sheepworld
sheepworld AG is a German giftware company founded in 1997 that designs and distributes greeting cards, gift articles, and stationery to stationary retailers and licensees across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland under the iconic sheep mascot "Sören" brand.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersUrsensollen, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What sheepworld does
sheepworld AG is a German giftware company founded in 1997 in Amberg, Oberpfalz, now headquartered in Ursensollen, Bavaria. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes greeting cards, gift articles, stationery, and seasonal lifestyle products featuring emotionally resonant and humor-driven designs, anchored by its iconic black-and-white sheep mascot "Sören" and the cult slogan "Ohne Dich ist alles doof." Over the years the company has expanded into a portfolio of brands including H:PPYlife, GRUSS & CO, my beautytree, and a licensed Anouk collection developed with Tabaluga Enterprises based on the Peter Maffay/Hendrikje Balsmeyer children's book IP. In 2026, all sub-brands were consolidated under a unified sheepworld umbrella brand with a new logo and visual identity.
Revenue is generated through three primary streams: B2B wholesale of greeting cards, gift articles, and stationery to stationary retail partners across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland; licensing royalties from third-party manufacturers embedding sheepworld characters on products ranging from footwear and luggage to puzzles and sleepwear; and direct-to-consumer sales via the company's own e-commerce shop (shop.sheepworld.de) and Amazon Germany storefront. The go-to-market model is sales-led, supported by an extensive field sales organization covering DACH postal code territories, a dedicated B2B Handelspartnerportal for registered trade partners, key account management, and an inside sales function for smaller accounts. Trade shows (TrendSet, Nordstil, Ambiente) serve as critical discovery and partner acquisition touchpoints.
The company is led by a four-member Management Board co-founded by Tobias Hiltl (CEO) and Stefanie Kraemer, with a Supervisory Board chaired by Michael Bader. With over 60 employees, the company remains founder/management-owned (AG corporate form) with no reported external private equity, venture capital, or parent company involvement. Logistics and order fulfillment are handled by Agorando Technologies GmbH (formerly LKG) from a distribution center in Leipzig.
sheepworld firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- sheepworld
- Legal name
- sheepworld AG
- Website
- https://sheepworld.ag
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- sheepworld AG is a German giftware company founded in 1997 that designs and distributes greeting cards, gift articles, and stationery to stationary retailers and licensees across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland under the iconic sheep mascot "Sören" brand.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
sheepworld industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Greeting Cards and Gift Articles
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)
- SIC
- Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Dolls, Plush & Action Figures Retail (CRALAFAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Seasonal & Occasion Specialty Department Stores (Holiday/Party) (CRAGAGAJ)
Keywords
Where sheepworld is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ursensollen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
sheepworld business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- B2B Wholesale to Retailers: Wholesale distribution of greeting cards, gift articles, and stationery to stationary retail partners including gift shops, card shops, and department stores. Products sold through trade sales representatives and the B2B online portal with minimum order requirements and small packaging units for flexibility.
- Licensing Royalties: Licensing of sheepworld brand characters and designs (including sheep Sören and the 'Ohne Dich ist alles doof' slogan) to third-party manufacturers for products such as footwear, luggage, sleepwear, lighters, confections, and puzzles. License partners include Accentra, Athesia, Ravensburger, License Factory, MyPostcard, Spreadshirt, and others.
- Direct E-commerce (Consumer): Direct-to-consumer sales through the shop.sheepworld.de e-commerce storefront featuring anniversary products and special editions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | B2B wholesale pricing for retail partners |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
sheepworld product offering
Product offeringCore offering
sheepworld AG designs, manufactures, and distributes greeting cards, gift articles, and stationery products featuring emotionally resonant and humorous messaging, anchored by its iconic black-and-white sheep mascot "Sören" and the cult slogan "Ohne Dich ist alles doof." The company primarily sells wholesale to stationary retail partners (gift shops, card shops, department stores) across the DACH region and operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce shop plus a brand licensing program for third-party manufacturers.
