Gut Paulinenwäldchen

What Gut Paulinenwäldchen does

Gut Paulinenwäldchen is a privately held, family-operated Bioland-certified organic farm founded in 1999 and headquartered at Zum Blauen Stein 26-34, Aachen, Germany. The business operates across three sites — the original Gut Paulinenwäldchen, Gut kleiner Hof in Vetschau (since 2004), and Gut Große Gasse (acquired November 2020) — collectively farming approximately 130 hectares under Bioland and EU-Bio guidelines. Agricultural production spans around 60 vegetable varieties, multiple potato and grain varieties, plus livestock including a Limousin mother-cow herd of approximately 30 head, pigs, and 200 laying hens. Two legal entities operate the business: Biohof-Gauchel KG (farm operations) and Naturkost Gauchel-Ruhl GbR (Biokiste delivery service and Bioladen farm shop).

The company operates a multi-channel direct-to-consumer distribution model. Channels include the physical Bioladen farm store with café corner, the Biokiste subscription and on-demand home delivery service (biokiste-aachen.de, powered by Ökobox-Online), a Saturday market stall at Aachen's Münsterplatz (jointly with Hildes Grünzeug), and two GoodBarber-built mobile apps on iOS and Android. A B2B vertical delivers Bio-Bürokiste office boxes and produce to schools and kindergartens. Community programs include the Acker-Karte membership (€384/year for 50% off farm-grown vegetables), the Ein Huhn für dich chicken sponsorship (€174/year for weekly eggs plus start/end-of-year chickens), the Kundenbeirat customer advisory board, and Biobildung farm education offerings.

The business monetizes through transactional retail (Bioladen, market), recurring subscriptions (Acker-Karte, Ein Huhn für dich, Biokiste), and transaction-fee experiences (meat packages, Biobildung). Pricing is publicly disclosed, with flexible pay-as-you-go options on the Biokiste (€16 minimum order, €4.20 delivery fee) and no long-term contract required. Customers are primarily health-conscious individual households in the Aachen region, with smaller B2B exposure to workplaces, kindergartens, and schools. Technology infrastructure is built on third-party SaaS — Ökobox-Online for commerce, GoodBarber for apps, Mailerlite for email, Tawk.to for live chat, and self-hosted Matomo for analytics — with no proprietary AI/ML capabilities.

Name

Gut Paulinenwäldchen

Legal name

Biohof-Gauchel KG

Website

https://bioland-gauchel.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gut Paulinenwäldchen is a family-owned, Bioland-certified organic farm in Aachen, Germany, operating across three sites with ~130 ha under cultivation. It sells directly to consumers via farm store, subscription delivery, weekly market, mobile apps, and B2B boxes, with community membership programs anchoring recurring revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Farm Products

NAICS

Vegetable and Melon Farming (11121), Hog and Pig Farming (112210)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Organic Beef Cattle Production (AFAEAMAA)

Keywords

• Organic farming
• Farm retail
• Produce delivery
• Community-supported agriculture
• Farm education

Headquarters

HQ city

Aachen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Bioladen (Farm Store) Retail: Physical retail store selling farm-grown vegetables, potatoes, and meat products along with a curated range of organic groceries, cheese, bread, and household items. The store also features a café corner. Open Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri 9:00-18:30, Wed closed, Sat 9:00-14:00.
2. Biokiste (Organic Box Delivery Service): Subscription and on-demand home delivery of organic produce and groceries. Customers order via an online shop (biokiste-aachen.de) with flexible frequency (weekly, bi-weekly, or on-demand). Delivery area covers the Aachen region with a minimum order value of €16 and delivery fee of €4.20. No long-term contract required.
3. Fleischpakete (Meat Packages): Direct sale of mixed meat packages (min. 5 kg) from their own cattle and pigs, processed at partner butchery (Schwartz Metzgerei). Slaughtered approximately every 6 weeks. Also available as individual frozen cuts at the Bioladen.
4. Acker-Karte Membership: Annual membership program costing €384/year (or €32/month via SEPA direct debit) providing 50% discount on farm-grown vegetables and potatoes. Provides planning security for the farm and predictable revenue.
5. Huhn Sponsorship ('Ein Huhn für dich'): Year-long chicken sponsorship program at €14.50/month (€174/year). Participants receive all eggs from the flock (approx. 4-5 eggs/week), one roast chicken at start, and one soup chicken at end of the 12-month cycle.
6. Biobildung (Farm Education): Educational programs including farm tours, children's birthday parties, and family events at the Klosterwiese venue. Staffed by a dedicated education team (Biobildung).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Gut Paulinenwäldchen is a Bioland-certified organic farm that grows approximately 60 vegetable varieties, potatoes, and grain across about 130 hectares and raises cattle, pigs, and chickens in the Aachen region. It sells its farm-produced organic food directly to consumers through a physical farm store (Bioladen), a subscription and on-demand home delivery service (Biokiste), a weekly Saturday market stall at Münsterplatz in Aachen, and community-participation membership programs including the Acker-Karte (50% vegetable discount card) and chicken sponsorship ('Ein Huhn für dich'), alongside Biobildung educational programs for schools, kindergartens, and families.

