Sanacorp Pharmahandel

Sanacorp Pharmahandel GmbH is a German pharmaceutical wholesaler headquartered in Planegg, Bavaria. It is one of the largest pharmacist-determined pharmaceutical wholesalers in Germany, operating as a cooperative (Genossenschaft) whose members are primarily independent pharmacies. The name Sanacorp is an acronym derived from the Latin sana ('healthy') and corpus ('body'). The company traces its origins to the Einkaufsgenossenschaft Württembergischer Apotheker (EGWA), founded on 29 July 1924 in Esslingen am Neckar. Through numerous mergers and acquisitions, it became Sanacorp eG Pharmazeutische Großhandlung in 1992, and its operating business was transferred to Sanacorp Pharmahandel AG in 1995. The company went public on 25 October 1996. In 2007 the operating business was contributed to the newly founded Sanacorp Pharmahandel GmbH, which was combined with French and Belgian wholesalers into Millennium S.p.A. (later Sanastera S.p.A.). The Sanacorp cooperative retained a 50% stake in Millennium. Today Sanacorp operates 19 branches across Germany, including Asperg, Bad Segeberg, Chemnitz, Düsseldorf, Fürth, Hamburg, Hannover, Herne, Hürth, Mainz, Neuenstein, Offenburg, Planegg, Potsdam, Rheinstetten, Saarbrücken, Stralsund, Tuttlingen and Ulm. With approximately 3,000 employees, it supplies more than 8,000 pharmacies nationwide around the clock. In 2025 the company reported an operating annual revenue of €7.9 billion. Sanacorp positions itself as a partner of independent pharmacies in Germany, emphasizing its cooperative structure. By statute, one member of the management board must be a pharmacist, and half of the supervisory board consists of pharmacists. The company also offers services under the mea® (meine apotheke) brand, including digital tools and performance models for pharmacies.

The history of Sanacorp begins on 29 July 1924 with the founding of the Einkaufsgenossenschaft Württembergischer Apotheker (EGWA) in Esslingen am Neckar. This purchasing cooperative for Württemberg pharmacists grew through numerous mergers and acquisitions over the following decades. A major turning point came on 1 January 1990, when the two largest cooperative pharmaceutical wholesalers at the time merged: EGWA Apothekergenossenschaft eG (based in Asperg) and WiVedA eG (WirtschaftsVerband deutscher Apotheken, based in Planegg near Munich). At the time of the merger, EGWA had revenue of nearly 1.5 billion Deutsche Mark, 3,100 members and 2,000 employees, while WiVedA had revenue of nearly 1 billion DM, 2,800 members and 1,750 employees. Due to antitrust concerns, the stake in Andreae-Noris Zahn AG (ANZAG) had to be limited to 24.9%; the shares were sold to PAG Pharmaholding AG. In 1990, Sanacorp also took over former supply depots for pharmacy and medical technology in Chemnitz, Potsdam and Stralsund. In 1992, the company was renamed Sanacorp eG Pharmazeutische Großhandlung. The operating business was spun off to Sanacorp Pharmahandel AG in 1995. In spring 1996, Sanacorp formed a strategic partnership with Austria's largest pharmaceutical wholesaler, Herba-Apotheker-AG, acquiring about 27% of its share capital. On 25 October 1996, Sanacorp Pharmahandel AG went public, issuing 2 million preferred shares with a nominal value of 5 DM at a price of 35 DM. The issue was 37 times oversubscribed. After the IPO, the Sanacorp cooperative held 100% of voting rights (ordinary shares) and 75.06% of capital. In 2001, Sanacorp attempted to acquire competitor ANZAG but failed due to opposition from the German Federal Cartel Office. The legal dispute ended with a ruling by the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court in October 2006; the merger control proceedings were among the longest in German history. At that time Sanacorp held 24.99% of ANZAG. In October 2010, this stake was sold for approximately €69 million to Alliance Boots. The operating business of Sanacorp Pharmahandel AG was retroactively transferred as of 1 January 2007 to the newly founded Sanacorp Pharmahandel GmbH, which was in turn combined with French pharmaceutical wholesaler CERP Rouen S.A.S. (renamed astera S.A. in autumn 2008) and Belgian CERP S.A. into Millennium S.p.A., based in Bologna, Italy. Sanacorp AG was renamed Sanacorp Pharmaholding AG and held 50% of Millennium. Millennium S.p.A. was renamed Sanastera S.p.A. on 10 June 2010. Sanastera is a member of SECOF (Sociedad Europea de Cooperaciòn Farmacéutico), founded in 2000. On 1 January 2009, Sanacorp Pharmahandel GmbH acquired v.d.Linde-Arzneimittel GmbH; the acquisition was approved by the EU Commission on 4 March 2009. On 1 January 2021, Sanacorp Pharmahandel GmbH acquired Leopold Fiebig GmbH & Co. KG; the acquisition was approved by the EU Commission on 9 March 2021. Today Sanacorp operates 19 branches across Germany and supplies over 8,000 pharmacies. In 2025, the company reported an operating annual revenue of €7.9 billion with approximately 3,000 employees.

• 2025

  Reported operating annual revenue of €7.9 billion.

• 2021

  Acquisition of Leopold Fiebig GmbH & Co. KG approved by EU Commission on 9 March.

• 2010

  Millennium S.p.A. renamed Sanastera S.p.A. on 10 June; ANZAG stake sold to Alliance Boots for ~€69 million in October.

• 2009

  Acquisition of v.d.Linde-Arzneimittel GmbH approved by EU Commission on 4 March.

• 2007

  Operating business transferred to newly founded Sanacorp Pharmahandel GmbH; combined with CERP Rouen and CERP into Millennium S.p.A.

• 2006

  Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court ruling ends the long-running merger control dispute with ANZAG.

• 2001

  Attempted acquisition of ANZAG blocked by the German Federal Cartel Office.

• 1996

  Strategic partnership with Herba-Apotheker-AG (Austria); IPO on 25 October with 2 million preferred shares.

• 1995

  Operating business spun off to Sanacorp Pharmahandel AG.

• 1992

  Company renamed Sanacorp eG Pharmazeutische Großhandlung.

• 1990

  EGWA and WiVedA merge to form the largest cooperative pharmaceutical wholesaler; takes over supply depots in Chemnitz, Potsdam and Stralsund.

• 1924

  Einkaufsgenossenschaft Württembergischer Apotheker (EGWA) founded in Esslingen am Neckar on 29 July.

Pharmacist-owned cooperative wholesaler dedicated to supporting independent pharmacies in Germany.

• Pharmaceutical wholesale distribution

• Health products distribution

• mea® (meine apotheke) pharmacy cooperation

• mea® Performance Model digital services

1. 1Sanacorp - Gemeinsam für morgen.sanacorp.de
2. 2Genossenschaft - Werden Sie Mitglied bei Sanacorpsanacorp.de
3. 3Sanacorp Pharmahandelwikidata.org
4. 4Sanacorp Pharmahandelde.wikipedia.org