OUR story
For more than 165 years, the Dohmen name has stood for health, innovation, and service. Today, the Dohmen Company Foundation is carrying that legacy forward with a bold new focus: investing in the people, organizations, and ideas capable of preventing and reversing diet-related disease. With a commitment to systems-level change, we believe food is the most powerful lever for improving health and shaping a stronger future.
Our Bold Path to Improve Human Health
A Legacy of Health, Innovation, and Impact
For generations, the Dohmen name has stood for innovation in service of health. What began as a family business in 1858 now powers a mission-driven foundation focused on preventing and reversing diet-related disease.
Founded
German immigrant, Friedrich W. Dohmen, opens Wisconsin’s first wholesale drug store in Milwaukee. His rigorous scientific training and integrity sets a benchmark on which Dohmen measures itself hereafter.
Innovation Across Generations
Over more than a century, Dohmen advanced with the times – innovating delivery methods, responding to the 1918 flu epidemic, and maintaining full employment during the Great Depression. We grew into a full-service pharmaceutical supplier and led the industry with computerized inventory and temperature control. We became the nation’s first automated pharmacy benefit manager and later expanded through nine acquisitions to operate in seven states. Recognizing the power of disruptive technology, we began creating transformative software for companies driving change in healthcare.
The Bold Step Forward
Founded in 2008, the Dohmen Company Foundation invested more than $23 million in health initiatives, positively impacting over 123 million lives. After a decade of learning, we took our boldest step in 2019 – converting from a shareholder-owned for-profit S-Corp to a private foundation. Proceeds from the sale now fuel our impact. In 2023, we launched the Dohmen Impact Investment Fund to invest in social businesses that align with our vision. Profits from these investments drive philanthropic giving and public awareness efforts. We’ve moved out of healthcare and back into health, combining the rigor of business with the heart of philanthropy.
What Guides Us
Our Compass for Action
Our core values are the foundation of our work – defining how we lead, how we partner, and how we drive lasting change in health.
Caring We act with empathy and respect for each other. Committed We grow relationships with a long-term view. Creative We deliver innovative solutions that make the future better than the past. Conflict-Free We advance our vision independent of special interests. Courageous We’re willing to risk failure over inaction. 
Our Mission & Vision
Food as a Force for Health
We’re driven by a single, transformative idea: food can change everything. Our mission is to address the root causes of diet-related disease. Our vision is simple and bold: life without diet-related disease.