Johann 1857

What Johann 1857 does

Johann 1857 GmbH is an Austrian private limited company headquartered in Vienna (Billrothstraße 51, 1190 Wien) that operates as a distribution and marketing organization for national and international premium beverage brands. The legal entity was formed in summer 2024 following the dissolution of the KATTUS-BORCO joint venture, though the operating heritage traces to 1857 when founder Johann Kattus established a grocery store at Hof 8 in Vienna; the company operates today as a family-owned business in its fifth generation. JOHANN runs four specialized Channel Competence Centers — Off-Trade (retail), Premium On-Trade (high-end hospitality), Mainstream On-Trade (casual dining and pubs), and E-Commerce — which together market and distribute a portfolio of premium beverage brands including Laurent Perrier, Salon, and Delamotte champagnes; Kattus sparkling wines; Beluga vodka; The Dalmore and Elijah Craig whiskies; Brockmans gin; and the Branca group's Fernet Branca, Carpano, Borghetti, and Brancamenta liqueurs, alongside the Oyster specialty liqueur.

The underlying operating model combines physical distribution across Austria — with particular depth in Vienna and tourist hotspots — with integrated marketing capability delivered through in-house competence centers covering digital marketing, social media, trade marketing, and event management, supplemented by international trend scouting. Revenue is generated through distribution margins and marketing fees paid by brand owners (transaction-fee style B2B economics), with downstream customers including premium restaurants, hotels, and retail partners; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company employs approximately 11 people, has an active career page with open positions (including a part-time Brand Manager Mainstream Brands role), and supports up to 20% remote work. Leadership comprises Managing Director & Head of Marketing Karl Wurm (former Beam Suntory Managing Director for E-Commerce across EMEA and South America) and Head of Finance & Operations Thomas Hochhaltinger (former Managing Director at Mayr-Melnhof).

Name

Johann 1857

Legal name

JOHANN 1857 GmbH

Website

https://johann1857.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Johann 1857 is an Austrian family-owned distribution and marketing organization for international premium beverage brands, operating through four specialized channel competence centers (Off-Trade, Premium On-Trade, Mainstream On-Trade, E-Commerce) serving brand owners, retail partners, and high-end hospitality across Vienna and Austria.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Brand Distribution and Marketing Services: JOHANN acts as the distribution and marketing partner for premium beverage brands, earning revenue through margins on distribution and marketing fees from brand owners. As a Best-in-Class distribution and marketing organization, they handle brand placement, marketing strategies, and sales execution for premium beverage brands in the Austrian market.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

JOHANN 1857 GmbH is a B2B distribution and marketing organization that represents national and international premium beverage brands in the Austrian market. It distributes and markets a portfolio of luxury champagnes, whiskies, gins, vodkas, and liqueurs through four specialized channel competence centers (Off-Trade, Premium On-Trade, Mainstream On-Trade, and E-Commerce) and provides integrated marketing services including digital marketing, social media, trade marketing, and event management.

Product overview

JOHANN is a best-in-class distribution and marketing organization for premium beverage brands in Austria, emerged from the KATTUS-BORCO joint venture in summer 2024. The company distributes and markets national and international premium beverage brands through four Channel Competence Centers: Off-Trade, Premium On-Trade, Mainstream On-Trade, and E-Commerce. JOHANN's portfolio includes champagne brands (Laurent Perrier, Salon, Delamotte, Kattus), whisky (The Dalmore, Elijah Craig), gin (Brockmans), vodka (Beluga), and liqueurs (Fernet Branca, Carpano, Borghetti, Brancamenta, Oyster). The company provides integrated marketing services including digital marketing, social media, trade marketing, and event management through its own competence centers and external agency partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Delamotte: Premium beverage brand in portfolio
• Beluga
• The Dalmore
• Fernet Branca
• Carpano
• Borghetti
• Brancamenta
• Kattus
• Salon
• Elijah Craig
• Brockmans
• Oyster

