What Thermoplan does

Thermoplan AG is a privately held Swiss manufacturer of professional super-automatic coffee machines (Kaffeevollautomaten), headquartered at Thermoplan-Platz 1 in Weggis on Lake Lucerne and active since 1974. The company designs and builds its Black&White4 family — including the standard BW4 (up to ~500 cups/day), the BW4 compact (up to ~150 cups/day) and the BW4 Competizione (240 espressos/hour, official SCA World Latte Art Championship machine 2024-2027) — featuring its proprietary ISQ (Intelligent Shot Quality) shot-control system, AirSteam/AutoSteam automated milk-frothing technologies, a Dual-System that brews and steams simultaneously, and a modular architecture that allows core modules to be swapped in minutes to minimize HORECA downtime. In August 2025 the company expanded its stack by acquiring Mikafi, an electric coffee roaster maker, enabling a full bean-to-cup process, and shortly thereafter announced an automated tea preparation platform and a next-generation self-service GUI unveiled at HostMilano 2025.

Thermoplan's revenue model is anchored on B2B hardware sales of professional machines (with pricing not publicly disclosed), executed exclusively through a global network of more than 200 certified sales and service partners spanning 80+ countries. Recurring and adjacent revenue comes from consumables and accessories (cleaning tabs, descaler, Cafiza), a refurbished-machine circular-economy program (500+ BW4 modules and 100+ BW3 units reintroduced in 2025), the Coffee Academy professional training program, and the newly integrated Mikafi roasting line. Primary customer segments are HORECA (hotels, restaurants, catering), coffee chains, specialty coffee shops and corporate/hospitality venues.

Customer concentration is significant: Starbucks accounts for approximately 32% of revenue, making Thermoplan both strategically embedded with its largest partner and acutely exposed to that relationship. Since 7 August 2025 the US has imposed a 39% tariff on Swiss exports, costing Thermoplan roughly CHF 200,000 (~$250,000) per week and placing more than 500 Weggis jobs at risk, with management publicly evaluating production relocation to Germany or the United States and a Swissmem survey citing the company among firms preparing cross-border moves or layoffs. Day-to-day operations continue from Weggis, led by CEO Adrian Steiner and Board President Andri Pol.

Name

Thermoplan

Legal name

Thermoplan AG

Website

https://thermoplan.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Thermoplan AG, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Weggis, Switzerland, designs and manufactures professional super-automatic coffee machines for HORECA, coffee chains, and specialty coffee customers globally, distributing through 200+ certified partners in 80+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Coffee Equipment

NAICS

Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee, Espresso & Tea Appliances Retail (CRACADAC)

Keywords

• Professional coffee machines
• Super-automatic espresso equipment
• HORECA beverage systems
• Commercial milk frothing machines
• Modular coffee machine platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Weggis

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Coffee Machine Sales: Sale of super-automatic commercial coffee machines (Black&White4, Black&White4 compact, Black&White3 product lines) to hotels, restaurants, cafes, and coffee chains worldwide. Pricing is B2B enterprise level, not publicly disclosed.
2. Refurbished Machine Sales: Sale of refurbished and reconditioned machines including over 500 Black&White4 modules and 100+ Black&White3 machines returned to market. Circular economy approach extending product lifecycles.
3. Roasting Equipment (Mikafi): Following 2025 acquisition of Mikafi (electric coffee roasting systems), Thermoplan now offers complete bean-to-cup solutions including roasting equipment.
4. Consumables and Accessories: Cleaning products (Black&White Tabs, Thermo Blue descaler, Cafiza tablets), maintenance supplies, and related accessories.
5. Coffee Academy Training: Professional barista training courses with registration and fee-based participation. Terms state 10-day cancellation policy with partial refunds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Thermoplan AG develops, manufactures and services fully automatic professional coffee machines (Kaffeevollautomaten) — specifically the Black&White4 family — for hotels, restaurants, cafes, corporate hospitality and coffee chains such as Starbucks. The machines use a modular architecture with proprietary milk-foaming, brewing and shot-quality technologies, and are complemented by consumables, refurbished units, and Mikafi electric coffee roasters acquired in 2025 to deliver a complete bean-to-cup solution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mikafi: Electric coffee roasting systems; acquired by Thermoplan in August 2025 to enable full bean-to-cup coffee process including roasting.

