When Waldemar Behn died in 2023, it was devastating for his family, friends, and all who knew him. But his brother Rüdiger Behn tells TMI that the German company that bears his brother’s name is well set up for the future and his passing only sped up the transition to the next generation to lead the family-run company.
“Waldemar, my brother, carried the name of the company and he started working actively in the company two years before I joined him. For almost 40 years we worked together and have grown the companies. He has been responsible for our beverage wholesale branch Behn Getränke; on the day-to-day level. I took care of the production and branding of our spirits. Strategic questions had to be answered commonly which has never been a problem. Waldemar’s death created an emotional thunderstorm for all our employees as well as for our regional customers and stakeholders. He had an enormous regional network and was highly liked by everybody. Of course, he left a huge gap as he has been managing director of both companies,” he tells TMI.
“Waldemar’s death has not changed any of our companies’ plans. We will continue our business as we have planned it. This is Waldemar’s wish and there is no reason not to do so.”
With his death, the day-to-day work was taken over by Jens Kundrun who has been co-managing director in Behn- Getränke for a couple of years.
“Although his death has been by far too early the future of the company is not impacted badly. Jens is a very dedicated managing director and the fifth generation, my niece Lisa and my son Asmus, will take over beginning of 2026,” says Rüdiger Behn.
The Behn brothers, Waldemar and Rüdiger, had the foresight to prepare for the transition from the fourth to the fifth generation. At the beginning of 2024 it was announced that Lisa and Asmus Behn were officially joining WALDEMAR BEHN GmbH and BEHN Getränke GmbH.
Lisa and Asmus are currently going through a comprehensive trainee program, which will provide both of them with deep insights into the company’s processes, and experience the values they have learned and how to act with a “handshake mentality” in practice.
“Lisa and Asmus had already decided to take over a couple of years ago. Waldemar’s death has not changed their plan in general, Lisa just joined the company four months earlier than originally planned,” Rudiger tells TMI.
“Right now, both are in the middle of their trainee-program which will last until end of June 2025. They take over a new job more or less every week by joining all departments in all companies just to understand the business from ground up and to meet every employee in person. One of them will join the TFWA in Singapore next year. This will be the first public approach of the fifth Behn generation in Travel Retail. Before this they will work together with Philippe Biais internally.”
Rüdiger Behn will retire from active day-to-day business in 2026, but will still be available as an advisor to Lisa and Asmus Behn as well as the current managing directors Jens Kundrun (BEHN Getränke GmbH) and Philipp Fellmann (WALDEMAR BEHN GmbH).
The Family Brands Alliance and pandemic recovery
Since its formation in 2017, the Family Brands Alliance has been growing steadily on a global scale, and now comprises five 100% family-owned partners: DANZKA Vodka, Pallini Limoncello, Bache-Gabrielsen Cognac, G’Vine Floraison Gin, and Achill Island Distillery.
Ireland’s Achill Island Distillery was the latest family-owned company to join the alliance.
The makers of IrishAmerican Whiskey officially launched with the group at the 2024 TFWA Asia Pacific Show in Singapore in May.
“The Family Brands Alliance has achieved its goals even better than planned originally. All members are very happy with the development of their brands. This is why a lot of brand owners are knocking on our door to become a member, but we are selecting new members very carefully. This is one very important condition to keep the Alliance as vital as it is,” says Rudiger.
DANZKA is experiencing enormous growth momentum in duty free and travel retail as well as in many tax-paid markets.
“The brand is growing double-digits in both markets. Furthermore, we have exciting plans with Dooley’s which we will unveil in Cannes.”
Waldemar Behn’s business has now fully recovered after the pandemic.
“Thankfully our business recovered rapidly and right now we are on a higher level than before the pandemic. The pandemic has not changed our business models, but it improved our processes. Right now, we are reacting faster, have an improved material-inventory and we have a better idea to take risks created by black- swan-events,” concludes Rüdiger.