Products and services

• Laurent Perrier Premium champagne brand in JOHANN's portfolio, distributed to Austrian off-trade retail, on-trade hospitality, and e-commerce channels.
• Salon Prestigious champagne house included in JOHANN's premium champagne portfolio for Austrian distribution.
• Delamotte Historic champagne house in JOHANN's portfolio, distributed to Austrian off-trade retail, on-trade hospitality, and e-commerce channels.
• Kattus Austrian sparkling wine and champagne brand with deep historical roots as part of the Kattus family legacy, distributed to Austrian off-trade, on-trade, and e-commerce channels.
• Beluga Premium Russian vodka brand in JOHANN's spirits portfolio, distributed in Austria across off-trade, on-trade, and e-commerce channels.
• The Dalmore Single malt Scotch whisky brand distributed through JOHANN to Austrian retail, hospitality, and e-commerce channels.
• Fernet Branca Italian amaro/bitter liqueur brand in JOHANN's spirits portfolio, distributed in Austria.
• Carpano Italian vermouth brand, part of the Branca group, distributed by JOHANN to Austrian retail, hospitality, and e-commerce channels.

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• LuxardocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1870The relationship with the Luxardo family began in 1870 when Johann Kattus established his caviar factory. This partnership has continued for over 150 years, representing one of the oldest ongoing business relationships in the premium beverage industry. Luxardo produces premium Italian spirits and food products distributed through JOHANN's network.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Diageo: Diageo is a global premium spirits leader whose portfolio (Scotch, gin, vodka) overlaps heavily with JOHANN's brand mix and which manages Austria presence through its own distribution and marketing infrastructure. Comparable in product category and target venues (premium on-trade, travel retail).
• Beam Suntory: Beam Suntory is a major premium spirits house (Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Yamazaki, Laphroaig) and JOHANN's Managing Director Karl Wurm's most recent prior employer. Directly comparable as both a brand owner and as a holder of distribution relationships overlapping with JOHANN's category.
• Bacardi Limited: Bacardi is a large premium rums and spirits group with its own European distribution footprint in Austria. Overlaps with JOHANN in spirits portfolio mix and in serving on-premise hospitality customers in the same premium category.
• Stoli Group: Stoli Group is a premium spirits company (Stolichnaya, elit vodka, The Botanist gin) whose vodka and gin brands directly overlap with JOHANN's Beluga and Brockmans portfolio and which requires specialist premium distribution similar to JOHANN's model.
• Pernod Ricard: Pernod Ricard is one of the world's largest premium wine and spirits groups, distributing many of the same global premium brands (e.g., champagne, Scotch, premium spirits) that JOHANN carries in Austria. It operates broad own-brand distribution and competes with specialist distributors like JOHANN for on-trade and off-trade premium share.
• Brown-Forman: Brown-Forman is a premium-focused US spirits company whose bourbon and tequila portfolios (Jack Daniel's, Woodford Reserve, Herradura) sit in the same premium on-trade and travel-retail distribution channels that JOHANN serves in Austria. Comparable category positioning and hospitality-focused go-to-market.
• Rémy Cointreau: Rémy Cointreau is a premium spirits and liqueur group (Rémy Martin cognac, Cointreau, Metaxa) with significant on-trade distribution requirements in Austria; competes with specialist distributors like JOHANN for premium list placements and travel-retail shelf space.
• Campari Group: Campari Group owns aperitif and premium spirits brands (Aperol, Campari, Averna) that overlap with the liqueur and bitters portion of JOHANN's portfolio and operate in the same on-trade occasions. Comparable in distribution intensity required per point of on-trade volume.
• Treasury Wine Estates: Treasury Wine Estates is a major premium-focused wine producer (Penfolds, LVMH-acquisition target era) with on-trade and travel-retail distribution needs that overlap with JOHANN's premium hospitality channel mix and require similar marketing-led partnerships in single markets like Austria.

Direct peers

• Schlumberger: Schlumberger is Austria's heritage sparkling-wine producer, founded in 1842, and a direct domestic peer to JOHANN in serving the same premium Austrian on-trade and tourist venues. Both combine Austrian heritage with premium beverage marketing to overlapping hospitality customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/johann1857

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Johann 1857