Weltladen-Dachverband e.V

What Weltladen-Dachverband e.V does

Weltladen-Dachverband e.V is a registered German non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 1975 and headquartered in Mainz, serving as the national umbrella organization for approximately 900 World Shops (Weltläden) and fair trade action groups in Germany. Of those shops, roughly 470 are dues-paying members. The association operates with a small professional secretariat of 12 staff led by a deputy managing director and a volunteer board (Vorstand). Its mission centers on promoting fair trade, transparent supply chains, climate justice, gender equality, and the dismantling of colonial trade structures.

The association's product portfolio is structured around four pillars: (1) the Lieferantenkatalog, a searchable online database of approximately 90 vetted fair trade importers and suppliers, with formal recognition procedures (one-time review fees of €215–€550 plus an annual 1% turnover-linked fee); (2) the annual Weltladen-Fachtage & Fachmesse trade fair in Bad Hersfeld, combining supplier exhibition with professional training; (3) digital and in-person educational offerings, including Digitale Lernsnacks (interactive learning modules built on H5P/Learningsnacks/Kahoot), downloadable Bildungsmaterialien, and the fairtont. podcast (currently in Season 6, 40+ episodes); and (4) member services such as the Ladencheck store assessment, Online-Sprechstunde consultation sessions, training and qualification programs, and the national Weltladen-Gutschein gift voucher system. The technology stack is intentionally lightweight and privacy-focused: self-hosted Matomo analytics, Mailchimp newsletters, and standard web embeds, with content distributed under Creative Commons BY 4.0.

Revenue is diversified across membership fees from ~470 World Shops, supplier catalog fees from ~90 importers, sales of educational materials and gift vouchers, trade fair income, and grants from five German development funders (Misereor, Brot für die Welt, ENGAGEMENT GLOBAL/BMZ, Deutsche Postcode-Lotterie, and Kirchlicher Entwicklungsdienst). Customer segments are fragmented: the primary segment is independent SMB retailers (World Shops), with secondary reach into public sector procurement (German municipalities spending ~€200 billion annually), schools, and individual consumers. The association co-organizes Germany's largest fair trade action week (Faire Woche, 2,000+ events) with Forum Fairer Handel and Fairtrade Deutschland, and runs the annual Weltladentag (World Shop Day).

Name

Weltladen-Dachverband e.V

Legal name

Weltladen-Dachverband e.V.

Website

https://weltladen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Weltladen-Dachverband e.V is the German national umbrella association (founded 1975, Mainz) for approximately 900 fair trade World Shops, providing supplier verification, member services, annual trade fairs, and advocacy campaigns to its ~470 member retailers and the broader fair trade movement in Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fair Trade Association Services

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Fair Trade & Ethical Supply Chains (Certification, Traceability, Producer Support) (BPAGALAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Inclusive Trade (Gender, Youth, Marginalized Groups) (BPADAMAM)

Keywords

• Fair trade association
• Nonprofit umbrella organization
• Ethical retail advocacy
• Fair supply chains
• Global learning education

Headquarters

HQ city

Mainz

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Mitgliedsbeiträge (Membership Fees): Annual fees from member World Shops. Member World Shops commit to purchasing exclusively from suppliers listed in the approved supplier catalog.
2. Lieferantenkatalog Gebühren (Supplier Catalog Fees): Annual fee of 1% of turnover with member World Shops. One-time review fee of €550 (€350 for organizations with annual turnover under €150,000, €280 for FAIR BAND members, €215 for guaranteed WFTO members).
3. Materialien & Bildungsmaterialien (Materials & Educational Materials): Sale of educational materials, guides, and merchandise to World Shops and the public.
4. Fachmesse & Fachtage (Trade Fair & Specialist Days): Annual trade fair in Bad Hersfeld (Schilde-Halle) for approved suppliers and World Shop professionals.
5. Fördermittel (Grant Funding): Funding from Misereor, Brot für die Welt, ENGAGEMENT GLOBAL (BMZ), Deutsche Postcode-Lotterie, and Kirchlicher Entwicklungsdienst for educational materials and activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Weltladen-Dachverband e.V is the national umbrella association for approximately 900 World Shops (Weltläden) in Germany, of which roughly 470 are members. The organization coordinates fair trade activities by curating an approved supplier catalog of ~90 fair trade importers, running political advocacy campaigns (Weltladentag, Faire Woche), delivering educational programs (Digitale Lernsnacks, fairtont. podcast, Bildungsmaterialien), and providing member services including advisory, training, store assessment, and a national gift voucher system.

