Independent producers in Germany delivering food and drink during COVID-19

Last updated: 6 November 2020

In an effort to support small independent German food and drinks businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve put together this list of independent and mostly small scale producers with online shops. Please note that Germany being an enormous country, this list barely scratches the surface of what’s available. In addition, the situation is continuing to change rapidly, so please think of this post as a working document. You can also find a directory of Slow Food producers with online shops on the German Slow Food website.

I’ve linked to all the individual shops – in English where possible (for German online shops, if you need help with translations then deepl.com is your friend) – so please contact producers and suppliers directly for updates as to how or whether they’re still operating. Some of these also deliver outside of Germany (around the EU).

My personal recommendations for products or services I’ve tried and loved are marked with an asterisk (*); recommendations via Twitter and Instagram are credited as appropriate. If you have suggestions/recommendations for businesses to add, please message me on Twitter or Instagram with a link to the online shop and a few words about the producer and I will update this post with additional suppliers as and when I can.

You can use the following links to jump to the relevant sections:

Wine
Beer and Cider
Spirits
Tea and Coffee
Meat and Charcuterie
Chocolate
Storecupboard items

Local services and further recommendations (Wiesbaden, Mainz, Berlin)

Wine

Wineries

I have endless recommendations for German wineries, particularly in the Rheingau, Rheinhessen and Pfalz (Palatinate) regions, and many of them now, very happily, have online shops. Here’s but a mere handful of them:

* Weingut Hamm, Rheingau: a family run winery that’s been producing certified organic wines (90% Riesling, 10% Spätburgunder) since 1990. Now in its fourth generation, the winery is run by Aurelia Hamm, who is currently sharing all sorts of behind the scenes at a winery stories on Instagram. Pick a selection of individual wines (I’m a bit fan of the Alte Reben) or plump for one of their trial packs. https://hamm-wine.de/

* Arthur Melsheimer, Mosel: A seventh-generation family winery producing certified organic wines in the heart of the Mosel region. They’re even offering virtual tastings; order the “digitale-Weinprobe-2-2020” and receive a taster pack of ten wines plus a link to an online video talking you through them as you taste along. Brilliant idea! EU-wide shipping available. https://arthur-melsheimer.de/

* Philipp Kuhn, Pfalz: Philipp took over the family winery in 1992, and focuses mainly on producing award-winning Spätburgunder, Riesling and Weissburgunder wines, though he does also work with more unusual grapes. The online shop is only temporary; purchases of six bottles or more are delivered free within Germany. https://www.weinshop-philipp-kuhn.de

* Prinz von Hessen, Rheingau: one of Germany’s most renowned Riesling producers and VDP member. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve drunk from them, both red and white, but the very floral 2018 Scheurebe (which they originally sent to me as a gift but I’ve bought several bottles of since) is one of my favourite wines I’ve had this year. https://www.prinz-von-hessen.de

* Weingut Rappenhof, Rheinhessen: One of my new local wineries, a family-run business now in the 12th generation. I recommend the very light 2018 Spätburgunder and much fruitier 2017 Merlot. https://www.weingut-rappenhof.de

* Ökowein Schütte: another one of my new neighbours – a very small, organic, one-woman-run winery. The 2018 Sylvaner Feinherb will make you forget everything you’ve ever heard about Silvaner being bland and old-fashioned. https://www.oekowein-schuette.de/

Weingut Hauck, Rheinhessen: A friendly family business with wonderful Auxerrois and other fine wines. Currently offering free shipping within Germany. https://www.weinhaus-hauck.de (Recommended by @Julia_MUC of German Abendbrot.)

Weingut Bickelmeier, Rheingau: This 11th generation winery is currently taking orders by email or phone. https://www.bickelmaier.de/ (Recommended by @303Rule.)

Weingut Speicher Schuth, Rheingau: A second generation winery cultivating Riesling and Spätburgunder grapes. https://www.speicher-schuth.de (Recommended by @frnkrmnn.)

Weingut Kaufmann, Rheingau: A biodynamic VDP winery currently offering a copy of the Glücksorte im Rheingau (“Happy Places in the Rheingau”) guidebook with purchases of 12 bottles or more. https://kaufmann-weingut.de/shop/

Online dealers

* Geile Weine: An online shop based in Mainz. They stock a variety of wines and spirits from Europe and beyond, but they’ve got a good selection of German wines. I bought some recently from them using a discount code they kindly offered me on Instagram, and was absolutely amazed to find my box of six bottles on my doorstep the very next day. (Edit 06.11.2020 Have used them several times now – continues to be an excellent service.) https://geileweine.de

Württemberger Weine: Wines specifically from Württemberg, a region famous for its red wines. http://Wuerttemberger-weine.de (Recommended by @Gingeratwork, who particularly likes Weingut Ellwanger.)