Product overview

Gut Paulinenwäldchen operates as a multi-channel Bioland-certified organic farm and food business with three interconnected product lines: (1) Retail operations comprising the physical Bioladen (farm store) and a weekly Saturday market stand at Aachen Cathedral, selling farm-grown vegetables, potatoes, meat, and a curated range of organic pantry staples, dairy, bakery, and household goods; (2) The Biokiste subscription-based home delivery service (biokiste-aachen.de), powered by Ökobox-Online, offering pre-set or customizable organic produce boxes with flexible delivery scheduling throughout the Aachen region; and (3) Community-participation programs including 'Ein Acker für dich' (vegetable sponsorship card offering 50% year-round discount) and 'Ein Huhn für dich' (chicken sponsorship yielding weekly egg deliveries), alongside a Customer Advisory Council that co-develops new initiatives. The farm also offers Biobildung (farm education) programs for schools, kindergartens, and families. The three Betriebsstellen—Gut Paulinenwäldchen (the original farm with animals and store), Gut kleiner Hof (fields and storage in Vetschau, since 2004), and Gut Große Gasse (acquired November 2020)—collectively manage approximately 130 hectares of Bioland-certified land producing over 60 vegetable varieties and multiple potato and grain varieties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Biokiste: Organic vegetable and food home delivery service delivering fresh produce from the farm and regional partner producers to customers in the Aachen area.
• Bioladen
• Ein Huhn für dich
• Ein Acker für dich

