Tabak Wolters

What Tabak Wolters does

Tabak Wolters (legal entity: Hinrich Wolters GmbH) is a family-owned German tobacco wholesale and cigarette vending machine operator headquartered in Bremen-Blumenthal. Founded in 1930 by Hinrich Wolters and now led by the third generation (Joachim Wolters and Imke Wolters as Geschäftsführer), the company distributes tobacco products — cigarettes, fine-cut tobacco, volume tobacco, pipe tobacco, cigars/cigarillos, snuff, and smoking accessories — across a portfolio of more than 2,000 articles sourced from all freely available German industry brands, plus the exclusive Convent private label distributed via the DTV Verbundgruppe network.

The company serves approximately 1,000 wholesale customers and operates more than 7,500 cigarette vending machines across gastronomy venues, workplaces, canteens, and outdoor locations in Bremen, northwestern Lower Saxony, southern Hamburg, eastern Lower Saxony, and Schleswig-Holstein. Ordering is enabled through multiple channels — territory sales managers (Gebietsverkaufsleiter), telephone, fax, B2B webshop, mobile ordering app for Android/iOS, and POS system integration with Schapfl, HUTH, and Bungalski cash register systems.

Revenue is generated through wholesale distribution of tobacco products and smoking accessories (one-time sales per order), vending machine hardware placement and service, and ancillary services such as prepaid card / E-loading terminals and gift vouchers. The company is a co-shareholder of DTV Tabakwaren-Vertriebsgesellschaft (Europe's largest tobacco wholesale verbund group) and supports the Tabac & Co and Come In franchise concepts operated by DTV Einzelhandelssysteme, which together comprise more than 250 retail locations across Germany. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and operates on a quote-based, consultative B2B model.

Name

Tabak Wolters

Legal name

Hinrich Wolters GmbH

Website

https://tabakwolters.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Tabak Wolters is a family-owned German tobacco wholesale distributor and cigarette vending machine operator serving nearly 1,000 retail customers across northern Germany with a 2,000+ SKU portfolio, including the exclusive Convent private label brand distributed via the DTV Verbundgruppe network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tobacco Wholesale Distribution

NAICS

Tobacco Product and Electronic Cigarette Merchant Wholesalers (424940)

SIC

Tobacco Products (2100)

akta.pro primary industry

Vape, E-cigarette & Nicotine Alternative Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAIAE)

Keywords

• Tobacco wholesale distribution
• Cigarette vending machines
• Smoking accessories supply
• Tobacco logistics services
• Convenience store supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Bremen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tobacco wholesale distribution: Wholesale distribution of tobacco products to retailers across northern Germany. Sells cigarettes, fine-cut tobacco, pipe tobacco, cigars/cigarillos, smokeless tobacco, and own brand Convent products.
2. Cigarette vending machines: Operation and service of cigarette vending machines placed at gastronomy venues, workplaces, and outdoor locations. Machines accept GeldKarte, coins, and banknotes with age verification options.
3. Smoker accessories and supplies: Sale of rolling papers, tubes, filters, lighters, gas, cigarette makers, rollers, ashtrays, and E-cigarettes/E-shishas.
4. Prepaid cards and E-loading: Terminal provision with technical service, prepaid credit, gift vouchers, and risk-free SIM cards.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Tabak Wolters (Hinrich Wolters GmbH) is a B2B tobacco wholesale distributor operating from Bremen, offering more than 2,000 tobacco articles (cigarettes, fine-cut tobacco, volume tobacco, pipe tobacco, cigars/cigarillos, snuff) and smoking accessories to retailers in northern Germany. The company also operates and services over 7,500 cigarette vending machines placed at gastronomy venues, workplaces, canteens, and outdoor locations, and provides prepaid card and E-loading terminal services.

Product overview

Tabak Wolters (Hinrich Wolters GmbH) is a family-owned tobacco products distributor operating as a tobacco wholesale business with over 7,500 cigarette vending machines and nearly 1,000 wholesale customers in northern Germany. The core offering comprises tobacco products wholesale distribution (more than 2,000 articles) and cigarette vending machine services, supplemented by the exclusive Convent private label brand distributed through the DTV group. Ordering is facilitated through multiple channels including a webshop, mobile app, POS system integration, telephone, and fax. The company also supports retail operations through DTV franchise concepts (Tabac & Co and Come In) and offers prepaid card/E-loading services. The portfolio is unified under the Hinrich Wolters GmbH umbrella, with products distributed through the DTV Verbundgruppe network across Germany.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Convent: Exclusive own-brand distributed through DTV partnership. Product family includes cigarettes, fine-cut tobacco, volume tobacco, ECO cigarillos, and smoking supplies.