Product overview
sheepworld AG is a German giftware company founded in 1997 in Amberg (Oberpfalz), now headquartered in Ursensollen. The company operates as a leading German provider of greeting cards and gift articles. Since 2026, all former sub-brands (H:PPYlife, GRUSS & CO, my beautytree) have been consolidated under the unified sheepworld umbrella brand. The core product portfolio centers on the iconic black-and-white sheep mascot with the cult slogan 'Ohne Dich ist alles doof' (Without you everything is stupid), complemented by licensed collections like Anouk (from Peter Maffay/Tabaluga). Product offerings span greeting cards (handmade variants included), gift items (mugs, cushions, keychains, piggy banks, plush toys), stationery (notebooks, notepads, pens), seasonal collections (Valentine's, Easter, Christmas, Father's/Mother's Day), children's products (school start, unicorn, dinosaur themes), and novelty items (shot glasses, magic socks, keychains). The company also provides B2B services including a dealer portal for trade partners, WhatsApp Business B2B support, and POS display solutions. Licensed products extend to shoes, suitcases, pajamas, and home goods through various licensing partners.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GRUSS & CO: Gift brand included in sheepworld's brand portfolio, being phased out and integrated under sheepworld umbrella brand starting 2026.
- H:PPYlife
- my beautytree
- Anouk
Products and services
- sheepworld Hauptkatalog (Main Catalog)
- sheepworld Winter/Glück Katalog
- Neuheitenflyer (New Products Flyers)
- Keine Ahnung Serie (Office Humor Series)
- Dackel-Liebe Serie (Dachshund Love Series)
- Catboss Serie
- Knuffel-Knautschis Plush Collection
- Anouk Kollektion (Licensed Gift Collection)
- Mama Du bist die Allerbeste Kollektion (Mother's Day Collection)
- Allerbester Papa Kollektion (Father's Day Collection)
- Mr. & Mrs. Kollektion (Wedding Collection)
- Schatz Serie (Treasure Series)
- Schlüsselanhänger mit Flaschenöffner (Keychain with Bottle Opener)
- Fußball Kollektion (Football Collection)
- Kinderartikel (Children's Items)
- Glücksbringer (Lucky Charm Series)
- Mini-Lampen (Mini Lamps)
- Untersetzer (Coasters)
- Zaubersocken (Magic Socks)
- Schnapsgläser (Shot Glasses)
- Schulstart 2026 Kollektion (School Start 2026 Collection)
- Einheitlicher Markenauftritt 2026 (Unified Sheepworld Brand Identity)
- Handelspartnerportal (B2B Dealer Portal)
- Direct E-commerce (shop.sheepworld.de)
- Lizenzpartner-Programm (Licensing Partner Program)
- POS Displays (Chep-Displays)
Quantifiable outcome
- Leading position in German greeting card and gift article market since founding in 1997
Companies that use sheepworld
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
sheepworld technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
sheepworld partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- SOS-Kinderdorf ImmenreuthminorRegional charitable partnership where sheepworld donated €1,500 raised at the Schaffest Brand event to support the SOS Children's Village in Immenreuth, providing assistance to children and youth in difficult life situations.
- Peter Maffay StiftungcoreCharitable partnership where a portion of Anouk collection proceeds supports the Peter Maffay Foundation, which provides care for disadvantaged children and youth at facilities including the Tabalugahaus Gut Dietlhofen. sheepworld has donated to support the foundation's programs.
- Tabaluga Enterprises GmbHcoreLicensing partnership for the Anouk gift collection based on the Spiegel bestseller children's books by Hendrikje Balsmeyer and Peter Maffay. Products include plush pillows, magic crystal balls, and hair accessories featuring Joëlle Tourlonias illustrations. A portion of Anouk sales supports the Peter Maffay Foundation.
- Agorando Technologies GmbH (formerly LKG)coreLong-term logistics partnership for order fulfillment and distribution. LKG Leipziger Kommissions- und Großbuchhandelsgesellschaft mbH rebranded to Agorando Technologies GmbH in October 2024. Handles warehousing and shipment of sheepworld products to retail partners.
- Multiple License Partners (Accentra, Athesia, Curly Smooth, Deine Torte, Goldbuch, Heye, Kukartka, License Factory, MyPostcard, PuzzleYou, RIVA, Spreadshirt, Stoff & Liebe, Tex Idea, Undercover, Wall-Art)coreLicensing partnerships for sheepworld brand characters and slogans across diverse product categories including footwear (Accentra), publishing (Athesia, Goldbuch, Heye), confectionery packaging (Kukartka, MyPostcard), puzzles (PuzzleYou, RIVA), textiles (Stoff & Liebe, Curly Smooth), advertising specialties (Tex Idea, License Factory), lifestyle products (Undercover), and wall decorations (Wall-Art).
