Brüning Obst- und Gemüsegroßhandels GmbH

What Brüning Obst- und Gemüsegroßhandels GmbH does

Brüning Obst- und Gemüsegroßhandels GmbH is a Northern German fresh-produce wholesale business headquartered in Nortorf, Schleswig-Holstein, operating 24/7 from five locations (Nortorf, Hamburg, Sylt, Rostock and Rügen) with 230 employees. Founded in 1986 by Kai Brüning and now in second-generation family ownership, the company distributes fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, sprouts, salads, mushrooms, nuts, delicatessen, dairy, baked goods and convenience items to foodservice customers — restaurants, hotels, system caterers and institutional kitchens — across Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Bremen, the North Frisian Islands, Rügen, and Southern Denmark (Syddanmark).

The core technology stack is operational rather than digital: a proprietary webshop (shop.bruening-nortorf.de) for online ordering, multi-channel order intake (phone, email, fax, internet), and temperature-controlled HUB logistics enabling daily morning-fresh delivery via company vehicles and external carriers. Supporting infrastructure includes dedicated organic (Brüning Bio, EU Bio certified through February 2027) and pre-cut convenience (ReadyCut/Schnittware) product lines, with quality assurance under IFS Wholesale, ZNU and GarantiertGrün 2025 certifications.

Revenue is generated on a transaction basis: per-order wholesale pricing with a €75 net minimum order value, a €6.90 freight flat rate for direct delivery above minimum, and a €15 transport surcharge plus VAT for sub-minimum orders. Brüning monetizes through two streams — fresh produce wholesale and delivery/logistics fees — and is a subsidiary of Gemüsering Stuttgart GmbH within the Gemüsering-Gruppe network, while operating as a regional partner in the CF Foodservice alliance of 30+ fresh food traders for nationwide system-gastronomy accounts. The go-to-market is sales-led with personal customer contact, supplemented by a direct delivery and pickup model across its five branches and a Feinheimisch-affiliated regional sourcing identity.

Name

Brüning Obst- und Gemüsegroßhandels GmbH

Legal name

Kai Brüning Obst- und Gemüsegroßhandels GmbH

Website

https://bruening-nortorf.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Brüning is a second-generation, family-owned German fresh-produce wholesaler headquartered in Nortorf, distributing fruits, vegetables, dairy, baked goods and convenience products to restaurants, hotels and system caterers across Northern Germany from five 24/7 locations under the Gemüsering-Gruppe and CF Foodservice networks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Produce Wholesale Distribution

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (42448), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (424480)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh Cut / Value-Added Produce Wholesale (Pre-Cut, Packaged, Salad Kits) (AFAIACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty & Gourmet Foods Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAI), Organic & Natural Packaged Grocery Wholesale (AFAIAJAB)

Keywords

• Fresh produce wholesale
• Foodservice distribution
• Fruit and vegetable wholesale
• Fresh food supply
• Regional produce delivery

Headquarters

HQ city

Nortorf

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fresh Produce Wholesale: Sale of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, sprouts, salads, mushrooms, nuts, delicatessen items, dairy products, baked goods and convenience products to foodservice businesses, restaurants, hotels and institutional kitchens
2. Delivery and Logistics Services: Freight and delivery services with a freight cost flat rate of EUR 6.90 for direct deliveries meeting minimum order value. Transport cost surcharge of EUR 15 for orders below minimum.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Brüning is a wholesale distributor of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, sprouts, salads, mushrooms, nuts, delicatessen items, dairy products, baked goods, and convenience foods sold to foodservice businesses such as restaurants, hotels, caterers, and institutional kitchens. Products are sourced daily from wholesale markets, regional farms, and European partners, and delivered directly to customers across Northern Germany from five locations (Nortorf, Hamburg, Sylt, Rostock, Rügen) via a 24/7 Fresheteam service and a proprietary webshop. An organic sub-line (Brüning Bio) and pre-cut convenience range (ReadyCut/Schnittware) are also offered.

Product overview

Brüning Obst- und Gemüsegroßhandels GmbH operates as a second-generation foodservice wholesale business since 1986, offering a unified platform combining physical distribution services with an online webshop. The core offering consists of wholesale fruit and vegetable distribution (Foodservice Brüning - Obst und Gemüse Großhandel) complemented by the digital ordering channel (Brüning Webshop). The product portfolio includes the comprehensive Foodservice Sortiment covering fresh produce, dairy, bakery, and delicatessen items, with specialized sub-products like ReadyCut/Schnittware (pre-cut convenience foods) and the Brüning Bio organic range. The company serves foodservice customers across five locations in Northern Germany, operating 24/7 with 230 employees, and functions as part of the Gemüsering-Gruppe and CF Foodservice network for extended nationwide reach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Brüning Bio: Organic product line featuring Bio-Gemüse, Bio-Kohl, Bio-Salate, Bio-Früchte, Bio-Kartoffeln and Bio-Kräuter.

