We put brands on Europe’s shelves.
Sencos opens the door to European retail for domestic and international beauty and food brands. We handle listing, logistics, regulatory compliance and marketing, working directly with the buying teams of leading retail chains in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Our range is on the shelves of more than 8,600 stores at
dm
Rossmann
Müller
Douglas
Kaufland
EDEKA
BUDNI
BIPA
Ottos
IMPO
AmazonServices
From buyer access to reorders. All from one partner.
Market access & listing
We represent brands to the buying departments of drugstore and grocery chains: annual negotiations, terms and listings are handled by us as a trading company in our own name and managed for the entire term.
Logistics & fulfilment
Warehousing in Germany, picking and delivery to central warehouses and stores according to each retailer’s requirements, including e-invoicing.
Regulatory & labelling
Review under the EU Cosmetics Regulation, safety assessment, CPNP notification and compliant packaging design. We act as the Responsible Person in the EU.
Marketing & e-commerce
Amazon Vendor and Seller, our own online shop, performance marketing and trade marketing, so products don’t just sit on the shelf but sell through.
Working together
Brands are looking for a way onto the shelf, retailers for new ranges. We connect both.
For brands and manufacturers
You have a product with potential for the German or European market but no access to retail? Whether based in Germany or abroad: As a trading company we stand between you and the retailer: we lead the talks with buyers, list your products under our name and, if you wish, take on the complete market entry.
- Listing and terms via Sencos as trading company
- Market analysis and range recommendation
- Import, customs clearance and warehousing in the EU
- Listing in drugstores, grocery and online
- Ongoing account management, reporting and reorders
For retailers
Looking for range additions with an origin story and a stable margin? We supply tested, shelf-ready products with reliable availability.
- Fully tested, EU-compliant products
- Delivery via central warehouse or direct to store
- Sales support and promotion planning
- One dedicated contact in Frankfurt
Why Sencos
Six reasons to enter retail with us.
In retail since 2008
Almost two decades of experience with listing, logistics and marketing in drugstores, grocery retail and online in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Direct line to the buyers
Long-standing relationships with the buying departments of the major retail chains. We lead the annual negotiations ourselves and know what retailers expect from a brand.
Everything from one partner
Regulatory, import, warehousing, listing and marketing from a single partner, with one dedicated contact in Frankfurt instead of several service providers.
Regulatory certainty
Review under the EU Cosmetics Regulation, safety assessment and CPNP notification. On request we act as the Responsible Person in the EU.
Our own warehouse in Germany
Picking and delivery to central warehouses and stores according to each retailer's requirements, including e-invoicing.
Exclusive and long-term
We work with few brands, but with our full attention. We took Rosense from zero to more than 8,600 stores.
How it works
From first contact to listing in five steps.
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Get in touch
Write to us via the form or by email: a short introduction of your brand and range, ideally with product photos and a price list.
Send enquiry or by email to [email protected] -
Introductory call
We schedule a video call of around 30 minutes. We get to know your brand, you get to know how we work. We clarify goals, markets and timeline.
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Review & assessment
We review range, positioning, pricing and regulatory requirements (EU Cosmetics Regulation) and assess the opportunities with our retail partners. You receive an honest evaluation with a concrete recommendation.
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Agreement
If it fits for both sides, we define the form of cooperation, terms, territories and exclusivity and put it all in a contract.
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Listing & launch
We prepare product data, labelling and samples, present your range to the buyers and manage listing, first order and delivery. From then on we manage the listing continuously.
Review, assessment and the talks with retailers usually take four to six weeks. When the listing goes live on the shelf depends on the listing window of the respective retailer.
Company
Owner-managed, Frankfurt am Main, in the market since 2008.
Good products rarely fail in Europe because of quality, but because of the route to the shelf.
We started in 2008 on this observation – under a different name back then, as Sencos today. Since then we have made this route a standard for domestic and international brands: with our own warehouse, direct relationships with the buying departments of the major retail chains and a team equally at home in regulatory affairs, logistics and marketing. We work with few brands, but long-term and exclusively.
We take on further brands selectively when they fit our range and our retail partners.
Retail partners
Long-standing listings in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and via Müller in six further countries.
Germany
dm · Rossmann · Müller · Douglas · Kaufland · EDEKA · BUDNI
Austria
BIPA · dm · Müller
Switzerland
Müller · Ottos · IMPO
Online
Amazon
In addition, selected specialist retailers and perfumeries as well as our own online business. Via Müller our range is also listed in Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia, Spain, Liechtenstein and Slovakia.
Case study
Rosense: from Turkey to more than 8,600 stores
Rosense is Turkish natural cosmetics based on the Damask rose from Isparta. Sencos brought the brand into the European Union as exclusive partner: from regulatory review and labelling through the first listing talks to nationwide distribution at dm, Rossmann, Müller and further retail partners in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
“From day one, Sencos has been a partner who knows European retail and represents our brand where we had no access ourselves. Our cooperation is close and built on trust.”
Frequently asked questions
What brands and retailers ask us before the first conversation.
Which product categories do you handle?
Our focus is beauty: skin care, hair care, natural cosmetics and related ranges. In addition we take on selected food products. What matters is that a product fits our retail partners.
Does our brand already have to be approved in the EU?
No. We support you with approval within the EU: review of formulation and labelling under the EU Cosmetics Regulation, safety assessment and CPNP notification. On request we act as the Responsible Person in the EU.
Is there a minimum quantity?
There is no fixed minimum quantity. What matters is that you can reliably supply a listing in several hundred to a few thousand stores: sufficient production capacity, predictable replenishment and consistent quality. We clarify this together in the introductory call.
How is Sencos paid?
Depending on the model, through a commission on sales to retailers or through the margin on resale when we purchase the goods outright. We agree the terms together before we talk to the buyers.
How long does it take to get listed?
Our review and assessment and the talks with retailers usually take four to six weeks. When the listing goes live on the shelf depends on the listing window of the respective retailer.
Do you work exclusively?
Yes. We represent a brand exclusively towards retailers for the agreed territories. Parallel sales channels lead to price and supply conflicts with retail partners and damage the listing.
Contact
We usually reply within two working days.
Carl-Theodor-Reiffenstein-Platz 6
60313 Frankfurt am Main
Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 5:30 pm