Products and services

• Tobacco Wholesale (Tabakwaren-Großhandlung) Wholesale distribution of more than 2,000 tobacco articles including cigarettes, fine-cut tobacco, volume tobacco, pipe tobacco, cigars, cigarillos, and snuff from all freely saleable German industry brands, supplied to retailers across northwest Germany.
• Cigarette Vending Machine Service (Zigarettenautomaten)
• Smoker Accessories and Supplies (Raucher-Bedarfs-Artikel) Distribution of rolling papers, tubes, filters, lighters, gas, cigarette makers, rollers, ashtrays, matches, e-cigarettes, e-shishas, and related refill products sold alongside the core tobacco wholesale range.
• Prepaid Cards and E-Loading (Prepaid-Karten / E-Loading) Provision of prepaid credit terminals, technical service, gift vouchers, and risk-free SIM card loading for retail customers.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• DTV Tabakwaren-Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH & Co.KGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1980Since the 1980s, Hinrich Wolters GmbH has been a shareholding member (Mitgesellschafter) of DTV Tabakwaren-Vertriebsgesellschaft. DTV is Europe's largest verbund group of leading tobacco wholesalers, developing innovative systems and services for tobacco specialty retail.
• Convent (DTV Eigenmarke)coreTechnology or IntegrationWolters and other DTV partner companies exclusively distribute the private label brand 'Convent', covering cigarettes, fine cuts, volume tobacco, ECO cigarillos, and smoking accessories. This exclusive distribution of a proprietary brand is a key differentiator.
• DTV Einzelhandelssysteme (Tabac & Co, Come In)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDTV Einzelhandelssysteme operates franchise concepts Tabac & Co and Come In with over 250 shops in Germany. Wolters supports franchisees in their delivery territory with supply and logistics.
• DTVtabakminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partnership for customers outside Wolters' delivery territory. DTVtabak enables nationwide customer coverage by connecting them to appropriate regional distributors.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Lekkerland: Lekkerland (part of REWE Group) is Germany's largest convenience and tobacco wholesale distributor, serving tens of thousands of outlets across the country. It is comparable to Wolters as a tobacco and convenience wholesaler but operates at significantly greater national scale and a broader product portfolio.
• Reemtsma Cigarettenfabriken: Reemtsma is one of Germany's largest tobacco manufacturers (owned by Imperial Brands), distributing brands such as JPS, West, and Gauloises through wholesale channels. It is comparable as a major player in the German tobacco value chain that Wolters serves as a downstream distributor.
• Philip Morris International: Philip Morris is a global tobacco and nicotine company with major German operations through brands like Marlboro and HEETS. Comparable as the dominant manufacturer whose products flow through Wolters' wholesale and vending channels.
• Japan Tobacco International: JTI is the international tobacco arm of Japan Tobacco, with strong market share in Germany through brands such as Camel, Winston, and Benson & Hedges. Comparable as a key manufacturer supplying Wolters' wholesale portfolio.
• Imperial Brands: Imperial Brands is a global tobacco group headquartered in the UK and parent of Reemtsma, with a growing focus on next-generation nicotine products. Comparable as a global incumbent whose German operations overlap with Wolters' distribution territory.
• British American Tobacco: BAT operates in Germany with brands such as Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, and glo (heated tobacco). Comparable as a leading multinational whose heated tobacco and cigarette products flow through Wolters' wholesale network.
• Scandinavian Tobacco Group: Scandinavian Tobacco Group is a European tobacco company specializing in cigars, pipe tobacco, and fine-cut tobacco with significant German market presence. Comparable as a manufacturer supplying Wolters' cigar/cigarillo and pipe tobacco categories.
• Altria Group: Altria is one of the largest U.S. tobacco companies with growing international smoke-free product ambitions. Comparable as a global incumbent competing in the same end categories (cigarettes, oral nicotine, heated tobacco) that drive Wolters' wholesale demand.
• Villiger Söhne: Villiger is a Swiss family-owned tobacco manufacturer with a strong German footprint in cigars, cigarillos, and rolling tobacco. Comparable as an established manufacturer whose products are part of Wolters' cigar/cigarillo and fine-cut portfolio.

Regional players

• Tabak-Börsig: Tabak-Börsig is a regional German tobacco wholesale specialist serving southern Germany with similar B2B distribution and tobacco product range. Comparable as a regional Mittelstand tobacco wholesaler operating a parallel business model in a different German region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hinrich-wolters-gmbh

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 Tabak Wolters