What BEHN Getränke GmbH does

BEHN Getränke GmbH is a privately held, family-owned beverage wholesaler and spirits manufacturer headquartered in Eckernförde, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Founded in 1892 by Waldemar Behn and now in its fourth-plus generation of family management under Lisa Behn, Asmus Behn, and Jens Kundrun, the company has evolved from a brewery outlet into one of the leading beverage specialist wholesalers in Schleswig-Holstein. It distributes more than 3,500 articles — including beer, wine, spirits, non-alcoholic beverages, coffee, and hygiene items — to more than 700 gastronomy customers, supported by a 22-truck delivery fleet, two operating sites (Eckernförde and Oeversee), and three BEHN Getränke-Welten retail outlets.

The company's revenue mechanics combine B2B wholesale distribution with direct-to-consumer retail and a bundled service stack for the HORECA channel: gastronomy consulting (location search, planning, and concept development), event equipment rental (glassware, draft systems, refrigerated trailers, serving carts), and an online Gastro-Bestellshop powered by gastivo.de. Distribution relies on a direct sales force organized by geographic territory rather than digital marketing; commercial reach is essentially word-of-mouth within the regional gastronomy network plus Instagram and email newsletter activity.

A separate spirits manufacturing arm, operating under the related entity Waldemar Behn GmbH, produces proprietary brands including Küstennebel (1985, Germany's most successful anise spirit), Kleiner Feigling (1992), Kadeker Doppelkorn, and Dooley's Toffee Cream Liqueur, and acquired the world vodka brand DANZKA VODKA in 2013 to access the global Travel Retail channel. The most recent strategic initiative is the July 2024 joint venture with partner Bela, GLN Getränkelogistik Nord GmbH & Co. KG, which extends the company's beverage logistics footprint across northern Germany beyond its Schleswig-Holstein home base. The company is privately held, has no external funding rounds, and the family has stated an intent to remain financially independent.

Name

BEHN Getränke GmbH

Legal name

BEHN Getränke GmbH

Website

https://behn-getraenke.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1892

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BEHN Getränke GmbH is a family-owned beverage wholesaler and spirits producer in Eckernförde, Schleswig-Holstein. Founded in 1892, it distributes 3,500+ products to 700+ gastronomy customers across northern Germany and manufactures branded spirits including Kleiner Feigling and DANZKA VODKA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Beverage Wholesale Distribution

NAICS

Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Specialty Food Retailers (4452), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Gourmet Foods Distribution (CRAOABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty & Gourmet Foods Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAI), Craft & Specialty Beverage Wholesale (Local/Artisanal) (AFAIAGAH), Bulk Beverage & Coffee/Tea Supply Stores (Retail + Wholesale) (CRAHAMAH)

Keywords

• Beverage wholesale distribution
• Spirits manufacturing
• Gastronomy supply
• Event equipment rental
• Gastronomy consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Eckernförde

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Beverage Wholesale Distribution: Core business of distributing beverages to gastronomy, food retail, and other customers across Schleswig-Holstein. Operates own logistics fleet with 22 trucks.
2. Spirit Manufacturing: Produces and distributes proprietary spirit brands including Kleiner Feigling, Küstennebel, Kadeker Doppelkorn, Dooley's Toffee Cream Liqueur, and DANZKA VODKA. International operations through Waldemar Behn GmbH.
3. Retail Sales (Getränke-Welten): Direct retail sales through 3 company-owned beverage retail stores in Eckernförde and Kappeln.
4. Equipment Rental: Rental of event equipment including serving carts, beer benches, glassware, draft systems, counters, refrigerated trailers, and display counters to gastronomy customers.
5. Gastronomy Consulting: Consulting services for gastronomy businesses including location search, planning, concept development, and design for hospitality establishments in Schleswig-Holstein.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

BEHN Getränke GmbH is a family-owned specialist beverage wholesaler founded in 1892, distributing more than 3,500 beverage articles to over 700 gastronomy and retail customers across Schleswig-Holstein using its own fleet of 22 trucks. The company also manufactures proprietary spirit brands (Kleiner Feigling, Küstennebel, Dooley's, Kadeker) through its related entity Waldemar Behn GmbH, operates three BEHN Getränke-Welten retail stores, and provides event equipment rental and gastronomy consulting services.