Products and services

• Foodservice Fresh Produce Wholesale Distribution Daily wholesale distribution of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, sprouts, salads, mushrooms, nuts, delicatessen items, dairy products, baked goods, and convenience products to foodservice businesses such as restaurants, hotels, caterers, and institutional kitchens across Northern Germany, with products sourced from wholesale markets, regional farms, and European partners and delivered directly from five locations.
• Brüning Webshop (Online Ordering Platform) Web-based ordering platform enabling foodservice customers to browse the Brüning assortment, view current offers, and place orders electronically as an alternative to phone, email, and fax ordering channels.
• Brüning Bio (Organic Product Line) Certified organic sub-line of the Brüning assortment covering organic vegetables, cabbage, salads, fruits, potatoes, and herbs, available to foodservice customers as a separately certified range within the overall wholesale portfolio.
• ReadyCut / Schnittware (Pre-cut Convenience Products) Pre-cleaned, pre-cut, and ready-to-use vegetable and convenience products for professional kitchens, offering kitchen-ready formats of the Brüning fresh assortment to reduce in-house preparation time.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24/7 availability for fresh food delivery
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• FeinheimischminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Association promoting regional products from Schleswig-Holstein. Founded in 2007 with over 500 members. Brüning is a long-term supporter, emphasizing their commitment to regional products, direct producer contact and sustainability.
• Gemüsering-GruppecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent group association that Brüning is a part of. Within the Gemüsering group, they work with a network of growers, trading companies, cutting/convenience and delicatessen producers. This provides market intelligence, diversified supply sources and collective purchasing power across the network.
• CF FoodservicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational alliance of 30+ fresh food traders serving large-scale consumers, system caterers and hoteliers with 'all ranges from one source'. The partnership enables regional and seasonal sourcing combined with nationwide distribution through HUB logistics.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Handelshof Management GmbH: German cash-and-carry and foodservice wholesale group serving hotels, restaurants and caterers with fresh and packaged food. Comparable in foodservice channel focus and B2B delivery model, with multi-location presence in Germany.
• Chefs Culinar GmbH: Major German foodservice wholesaler serving hotels, restaurants, system caterers and communal kitchens with a broad assortment including fresh produce. Directly comparable in customer mix and B2B foodservice distribution, operating at larger national scale.
• FrischeParadies GmbH: German premium fresh-foods distributor serving upscale restaurants, hotels and caterers with daily fresh produce delivery. Directly comparable to Brüning in customer type (foodservice/HoReCa), product mix (fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, delicatessen) and delivery-led model.

Broad incumbents

• Edeka Foodservice: Foodservice arm of the Edeka Group supplying fresh and ambient products to restaurants, hotels and caterers across Germany. Directly comparable customer base and product category, but significantly larger scale, national footprint and integrated retailer procurement.
• Transgourmet Deutschland (Metro AG): One of Germany's largest foodservice wholesalers, serving HoReCa and communal catering with a broad assortment that includes fresh produce. Comparable as a competitor in the foodservice wholesale channel, but operates at far greater national scale and assortment breadth than Brüning.
• Bonduelle Deutschland GmbH: German arm of the global vegetable producer/processor with significant fresh and packaged produce operations supplying retail and foodservice. Comparable product overlap (fresh and processed vegetables) and foodservice channel presence, though Bonduelle is upstream manufacturer rather than pure distributor.

Emerging players

• Weiling GmbH: German organic-wholesale specialist supplying organic retailers and foodservice operators with certified-organic produce and natural foods. Comparable in the organic fresh-produce segment and foodservice channel, though Weiling emphasizes natural-food retail whereas Brüning's Bio line is one component of a broader fresh offering.
• Dennree GmbH: Germany's largest organic food wholesaler, distributing certified-organic produce and natural foods to organic retailers and select foodservice customers. Comparable in the Bio/organic fresh-produce overlap with Brüning's Bio range, though Dennree primarily serves natural-food retail rather than HoReCa.

Others

• CF Foodservice (Verbund): Network alliance of 30+ German fresh food wholesalers (including Brüning) providing system-wide procurement and HUB logistics for large-scale foodservice accounts. Comparable not as a competitor but as an alliance in which Brüning participates to reach national chain customers it could not serve alone.
• Gemüsering Stuttgart GmbH: Parent group of which Brüning is a subsidiary, coordinating procurement, growers, and processing across a network of German fresh-produce wholesalers. Relevant as the controlling network shaping Brüning's supply economics and national reach rather than as a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/brueningobstundgemuesegrosshandel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/br%C3%BCning-obst-und-gem%C3%BCsegro%C3%9Fhandels-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/bruening_foodservice
• TikToktiktok.com/@foodservice_bruen?_t=ZN-8zp5Cpfs6nX&_r=1

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Brüning Obst- und Gemüsegroßhandels GmbH