Product overview

Weltladen-Dachverband e.V operates as the central umbrella organization for approximately 900 World Stores (Weltläden) across Germany, offering a comprehensive platform of products and services. The core portfolio includes the annual Weltladen-Fachtage & Fachmesse (professional conference and trade fair), the Lieferantenkatalog (catalog of ~90 verified fair trade suppliers), and the fairtont. podcast series. Educational offerings center on Digitale Lernsnacks (interactive digital learning modules) covering fair trade, coffee, cocoa, and climate topics, along with Bildungsmaterialien (teaching materials) and the Online-Sprechstunde (consultation service). Supporting services include the Weltladen-Gutschein (national gift voucher system), Weltladen finden (store finder tool), Ladencheck (store assessment), and member advisory services. Approximately 470 of the ~900 German Weltladen stores are members of the Dachverband.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• fairtont. The world shop podcast, currently in Season 6, hosted by Laura and Annalena, covering fair trade topics and stories.

Products and services

• Weltladen-Fachtage & Fachmesse (Annual Trade Fair & Specialist Days) Annual professional conference combining exhibition and seminars for World Shop staff and fair trade professionals. Features the Fachmesse (trade fair) where approximately 90 approved fair trade suppliers showcase their products.
• Lieferantenkatalog (Supplier Catalog) Online searchable catalog of approximately 90 approved fair trade importers and suppliers, verified by the Weltladen-Dachverband through a formal recognition process. Provides World Shops with curated supplier options filtered by product groups, countries, and certifications.
• fairtont. Podcast Podcast series 'fairtont.' (Fair Sounds) exploring fair trade topics through conversations with producers, entrepreneurs, and experts. Currently in Season 6 with over 40 episodes.
• Digitale Lernsnacks (Digital Learning Snacks) Interactive digital educational tools including quizzes, memory games, timelines, and self-learning modules about fair trade topics (coffee, cocoa, jeans, climate justice, colonial continuities). Available for free without registration, using OER and Creative Commons licensing.
• Weltladen-Gutschein (Gift Voucher) National gift voucher system redeemable at participating World Shop stores across Germany. Available to consumers for purchase and provides a coordinated gift-giving solution for the World Shop network.
• Bildungsmaterialien (Educational Materials) Educational resources and materials for schools, multipliers, and fair trade advocates. Includes downloadable PDFs, teaching concepts, and workshop guides on fair trade topics.
• Online-Sprechstunde (Online Consultation) Virtual consultation sessions for World Shop stores on topics like sustainable procurement, store operations, and fair trade practices.
• Ladencheck (Store Assessment) Assessment tool for evaluating and improving World Shop store operations, sustainability practices, and fair trade compliance.
• Beratung & Begleitung (Advisory & Support Services) Consulting and support services for World Shop stores including member care, founding support for new shops, and operational guidance.
• Fortbildung & Qualifizierung (Training & Qualification) Training programs and qualification opportunities for World Shop staff and volunteers on fair trade topics, retail operations, and advocacy.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~900 World Shops across Germany serving as retail locations and community centers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Forum Fairer Handel e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of Faire Woche (Fair Week) together with Weltladen-Dachverband and Fairtrade Deutschland. The Faire Woche is Germany's largest fair trade action week with 2,000+ events.
• Fairtrade Deutschland e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of Faire Woche (Fair Week). Partnership for coordinated fair trade advocacy and events across Germany.
• MisereormajorOthersGerman Catholic development organization that funds website development and fair trade educational initiatives.
• Brot für die Welt - Evangelischer EntwicklungsdienstmajorOthersProtestant development service that provides funding through Kirchlicher Entwicklungsdienst for educational materials and World Shop support activities.
• ENGAGEMENT GLOBAL (BMZ)majorOthersGerman development organization funded by BMZ (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development) that supports fair trade education and campaigns including Weltladentag.
• Deutsche Postcode-LotteriesupportingOthersGerman charitable lottery that funds educational materials and fair trade initiatives.
• VENRO (Verband für Entwicklungspolitik und Humanitäre Hilfe)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman development policy association. Weltladen-Dachverband participates in joint advocacy campaigns including calls to stop cuts to development cooperation and humanitarian aid.
• ONEsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal advocacy organization fighting extreme poverty and preventable disease. Partner in coalition to stop cuts to development cooperation.
• Global CitizensupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational advocacy organization. Coalition partner in campaign against cuts to development cooperation and humanitarian aid.
• WFTO (World Fair Trade Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal network of fair trade organizations. Suppliers with guaranteed WFTO membership qualify for reduced review fees in the supplier catalog procedure.
• FAIR BANDsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFair trade brand association. Members qualify for reduced supplier review fees in the Lieferantenkatalog process.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• El Puente GmbH: German fair trade importer and FAIR BAND member that supplies World Shops. Comparable as a fair trade wholesale supplier operating within the same German fair trade ecosystem that the Dachverband coordinates.
• GEPA - The Fair Trade Company: Largest fair trade importer in Germany, likely included in the Weltladen-Dachverband's supplier catalog. Comparable as a fair trade wholesaler supplying World Shops and broader retail with certified products.
• BanaFair e.V. German fair trade importer specializing in food products from small farmer cooperatives in the Global South. Directly comparable as a fair trade supplier targeting the World Shop channel.

