Axel Oberwelland Net Worth

Axel Oberwelland has an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Axel Oberwelland profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is down from a peak of $6.5 billion.

Axel Oberwelland is a German businessman who owns August Storck, a confectionery company known for Werther's Original, Riesen, Toffifee, and Knoppers. The business began in 1903, when his great-grandfather August Storck started it in Werther, Westphalia. Axel became the fourth generation of his family to run the company in 2003, when his father Klaus retired on the firm's 100th anniversary.

His wealth comes from control of a long-running candy business rather than a startup. Storck grew by selling branded sweets at a time when many treats were sold unpackaged. Today the company has over 5,000 employees, sells in more than 100 countries, and brings in around $2 billion in estimated annual revenue. Forbes put Axel Oberwelland at $1.1 billion on its real-time billionaires tracker on October 20, 2026.

How Axel Oberwelland built his fortune

Oberwelland's money is tied to August Storck, the German candy maker his family has controlled for generations. The company was founded in 1903 and became known for selling sweets as named, packaged products. That helped it stand out early. Its best-known brands include Werther's Original, Riesen, and Toffifee, with Knoppers also part of the lineup. Axel took charge in 2003 as the fourth generation to lead the business.

The company operates at a large scale. Storck employs over 5,000 people, reaches more than 100 countries, and generates around $2 billion in estimated annual revenue. Forbes places Oberwelland in Food & Beverage, with his wealth coming from candy. A notable product win came in 2017, when Storck's Knoppers nut bar was the most successful new sweets launch that year. That kind of product strength supports the value of the family business.

How Forbes' estimate changed

Forbes' estimates for Oberwelland moved sharply over time. It listed him at $4.1 billion in 2019, then again at $4.1 billion in 2020. The estimate rose to $6.3 billion in 2021 and reached $6.5 billion in 2022. Those figures point to a period when the value of his stake in Storck was much higher than it would be later in the decade.

The next shift was steep. Forbes lowered the estimate to $1.2 billion in 2023, and it stayed at that level in 2024 and 2025 before ticking up to $1.3 billion in 2026. As of October 20, 2026, Forbes' real-time tracker showed $1.1 billion. The core source of wealth did not change: his ownership of August Storck, the company behind several widely sold candy brands.