Products and services

• Biokiste (Organic Box Delivery Service) Subscription and on-demand home delivery of fresh organic vegetables, fruits, and groceries to households in the Aachen region via biokiste-aachen.de. Customers can choose pre-set baskets or build custom boxes on a weekly, bi-weekly, or on-demand basis; minimum order €16, delivery fee €4.20, no long-term contract required.
• Bioladen (Farm Store) Physical retail store at Zum Blauen Stein 26-34, 52070 Aachen, selling farm-grown organic vegetables, potatoes, meat, dairy, cheese, bakery items, pantry staples, beverages, and household goods, plus a café corner. Open Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri 9:00-18:30, Sat 9:00-14:00; closed Wednesdays.
• Hofeigenes Gemüse (Farm-Grown Vegetables) Approximately 60 vegetable varieties plus multiple potato (Annabelle, Regina, Laura, Linda, Nicola, Carolus) and grain varieties grown seasonally on ~130 ha of Bioland-certified land and sold through the Bioladen, Biokiste, and Saturday market at Aachen Cathedral.
• Hof-eigenes Fleisch (Farm Meat — Beef, Pork, Chicken) Fresh and frozen meat from animals raised on-farm under Bioland standards: Limousin and Glan beef from a mother-cow herd of approximately 30 cows (slaughter age ~20 months), pasture-raised pork fed on vegetable scraps and grain, and chicken from the 'Ein Huhn für dich' sponsorship. Slaughtered locally and processed by partner Metzgerei Schwartz.
• Fleischpakete (Meat Packages) Customizable mixed meat packages (minimum 5 kg) from own cattle and pigs, processed by partner Metzgerei Schwartz. Sold in the Bioladen, via Biokiste, or as bulk direct orders with volume discounts for larger quantities.
• Ein Acker für dich (Acker-Karte Membership) 12-month community-sponsored agriculture card giving members a 50% discount on farm-grown seasonal vegetables and potatoes. Participants pay €384/year or €32/month via SEPA direct debit and receive weekly 'Acker-Mail' updates on available produce.
• Ein Huhn für dich (Chicken Sponsorship) 12-month chicken sponsorship at €174/year or €14.50/month, where participants receive all eggs from their sponsored hen's flock (approximately 4-5 eggs/week), one broiler chicken at the start, and one soup chicken at the end of the cycle. Uses dual-purpose Coffee and Cream breeds from Ökologische Tierzucht gGmbH.
• Biobildung (Farm Education) Educational programs including farm tours, children's birthday parties, family events, and kindergarten/school programs at the Klosterwiese venue, providing hands-on insights into organic farming and animal husbandry.
• Bio-Bürokiste (Corporate/B2B Office Delivery) B2B organic produce box service tailored for offices and businesses in the Aachen region, delivering fresh fruits and vegetables to workplaces.
• Schulen und Kitas (Schools and Kindergartens Delivery) Specialized organic produce delivery service for educational institutions including schools and kindergartens, supporting healthy eating programs.
• Schnupperkiste (Trial Box) Introductory Biokiste offer allowing new customers to try the delivery service once without subscription commitment; customers can build their own box or receive a curated surprise selection.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% discount on farm-grown vegetables and potatoes through the Acker-Karte annual membership program
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mels Metzgerei (formerly Metzgerei Schwartz)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily butcher in Würselen (Linden-Neusen), operating since 1955 in its third generation. Processes all Gut Paulinenwäldchen's beef and pork into fresh cuts and sausages. Products sold in the Bioladen, Biokiste, and a self-service vending machine ('Blackomat') at the butcher. Also assembles meat packages for the farm. Melanie Bock took over from Franz Peter Schwartz in 2023.
• Biologische Station StolbergminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization focused on preserving regional orchards (Streuobstwiesen) in the Aachen area. Produces apple, pear-apple, and apple-mango juices sold at Gut Paulinenwäldchen. Fruits sourced from managed meadows and private individuals' harvest donations. Not bio-certified but requires no synthetic chemical pesticides.
• Hildes GrünzeugcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBioland vegetable farm run by Hilde and Harald Volles in Geilenkirchen (since 2004). Supplies fresh vegetables and herbs plus handmade vegetable broth and sauerkraut. Joint Saturday market stall at Münsterplatz Aachen. Farm features mobile chicken coops for free-range egg production. Distance: 20 km from Gut Paulinenwäldchen.
• Bio Obsthof KneincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily-run organic fruit farm in Nideggen, operated by Aloysius Knein and son Thomas for 25 years. Grows approximately 40,000 apple and pear trees. Uses only biological pest control methods. Supplies Gut Paulinenwäldchen with apples and pears nearly year-round, including the popular Red Topaz variety. Also experimenting with peaches and nectarines.
• Haus BollheimminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiodynamic farm near Zülpich operating since 1982. Offers enormous biodiversity: cows, chickens, arable/wald/grünland, 4 grain and 6 potato varieties, 50 vegetable crops, a dairy/cheese operation, and a bakery. Supplies cheese and quark to Gut Paulinenwäldchen. Distance: 60 km.
• Biobäckerei SchomakercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganic artisan bakery led by Andreas Schomaker for over 30 years. Stone-mills grain fresh before each batch, preserving nutrients and aroma. All ingredients from certified organic farming. Supplies bread, pastries, and baked goods to Gut Paulinenwäldchen's farm store and café. Multiple industry awards for entrepreneurial and ecological excellence. Distance: 70 km.
