wilhelmsthaler) share operational infrastructure and group-level sustainability/ZNU certification.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC
• Facebookfacebook.com/LichtenauerMineralquellen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lichtenauer-mineralquellen-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/lichtenauer

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Lichtenauer