- Amazon GermanyminorMarketplace partnership for direct-to-consumer sales through the Amazon Germany store, expanding brand reach to online shoppers.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
sheepworld competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Heye Verlag: Heye Verlag is a German publisher of greeting cards and puzzles and is also a sheepworld license partner. Directly comparable across the core greeting-card category and shared DACH distribution channels.
- NICI: NICI is a German plush toy and lifestyle gift company distributing character-driven products through specialty retail across Europe. Closely comparable product categories (plush, gift articles, stationery) and overlapping B2B gtm motion to gift shops and stationery retailers in DACH.
- räder design: räder design is a German lifestyle gift brand producing poetic/ironic home accessories, stationery, and gift articles. Comparable DACH wholesale gtm into gift and lifestyle boutiques, and overlapping seasonal/occasion-driven product positioning with sheepworld.
- HABA: HABA (Habermaass GmbH) is a German family/children's brand producing toys, gift items, and play products with comparable DACH-focused distribution into specialty retail. Overlaps with sheepworld's children's collections, school-start and plush product lines.
- SIGIKID: SIGIKID is a German plush and lifestyle gift brand with comparable product mix (plush toys, baby gifts, lifestyle products) and similar DACH-focused wholesale distribution to specialty retail. Comparable scale and target customer profile make it the closest direct peer.
- Goldbuch: Goldbuch is a German stationery and photo-album/gift brand that is both a peer in the German gift/stationery market and an existing sheepworld license partner. Its product mix (photo books, stationery, gift items) and DACH wholesale channel overlap with sheepworld's core business.
Broad incumbents
- Steiff: Steiff is a heritage German plush toy and gift manufacturer with broader product portfolio and higher price positioning than sheepworld. Comparable in product category and DACH distribution, but operates at greater scale and with a wider range of categories.
- American Greetings: American Greetings is a large US-based greeting card and gift company operating across multiple categories. Comparable as a category incumbent; comparable breadth of product mix (cards, gift wrap, plush, stationery) even if it does not directly compete in DACH.
- Hallmark Cards: Hallmark is the global greeting card and gift industry incumbent and the most relevant scaled benchmark for sheepworld's core category. Not a direct competitor in the niche character-driven German segment, but defines the broader competitive context.
Others
- Ravensburger: Ravensburger is a German puzzle and games company that is also an existing sheepworld license partner for puzzle products. Overlaps through sheepworld-licensed puzzle SKUs and shared DACH toy retail channels, though its core business is games/puzzles rather than gifts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
sheepworld social profiles
Digital presencesheepworld compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
sheepworld financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
sheepworld leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
sheepworld funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
sheepworld M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about sheepworld
What does sheepworld do?
sheepworld AG designs, manufactures, and distributes greeting cards, gift articles, and stationery products featuring emotionally resonant and humorous messaging, anchored by its iconic black-and-white sheep mascot "Sören" and the cult slogan "Ohne Dich ist alles doof." The company primarily sells wholesale to stationary retail partners (gift shops, card shops, department stores) across the DACH region and operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce shop plus a brand licensing program for third-party manufacturers.
Is sheepworld a public or private company?
sheepworld is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was sheepworld founded?
sheepworld was founded in 1997. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is sheepworld based?
sheepworld is headquartered in Ursensollen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does sheepworld make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. B2B Wholesale to Retailers are the primary driver. The others are licensing Royalties and direct E-commerce (Consumer).
Who are sheepworld's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Heye Verlag, NICI, räder design, HABA, SIGIKID and Goldbuch. Broad incumbents are Steiff, American Greetings and Hallmark Cards. Ravensburger is listed as an others.
Does sheepworld have an API?
No public API is recorded for sheepworld.
What industry is sheepworld in?
sheepworld's product category is Greeting Cards and Gift Articles. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAFAD, Dolls, Plush & Action Figures Retail, with a secondary code of CRAGAGAJ, Seasonal & Occasion Specialty Department Stores (Holiday/Party). Its NAICS code is 45912 and its SIC code is 5945.