Kopp Pipes / Kopp Tobaccos – Pipe Tobaccos and Pipe Accessories
The History of Kopp: From Its Beginnings to Today
On April 15, 1919, Martin Wess, the great-grandfather of current owners Oliver and Thilo Kopp, took the step into self-employment. As a master fine leather craftsman, he supplied renowned clients such as Goldpfeil with cigar cases and produced leather covers for metal frames that served as travel alarm clock cases. In the 1930s, leather goods production flourished, and Martin’s children, Gottfried and Frederike, along with Frederike’s husband Friedrich Kopp, joined the company. With nearly 100 employees, the company even operated a branch on the New York 5th Avenue to circumvent high import duties.
After Martin Wess passed away in 1947 and his son Gottfried two years later, his daughter Frederike took over the company. With the help of her friend and authorized signatory Karla Kühn, she successfully rebuilt the production site in Offenbach. Despite health setbacks, she handed over the management to her son Bernd Kopp before passing away in 1954. At just 14 years old, Bernd successfully continued the company after completing his business training. With the support of experienced colleagues such as Kühn and Weiss, he expanded the product range to include pipe pouches under the Wess Design brand (Martin Wess).
From Leather Goods to Pipe Tobacco
In 1971, Bernd Kopp, together with Lothar Otto, founded Otto & Kopp and added renowned pipe brands such as Ascorti, Caminetto, and Nørding to their portfolio. After Otto’s death, Otto & Kopp merged with Martin Wess to form today’s Kopp GmbH & Co. KG. With the acquisition of 80% of Kohlhase & Bühler in 1979 and the integration of pipe tobacco brands such as Robert McConnell and Rattray’s, the business expanded significantly.
Expansion and Digital Transformation
By the late 1990s, Oliver and Thilo Kopp had joined the company. Recognizing the potential of the internet early on, they developed Kopp Pipes into Europe’s leading pipe importer. Over the years, the company built its own brands and expanded into international markets.
In 2004, Kopp Pipes acquired a 40% stake in Germany’s oldest cigar house, Dürninger, but parted ways with it again in 2021. Since 2019, Oliver Kopp has been leading the company on a growth trajectory. As of early 2023, Oliver and Thilo Kopp became the sole owners of Kopp Tobaccos.
Kopp Tobaccos: High-Quality Pipe Tobaccos Worldwide
Kopp imports select pipe tobaccos from renowned manufacturers worldwide, including Cornell & Diehl from the USA, Samuel Gawith from the United Kingdom, and Gladora from Turkey. Additionally, a collaboration with a tobacco manufacturer from Brazil is in the works.
In addition to established brands such as Rattray’s and Robert McConnell, Kopp increasingly produces tobaccos under its own name. Limited editions such as the Kopp Limited Editions and the Kopp Winter Editions are particularly popular. With the commissioning of its own flake presses, Kopp is becoming increasingly independent from major tobacco manufacturers and enhancing production flexibility.
What Martin Wess once started has grown into a thriving company with 85 employees—remaining a family business true to its traditions even after more than 100 years.
