Dr. Oetker has agreed to acquire a 60% majority stake in Belvini.de GmbH, one of the largest online wine traders operating in the German-speaking region.

Belvini was founded in 2003 in Dresden, Germany, with the company launching its online platform in 2005.

Dr. Oetker claims that Belvini’s portfolio of over 13,500 products from 800 importers and wineries from over 30 countries is the largest range of international premium wines and spirits among European online retailers.

The acquisition is subject to approval from German competition authorities, and Dr. Oetker claims that Belvini’s operations complement its sparkling wine, wine and spirits division.

Belvini will continue to operate as an independent company, and the previous owners will remain shareholders of the company, and be appointed as managing directors to guide the further development of the company.

Christoph Gönner, managing director of Belvini said: “Our enormous growth has required the search for a strong partner. In the family company Oetker, we have found much more than we were originally looking for.

“In addition to shared values and entrepreneurial visions, at Oetker we value the combination of wine and technology affinity. This enables us to continue our history of growth together and to continue to make our customers happy with the best wines on the net.”