Products and services

• Black&White4 Thermoplan's flagship super-automatic professional coffee machine designed for daily volumes up to 500 cups, targeted at hotels, restaurants, cafes, coffee chains and corporate hospitality customers.
• Black&White4 compact Compact super-automatic professional coffee machine for smaller hospitality venues, supporting a daily requirement of up to 150 cups.
• Black&White4 Competizione Competition-grade variant of the Black&White4 super-automatic coffee machine, designed for high-end specialty coffee shops and used as the official machine of the World Latte Art Championships 2024-2027.
• Mikafi Electric Coffee Roasters Electric coffee roasting systems acquired with Mikafi in August 2025, enabling Thermoplan customers to run a complete bean-to-cup coffee process including roasting.
• Refurbished Black&White4 modules and Black&White3 machines Technically reconditioned Black&White4 modules and retired Black&White3 machines resold under Thermoplan's circular-economy program, providing lower-cost entry points and extended product lifecycle.
• Consumables and Accessories Cleaning and maintenance consumables for Thermoplan coffee machines, including Black&White Tabs, Thermo Blue descaler and Cafiza tablets, plus related accessories.
• Coffee Academy Training Fee-based professional barista and coffee training courses offered by Thermoplan to customers, partners and the wider specialty coffee community, with a 10-day cancellation policy and partial refunds.

Quantifiable outcome

• 240 espresso per hour capacity on Competizione model
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• MikaficoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 August 2025Thermoplan acquired Mikafi, a maker of electric coffee roasting systems, in August 2025. The acquisition enables Thermoplan to offer a complete bean-to-cup coffee process including roasting capabilities. Mikafi's technology was showcased at HostMilano 2025.
• Specialty Coffee Association (SCA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024SCA selected Thermoplan's Black&White4 Competizione as the official world championship machine for the World Latte Art Championships 2024-2027. This is the first time a fully automatic coffee machine has been used in this prestigious competition.
• StarbuckscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerThermoplan is a key supplier of coffee machines for Starbucks, accounting for 32% of Thermoplan's total sales. This is the company's most significant customer relationship. The partnership is under strain due to 39% US tariffs on Swiss exports imposed in August 2025, causing approximately 200,000 CHF in weekly losses.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Franke Coffee Systems: Franke Coffee Systems is the closest direct peer — also Swiss-headquartered, manufacturing professional super-automatic coffee machines for global HORECA and coffee chains, and competing head-to-head with Thermoplan for enterprise accounts including large chain customers. Both target the same modular super-automatic segment with overlapping product lines.
• Schaerer (WMF Group): Schaerer, part of the WMF Group, is a direct competitor in commercial super-automatic coffee machines for HORECA and coffee chains, with a comparable modular architecture and similar enterprise customer base. Schaerer's EU manufacturing footprint gives it a tariff advantage over Thermoplan in the current US trade environment.
• La Marzocco: La Marzocco is a leading Italian manufacturer of premium commercial espresso machines for specialty coffee shops and high-end HORECA — a core target segment for Thermoplan's Black&White4 Competizione. Both compete for premium positioning and brand cachet in the specialty coffee community.
• Gruppo Cimbali: Gruppo Cimbali (parent of La Cimbali and Faema) is an Italian commercial espresso equipment maker serving hotels, restaurants, and coffee chains globally — directly comparable to Thermoplan in HORECA distribution and enterprise HORECA sales.
• Egro: Egro is a Swiss-headquartered manufacturer of super-automatic commercial coffee machines, targeting the same HORECA and chain customer base as Thermoplan with overlapping product positioning in the mid-to-high capacity range.
• Nuova Simonelli: Nuova Simonelli is an Italian commercial espresso machine maker competing directly with Thermoplan in the specialty coffee and HORECA segments, including via its Appia Life and Mythos lines.
• Bravilor Bonamat: Bravilor Bonamat is a Dutch manufacturer of professional coffee and hot beverage equipment for offices, hospitality, and foodservice — overlapping with Thermoplan's HORECA and corporate customer segments.

Emerging players

• Jura: Jura is a Swiss competitor in super-automatic coffee machines but focuses predominantly on the prosumer and small-office segment rather than high-volume HORECA. It shares Swiss engineering DNA with Thermoplan and competes for some smaller hospitality accounts.

Broad incumbents

• De'Longhi: De'Longhi is a broad incumbent Italian coffee machine manufacturer covering consumer, prosumer, and light-commercial segments. While not a direct competitor in Thermoplan's high-volume HORECA core, it competes in adjacent professional segments and has larger financial firepower.
• Melitta Professional: Melitta Professional is the commercial coffee equipment arm of Melitta Group, offering filter and fully automatic machines for HORECA and office coffee service — competing with Thermoplan in the German and broader European HORECA market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Thermoplan