Direct peers

• FAIR BAND: German association of fair trade brand companies whose members qualify for reduced supplier catalog fees in the Weltladen-Dachverband process. Comparable as a fair trade umbrella/membership organization coordinating supplier recognition.
• Fairtrade Deutschland e.V. German Fairtrade labeling organization and co-organizer of Faire Woche with Weltladen-Dachverband. Operates the Fairtrade certification mark in Germany, comparable in mission (fair trade advocacy and certification) and overlapping member/partner network.
• VENRO (Verband für Entwicklungspolitik und Humanitäre Hilfe): German umbrella of development and humanitarian aid NGOs, a coalition partner of Weltladen-Dachverband. Comparable as a German membership-based advocacy association operating in the international development/policy space.
• Forum Fairer Handel e.V. German umbrella association of fair trade organizations, co-organizing Faire Woche with Weltladen-Dachverband. Closely comparable as a fair trade membership/advocacy body with overlapping members and shared political campaigns.

Broad incumbents

• World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO): Global umbrella for fair trade enterprises with a Guaranteed Fair Trade label. The Weltladen-Dachverband supplier catalog recognizes WFTO membership with reduced fees, positioning WFTO as the international peer in fair trade assurance.
• TransFair e.V. (Fairtrade Germany predecessor): Historical German Fairtrade labeling body (now merged into Fairtrade Deutschland). Comparable as a fair trade certification and advocacy organization targeting the same German market.

Emerging players

• Naturland e.V. German organic and fair trade certification association with international reach. Comparable as a Germany-based certification/labeling organization that overlaps with fair trade criteria relevant to World Shop suppliers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WeltladenDachverband
• Facebookfacebook.com/weltladendachverband
• Instagraminstagram.com/weltladen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/weltladen-dachverband

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Weltladen-Dachverband e.V