Find distributors in Germany and top German retailers

Identifying the top retail chains in Germany where you can sell your products is relatively easy. Approaching and convincing them is a much bigger challenge.

It may be a better strategy to find a distributor first who can help you to get your products in smaller chains or individual stores, and then help you to get to the big names. Or to start online.

In this article you will find more information on the retail market and guidance on how to convince retailers and distributors to work with you.

The retail market in Germany

Germany is one of the largest markets of Europe, but also a conservative one and difficult to penetrate from abroad.

Germany has about 83.6 million inhabitants. Deaths have outnumbered births for years, so the population only grows through migration, and it is ageing: more than a fifth of consumers are over 65. Purchasing power is high, but German shoppers are famously price-conscious — discounters take roughly 40% of grocery spending.

Germany is a major global economic player, renowned for its industrial output and robust economy. The country has a strong focus on manufacturing and export, especially in the automotive and machinery sectors.

Germany is home to several large cities, with Berlin being the largest, followed by Hamburg and Munich. The country also has a large number of smaller cities and towns, with a total of 82 cities having populations of more than 100,000 people.

More about German distribution channels

Germany’s distribution structure is characterised by:

a large number of small independent shops
low levels of concentration, other other countries have much more retail chains
the predominance of distribution in city centers and urban areas
few “hypermarket” style stores

This forces any new supplier to work through mostly regional distributors, in order to get sufficient penetration. An agent or importer may be needed to service them all.

It may be wise to focus first on one region in Germany, or to concentrate with more high-end products in the major cities of the country.

Top-5 supermarkets in Germany

Edeka is the largest food retailer, with a group turnover of €84.7 billion in 2025, of which €77.3 billion in Germany, across some 10,900 stores under the Edeka, Marktkauf and Netto banners. Edeka is a cooperative of independent merchants, which means regional buying decisions matter as much as the national head office.

REWE Group follows with €70.6 billion in 2025, operating REWE, Penny and nahkauf alongside a large wholesale and travel business.

Schwarz Group, the owner of Lidl and Kaufland, reached €61.3 billion in Germany in 2025. Kaufland alone did €36.7 billion worldwide, of which about €24.4 billion in Germany.

Aldi, counting Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd together, is at roughly €36.9 billion: Aldi Süd about €19.1 billion across 2,021 stores, Aldi Nord about €14.6 billion.

The twenty-five largest food retailers grew by an average of 2.8% in 2025, barely above inflation. Growth therefore comes from taking share, not from a growing market, and a new supplier has to show a retailer why a listing is worth the space of an existing product.

Trade shows in Germany

Germany has many trade shows which are an excellent way to showcase your products and to orient yourself on the market. However, due to the sheer size of these shows chances are small that a purchasing manager of a major chain will accidentally visit your booth. A dedicated distributor search, preferably in another moment of the year, may yield more results for substantially less than the costs of a booth.

If you decide to have your booth at a German trade show, be well prepared and have your message tailored to the European and especially German visitors. It might be a good idea to contact relevant distribution channels in advance and invite them to your booth.

Distributor, retailer or web shop?

Most consumer products need at least one party in between. A distributor imports, stores and physically distributes your product, but rarely promotes it to consumers. A large retailer is the fastest route to the mass market, but is risk averse and often asks a listing fee.

A specialised web shop takes smaller volumes, but gives you reviews, pricing feedback and brand awareness within weeks.

Most exporters combine them: start where the barrier is lowest and use the sales data you gather there to convince the bigger names later.

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Finding a distributor in Germany in three steps

Step 1

Map the channel

List 10 to 15 distributors and retailers that already carry comparable products. Check which regions and store types they serve, and which brands they represent.

Step 2

Build a partner pitch

Your consumer sales deck is not enough. Show margin, rotation, returns and the support they get from you, with concrete figures from your home market.

Step 3

Approach and agree

Contact five to eight of them, propose a trial order or a pilot region, and settle pricing, minimum volumes, exclusivity and marketing support.