Werz

What Werz does

Werz (legal entity: Werz Naturkornmühle GmbH & Co. KG) is a privately held, family-owned German bio-bakery manufacturer founded in 1932 in Heidenheim an der Brenz, Baden-Württemberg. The company produces a focused range of gluten-free, organic, and largely additive-free baked goods — including toast breads, rolls, baking mixes, crispbreads, pastries and cookies, mueslis, puffed whole grains, and fructose-free rice syrup — that are simultaneously marketed as lactose-free, egg-free, and in many cases vegan. Production is anchored at a single site in South Germany and is built around two proprietary technical pillars: (1) natural rice sourdough fermentation (Naturreissauerteig) used as a clean-label preservation and flavor system, and (2) in-house milling of whole grains shortly before processing to preserve freshness and nutrient content.

Werz sells exclusively direct-to-consumer through its own e-commerce storefront at werz.bio, with no disclosed retail or B2B channel. Pricing is per-unit (€2.39–€6.99 for single SKUs) with roughly 10% bulk discounts on carton purchases; free shipping applies to German orders over €99 and to seven additional European countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland) for orders over €149, with DHL as the exclusive logistics partner and PayPal, Klarna, and SOFORT handling payments. The customer base is segmented across four personas — people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, health-conscious organic consumers, consumers with multiple food intolerances, and vegans — and is reached through a digital marketing stack comprising SEO, Google Ads with conversion tracking and remarketing, Instagram and Facebook organic, and a MailChimp-powered newsletter offering a €5 first-order incentive. Since 2022 the company has been led by managing director Michael Winterhoff, who has overseen a product-line refresh, digital marketing build-out, and European shipping expansion.

Name

Werz

Legal name

Werz Naturkornmühle GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://werz.bio

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Werz is a family-owned German organic bakery, founded in 1932 and based in Heidenheim, that produces gluten-free, additive-free baked goods and sells exclusively direct-to-consumer via werz.bio to health-conscious, celiac, multi-intolerance, and vegan consumers across Germany and seven European countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Gluten-Free Bakery

NAICS

Bread and Bakery Product Manufacturing (31181), Cookie, Cracker, and Pasta Manufacturing (31182), Commercial Bakeries (311812)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050), Cookies & Crackers (2052)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Bakery Manufacturing (Gluten-Free, Artisan, Health-Focused) (AFAKAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bread & Rolls Manufacturing (AFAKAAAA), Grain-Based Mixes & Doughs Manufacturing (pancake/waffle mixes, baking mixes, dough bases) (AFAKABAF)

Keywords

• Gluten-free bakery
• Organic baked goods
• Artisan bread
• Gluten-free cereals
• Natural sourdough

Headquarters

HQ city

Heidenheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: The primary revenue stream is direct-to-consumer sales through the company's own e-commerce platform (werz.bio). Products are sold at published retail prices with bulk discounts available for carton purchases. Shipping fees apply for orders below €99 in Germany.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Werz is a German organic bakery manufacturer founded in 1932 that produces and sells gluten-free and organic baked goods, including breads, rolls, cookies, and cereals. The company uses natural sourdough fermentation and freshly milled grains in production and distributes its products through its direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform werz.bio.