Product overview

BEHN Getränke GmbH operates as a traditional beverage wholesaler in Schleswig-Holstein with two divisions: the wholesale business (BEHN Getränke) serving >700 gastronomy customers with >3,500 beverage articles, and the spirit manufacturing division (Waldemar Behn GmbH). The company operates 3 retail stores (BEHN Getränke-Welten), offers event equipment rental services, and provides gastronomy consulting. Its product portfolio includes both the core wholesale beverage business and owned spirit brands (Kleiner Feigling, Küstennebel, Dooley's, Feigling's) plus acquired international brands (DANZKA VODKA).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Küstennebel: An anise spirit (anisspirituose) launched in 1985, described as the most successful German anisspirituose and a classic across Germany.
• Kleiner Feigling
• Kadeker
• Dooley's Toffee Cream Liqueur
• DANZKA VODKA
• Feigling's
• Zitronen Jette

Products and services

• Beverage Wholesale Assortment
• BEHN Getränke-Welten Retail Stores
• Veranstaltungsinventar (Event Equipment Rental)
• Gastronomie-Beratung (Gastronomy Consulting)
• Kleiner Feigling
• Küstennebel
• Dooley's Toffee Cream Liqueur
• DANZKA VODKA
• Feigling's
• Kadeker Doppelkorn

Named customers6 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

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GLN Getränkelogistik Nord GmbH & Co. KGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2024New joint venture for beverage logistics in northern Germany. GLN Getränkelogistik Nord GmbH & Co. KG represents a new player in northern German beverage logistics, combining BEHN's regional expertise with GLN's logistics capabilities.
• Getränke Möller GmbH & Co.KGminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJoint participation with Getränke Tadsen in Getränke Möller on Sylt island (2005). Minor regional partnership for island beverage distribution.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Berentzen-Gruppe AG: Listed German spirits manufacturer (Strothmann, Puschkin, Berentzen Apfelkorn) with own-brand portfolio comparable to Behn's Kleiner Feigling / Küstennebel range. Comparable on spirit-brand-led business model, though it lacks Behn's wholesale-distribution arm.
• Stock Spirits Group: Central European branded spirits company with portfolio in vodka, rum, brandy and herbal/category spirits. Comparable to Behn on multi-brand spirits strategy and central-European geographic exposure, though Stock is significantly larger and listed.
• Trinks GmbH: One of Germany's largest beverage wholesalers with regional operations and a multi-truck fleet serving gastronomy and retail. Direct comparability with Behn on wholesale model, customer base (HoReCa) and own logistics infrastructure, though at significantly larger national scale.
• Hardenberg-Wilthen AG: German family-owned spirits producer (Berentzen competitor) with brands such as Hardenberg Korn and Doornkaat. Highly comparable to Behn's own-brand spirits division in scale, ownership structure and German Korn/category exposure.
• Getränke Geuther GmbH: Regional German beverage wholesaler (Thuringia) with gastronomy focus, own delivery fleet, and Getränke-Markt retail stores. Closely mirrors Behn's combined wholesale-plus-retail-plus-fleet model in a different German region.

Emerging players

• flaschenpost SE: German beverage e-commerce/delivery platform winning SME gastronomy and consumer customers via digital ordering and fast delivery. Adjacent/emerging competitive threat to Behn's wholesale-plus-retail model, particularly in digital ordering.
• Rotkäppchen-Mumm Sektkellereien GmbH: Germany's leading sparkling wine producer, expanding into spirits-adjacent categories. Comparable on German branded-beverage business model and HoReCa distribution muscle, though its core category (Sekt) does not directly overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Beam Suntory Deutschland: Premium spirits multinational with German arm distributing Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, etc. Competes for the same HoReCa beverage budgets as Behn, including in the Travel Retail channel where DANZKA also plays.
• Diageo Germany: Global spirits major with German distribution arm competing directly with Behn's portfolio in the on-trade (Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, etc.). Overlaps on spirits distribution and HoReCa customer base, but operates at vastly broader portfolio scale.

Regional players

• Getränke-Heinemann GmbH & Co. KG: Hamburg-based family-owned beverage wholesaler and Travel Retail operator with strong northern-German footprint and duty-free expertise. Highly comparable on regional northern-Germany identity and Travel Retail focus, but with much larger international duty-free business.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/behngetraenke/?hl=de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/behn-getr%C3%A4nke-gmbh

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 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 BEHN Getränke GmbH