• Schauhof WillichminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFamily farm operated for over seven generations, converted to Bioland in 2016. Specializes in dairy cattle using dual-purpose breeds. Cows and calves remain together for 4-6 weeks after birth. Milk is pasteurized at low temperature (72°C for 20 seconds) to preserve vitamins and nutrients. Supplies fresh milk and yogurt to Gut Paulinenwäldchen. Distance: 90 km.
• Ökobox-Online (Bob Schulze)coreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform provider (oekobox-online.de) powering the Biokiste online shop for Gut Paulinenwäldchen. Based in Dresden (Bünaustraße 49, 01159 Dresden). Manages order processing, payment handling, and customer account data for the online store. Contractual data processing agreement in place. This is the core technology infrastructure for the farm's home delivery service.
• GoodBarber SAScoreTechnology or IntegrationFrench app development platform (Headquarters: CampusPlex, 12 rue Général Fiorella, 20000 Ajaccio, Corsica, France). Provides the technology platform for Gut Paulinenwäldchen's two mobile apps (Bioladen/Biobildung and Biokiste). Also powers push notifications for the apps. Contractual data processing agreement in place per GDPR requirements.
• Ökologische Tierzucht gGmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBreeding company focused on developing dual-purpose chicken breeds (e.g., Coffee, Cream) that eliminate the need to cull male chicks. Gut Paulinenwäldchen sources its laying hens from this organization, which receives support through the '1 Cent pro Ei' initiative. The farm supports this organization both financially and operationally as a key partner for ethical egg production.
• Blütenparadies NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network dedicated to establishing and maintaining flower-rich areas and insect refuges (Blühflächen/Ackerrandstreifen) in the Aachen region. Gut Paulinenwäldchen participates in this network, which contributes to biological pest control and supports beneficial insects. Dr. Björn Scholz-Starke from the initiative authored a guest blog post on the farm's website.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hofgemeinschaft Weide-Hardebek: Bioland CSA-style organic farm cooperative in Schleswig-Holstein with a Gemüse-Abo (vegetable subscription) plus on-farm store. Direct match on community-supported agriculture model with subscription memberships, mixed arable and livestock farming.
• Hof Dannwisch: Bioland-certified organic farm in Schleswig-Holstein operating a CSA-style membership model (HofAnteil) for vegetables plus on-site farm store. Directly comparable business model: mixed organic crop and livestock production, subscription-based customer engagement, and direct-to-consumer retail in a German regional setting.
• Ökodorf Brodowin: Large Demeter-certified organic farm and village in Brandenburg operating its own dairy, bakery, farm store, and home delivery service across Berlin and Brandenburg. Comparable in multi-channel D2C organic food retail plus delivery infrastructure, though larger in scale and geographically different.
• Tagwerk Öko-Versand: Bavarian organic farmers' cooperative operating a regional organic box delivery service (Tagwerk Öko-Kiste) plus farm stores. Closely comparable delivery subscription model with curated regional organic assortment and direct farmer-to-consumer positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Denn's Biomarkt: Organic supermarket chain (part of the Dennree Group) with nationwide German footprint and an online shop. Competitor for organic grocery spend, including assortment overlap in Bioland produce, meat, dairy, and bakery items.
• Alnatura: Germany's largest dedicated organic retail chain with hundreds of stores and a national online shop. Competes for the same organic-food wallet share as the Bioladen and Biokiste, but operates at supermarket scale with no farm-attached identity.
• Bio Company: Major German organic retail chain with ~50 stores across Berlin, Brandenburg, and other regions, plus its own online shop. Comparable as a direct competitor for organic food spend, but operates at retail-chain scale without the farm-attached CSA/community programs that differentiate Gut Paulinenwäldchen.

Regional players

• Gut Wewel: Organic farm in Senden (Münsterland region) with farm store, market stall presence, and CSA-style vegetable subscriptions. Comparable Bioland-style organic operations and subscription programs, but serving a different North Rhine-Westphalia geography than the Aachen area.

Others

• Mels Metzgerei (Schwartz Metzgerei): Family butcher in Würselen that processes all of Gut Paulinenwäldchen's beef and pork and runs a self-service vending machine (Blackomat) for direct meat retail. Listed as a partner here but functions as an adjacent ecosystem participant whose own direct retail could compete with the farm's Fleischpakete sales channel.

Emerging players

• Marktgemeinschaft Grüner Länder: Organic producer cooperative pooling farm-direct products for regional delivery across northern Germany. Comparable subscription/home-delivery model for organic farm products, though operating as a multi-farm aggregator rather than a single-farm operation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bioland.Gauchel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bioland-hof-gut-paulinenw%C3%A4ldchen
• Instagraminstagram.com/gut.paulinenwaeldchen

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Gut Paulinenwäldchen