Product overview

Werz is a German organic bakery manufacturer (Bio-Backmanufaktur) established in 1932 in Heidenheim, southern Germany, specializing in gluten-free and organic baked goods. The company produces nearly without additives, without sugar, and without harmful ingredients, using traditional recipes combined with artisanal craftsmanship. The diverse product range spans four categories: sweet pastries (cookies, biscuits, cakes), breakfast items (bread, toast, rolls, muesli, cereals), baking & cooking ingredients (flour mixes, flakes, puffed grains), and savory snacks (crispbreads, popped grains). Key products include rice and brown millet toast breads, rice rolls, whole grain bread baking mixes, various cookies and pastries (tiger nut discs, buckwheat almond discs, chocolate millet discs), puffed whole grains (amaranth, quinoa, millet, rice), crunchy mueslis, gluten-free cake bases, and fructose-free rice syrup as a sweetener. All products are bio-certified (DE-ÖKO-007) and feature whole grain flours freshly milled in their own mills.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Organic Gluten-Free Breads Range of naturally leavened organic gluten-free breads made using traditional sourdough fermentation and freshly milled grains, sold directly to consumers seeking celiac-safe and organic bakery options.
• Organic Gluten-Free Rolls Organic gluten-free bread rolls and small-format baked goods produced using natural sourdough and freshly milled grains for consumers following gluten-free diets.
• Organic Gluten-Free Cookies Organic and gluten-free cookies and sweet baked goods produced for consumers seeking certified organic confectionery alternatives.
• Organic Gluten-Free Cereals Organic and gluten-free breakfast cereals and grain-based products made from freshly milled grains for health-conscious consumers.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• DHLcoreOthersDHL is the exclusive shipping partner for all Werz orders. All shipments are handled via DHL with delivery to residential and business addresses in Germany and select European countries.
• PayPalcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayPal (Europe) S.a.r.l. et Cie, S.C.A. is used as a payment processor for online transactions including PayPal, credit card via PayPal, and direct debit via PayPal.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Glutafin: UK gluten-free brand offering bread, rolls, and bakery products targeted at celiac consumers, distributed through UK pharmacy and grocery channels. Directly comparable to Werz on gluten-free bakery category and celiac consumer focus.
• Dr. Schär: Europe's largest dedicated gluten-free food manufacturer (bread, pasta, bakery, pizza) sold across grocery and foodservice. Directly comparable to Werz on gluten-free specialization, multi-country European distribution, and bakery product range, but at materially larger scale and with retail channel access Werz lacks.
• Seitenbacher: German manufacturer of organic muesli, breakfast cereals, and baking ingredients sold across German grocery and drugstore chains. Comparable to Werz on organic positioning, breakfast and baking-mix categories, and German DACH distribution, though with broader retail penetration.
• Doves Farm: UK-based organic and gluten-free flour, baking mix, and bakery brand. Comparable to Werz on organic certification, gluten-free baking-mix and flour SKUs, and DTC-plus-retail go-to-market, though primarily UK-distributed.
• Hammermühle: German organic bakery specializing in gluten-free breads, rolls, and baking mixes with strong DACH retail presence. Closely comparable to Werz on geography, organic/gluten-free positioning, and bakery product categories, and a head-to-head competitor for German celiac consumers.
• Bauck Hof: German organic Demeter brand producing gluten-free baking mixes, flours, and muesli cereals. Overlaps with Werz on bio-certified, gluten-free, low-additive positioning and on baking-mix SKUs, and is widely distributed in German organic retail.
• Farmo: Italian gluten-free specialist producing pasta, bakery, and biscuits under brands including Nutrinsic and Schär-adjacent SKUs. Comparable to Werz on dedicated gluten-free focus and European multi-country distribution, but more concentrated in pasta and biscuits.
• Molino Nicoli: Italian organic flour and gluten-free mix manufacturer serving European bakery and ingredient markets. Comparable to Werz on organic certification, gluten-free baking mixes and flours, and B2B-plus-DTC go-to-market in Europe.

Regional players

• Bob's Red Mill: US-based heritage brand offering gluten-free flours, baking mixes, cereals, and grains through US grocery and DTC channels. Comparable to Werz on gluten-free and whole-grain specialization plus long brand heritage, but operates in North America rather than Europe.
• Finax: Nordic (Sweden-based) gluten-free flour, mix, and pasta brand with strong Scandinavian retail presence. Comparable to Werz on gluten-free specialization and baking-mix category, but serves primarily Nordic geographies rather than DACH/Benelux.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WerzNaturkorn
• Instagraminstagram.com/werz.bio?igsh=dzViYnQwcnBvMXMx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Werz