More Natural Wine: If you’re into natural wines, look no further than the brainchild of Anneka and Chris of Oooh, Berlin! Offering over 750+ natural wines from Germany and beyond, orders are dispatched from Berlin every Wednesday. https://www.morenaturalwine.com

Beer and cider

* Brauerei Strate: Wonderful family-owned, traditional brewery offering a diverse selection of beers brewed in Detmold. https://shop.brauerei-strate.de

Motel Minibar, Berlin: American-style beer and nitro coffee from a micro brewery in Berlin. Currently offering free shipping within Germany for orders of 12 bottles or more. https://www.motelminibar.com. (Recommended by @BegleyChris.)

Coffee

* Vote Coffee: Berlin-based roastery selling sustainable coffees roasted on-site at the Markthalle Neun in Kreuzberg. Completely transparent about their processes, plus their coffees are excellent. https://vote-coffee.com/

Coffee Circle and The Barn are two Berlin-based roasteries producing sustainable coffees in individual packs as well as seasonal gift boxes. Coffee subscriptions are also available. https://www.coffeecircle.com/en/ and https://thebarn.de (Both recommended by @nickdownie.)

Motel: Cold coffees from Berlin. https://www.motelminibar.com. (Also mentioned above under beer, recommended by @BegleyChris.)

Hoppenworth & Ploch: High quality specialty coffees shipped as whole or ground beans from a very popular Frankfurt roastery. Subscriptions available. https://hoppenworth-ploch.de/collections/rostkaffee (Recommended by @fraseralfred.)

JB Kaffee: Filter coffees and expressos from a roastery in Munich. https://www.jbkaffee.de (Recommended by @rachelinmunich.)

Meat and charcuterie

* Metzgerei Hardt: The Hardt family have been their butchers shop in Limburgerhof in the Palatinate (Pfalz) region for over 60 years. I spent a morning with the Hardts back in 2018 and can vouch for the both quality and the deliciousness of their products. Their online shop offers a range of regional products including tinned and jarred meat products as well as condiments. https://www.metzgerei-hardt.com

* Landfleischerei Koch: Family-run butcher in Calden, Hessen, selling regional specialties including Ahle Wurscht, a pork sausage air-dried as is traditional in the eaves of their half-timbered building. Products are of an extremely high quality, with pigs and cows from local small scale farmers slaughtered on site. https://www.landfleischerei-koch.de

Chocolate

* Xocoatl: This tiny chocolate shop in Wiesbaden sells responsibly produced chocolate from all over the world. An exquisite selection of bars, drinking chocolates, pralines and specialty chocolates including those for chocolate-lovers with allergies. International shipping available. https://www.xocoatl.de

* Truly Chocolate: Micro batch, single origin bean to bar chocolate from Davina and Rony Utz, who are well known in Munich for their artisanal ice cream, True&12. Both products can be ordered in advance and collected from their Munich shop; their chocolate can also be ordered online. https://www.trulychocolate.de

Pantry items

* Pfeffersack und Söhne: These Koblenz-based purveyors of dried herbs and spice mixes from small producers all over the world, many of which are certified organic. As a bonus, they all come in gorgeous ceramic pots. If you’re in Koblenz, the shop remains open, but at the time of writing, they are offering free shipping Germany-wide from their online shop. https://www.pfeffersackundsoehne.de

*Doktorenhof: extraordinarily good organic-standard (but not certified) vineyards and drinking vinegars from this unique vinegar-maker in the Palatinate, all sold in in rather beautiful bottles. There are also various jams, chutneys and mustards as well as pralines, oils and even wine available to purchase via the site. https://doktorenhof.de/

J. Kinski: High quality broths and soups. At the time of writing, J. Kinski are offering a 15% discount. https://j-kinski.de

Ölmühle Solling: A family owned business selling organic cooking oils, vegan spreads and organic skincare products. http://oelmuehle-solling.de (Recommended by @Stinalotte.)

Flour:

Biohof May also sell their own meat products (https://shop.biohof-may.de/) (Recommended by @thesunlitwindow)

The Hofbräuhaus Kunstmühle in Munich is the city’s only functioning mill.  (Recommended by @rachelinmunich) http://www.hb-kunstmuehle.de

Local services

If you are in Wiesbaden, the official city website offers lists of restaurants and local businesses still open for business. In the case of restaurants, they are now offering to go services; some local businesses do also offer city-wide deliveries. Grocery delivery service Kiezkaufhaus is running a contact-free service. The weekly market (Wednesdays and Saturdays, 07:00-14:00) is still operating, with precautionary measures, and Domäne Mechtildshausen is also open for business, also with additional precautionary measures in place. (More about Domäne Mechtildshausen.) My old local wine shop, Vinicus, doesn’t offer online orders but is open for business as usual. Glygg specialises in German wines and sparkling wines – there are details on their website for details on how to request a price list and then order.

In Mainz, the excellent small breweries Rheinhessenbräu and Eulchen are offering local delivery services.

If you are located in Berlin, please note that an excellent lockdown guide to supporting restaurants in the capital is available on Berlin Food Stories; Anika and Chris of Oooh! Berlin have also shared plentiful suggestions in their Instagram highlights under Corona Support.