ZFV Group
ZFV Group is a Zürich-based Swiss cooperative operating 220+ hospitality locations across Switzerland, including ~11 million annual meals, 15 Sorell boutique hotels, KiMi childcare, and bakery operations for institutional, education, and consumer clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1894
- HeadquartersZürich, Switzerland
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What ZFV Group does
ZFV Group (legal name: Genossenschaft ZFV-Unternehmungen) is a Swiss cooperative (Genossenschaft) headquartered in Zürich that operates a diversified hospitality ecosystem of more than 220 locations across Switzerland. Its activities span four primary business lines: Gemeinschaftsgastronomie (communal/institutional gastronomy, including corporate restaurants, university, school, hospital, and SBB canteens, serving ~11 million meals annually), Hotellerie (15 Sorell boutique hotels in German-speaking Switzerland, accounting for 297,000 overnight stays per year), Kinderbetreuung und -verpflegung (the KiMi childcare subsidiary caring for over 2,000 children annually), and Bäckereien (bakery operations in partnership with Jung, plus event and banqueting services). ZFV serves approximately 200 institutional clients across Switzerland and Germany — including UBS, SBB, University of Bern, University of Zürich, and ETH Zürich — alongside consumers through Sorell Hotels, restaurants, and childcare registrations.
ZFV generates revenue through a mix of B2B contract catering (per-contract, monthly billing), B2C hotel bookings (per-night room rates at 15 Sorell properties), subscription/recurring childcare and meal-plan fees (via the SIS registration portal managed by Polyright), and transactional bakery and event revenues. Pricing for institutional catering and hotels is contract-based and not publicly disclosed; gift vouchers are sold through a separate e-guma shop. Distribution is anchored in owned physical venues, supported by direct B2B sales ([email protected], +41 44 388 36 50), the Sorell Hotels booking website (built by Liip), and the SIS portal. Digital marketing relies on Google Ads, Meta Pixel tracking, and an active LinkedIn presence. There are no public funding rounds, no external shareholders, and no private equity or venture capital backing identified; ownership resides with the cooperative's members.
The technology stack underpins this operational scale: the proprietary FOOD2050 MenuCheck system visualizes climate impact and nutritional balance of menus using a traffic-light system connected to a comprehensive LCA ingredient database; the SIS portal integrates with Polyright's cashless payment system; and Coople Manage enables decentralized employee scheduling. The ZFV Living Lab open-innovation platform, co-developed initiatives with universities (Mensa Futura with the University of Bern, Green Kitchen Lab with UZH) and a network of plant-based food partners (Jung, Roots, Luya, Yumame, New Roots, Outlawz Food) frame ZFV's positioning around sustainability, climate-conscious catering, and innovation. The group holds ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environmental), and ASA/EKAS (occupational safety) certifications, and all Sorell hotels are Swisstainable Level II or III certified.
ZFV Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ZFV Group
- Legal name
- Genossenschaft ZFV-Unternehmungen
- Website
- https://zfv.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1894
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- ZFV Group is a Zürich-based Swiss cooperative operating 220+ hospitality locations across Switzerland, including ~11 million annual meals, 15 Sorell boutique hotels, KiMi childcare, and bakery operations for institutional, education, and consumer clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ZFV Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Contract Catering and Hospitality Services
- NAICS
- Cafeterias, Grill Buffets, and Buffets (722514), Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111), Traveler Accommodation (7211), Caterers (722320), Special Food Services (7223)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hotel & Resort Banqueting (In-House Catering) (THAHAKAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Conference & Convention Center Catering (THAHAKAB)
Keywords
Where ZFV Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zürich
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
ZFV Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Gastronomy & Catering: ZFV operates over 220 restaurants, canteens, and catering operations across Switzerland. Revenue is generated through the sale of meals and food services to institutional clients (corporate restaurants, universities, schools, hospitals, retirement homes) and event catering clients. Volumes: ~11 million meals served annually.
- Hotellerie (Sorell Hotels): ZFV operates 15 Sorell boutique hotels in German-speaking Switzerland under the Sorell brand. Revenue is generated through room bookings (B2C and B2B), food and beverage sales in hotel restaurants, and events. All Sorell hotels are certified 'Swisstainable' Level II or III and ISO 14001.
- Kinderbetreuung & -verpflegung (Childcare): ZFV provides childcare services (KIMI Krippen) and meal services for children through its subsidiary KIMI Krippen AG. Revenue model involves childcare fees and meal plan charges managed through the SIS registration portal.
- Bakery Operations: ZFV operates bakery operations in partnership with Jung, emphasizing artisanal quality, organic ingredients, and regional suppliers.
- Event & Banqueting Services: ZFV plans and hosts events across its venues, generating revenue from venue rental, catering services, and ancillary event services (decoration, music permits, overnight supplements). Cancellation and participant-change policies are governed by AGB.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | B2B Catering & Institutional Dining – Quoted per contract |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Event & Banqueting – Variable pricing per event |
| Subscription | Monthly | Sorell Hotels – Per night / per room |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Vouchers – Fixed denomination |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
ZFV Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ZFV Group (Genossenschaft ZFV-Unternehmungen) operates over 220 hospitality venues across Switzerland across four core business lines: communal gastronomy (corporate restaurants, university, school, hospital and retirement-home catering serving ~11 million meals annually), Sorell Hotels (15 boutique hotels), KiMi childcare and meal services, and bakery operations. The cooperative also provides event/banqueting services, the proprietary FOOD2050 MenuCheck climate-impact menu guidance system, and runs the ZFV Living Lab open-innovation platform for startups and universities.
Product overview
ZFV Genossenschaft operates a diversified hospitality ecosystem comprising over 220 locations across Switzerland, organized into seven core business areas: Gemeinschaftsgastronomie (communal gastronomy serving ~11 million meals annually), Sorell Hotels (15 boutique hotels, rebranded 2025), Kinderbetreuung KiMi, bakeries, event planning, and the Menüleitsystem FOOD2050 for climate-aware menu guidance. The company also runs a ZFV Living Lab open innovation platform. The portfolio centers on community dining, hospitality, and childcare services rather than a single software product. Notable brands include Sorell Hotels (Swisstainable Level III, ISO 14001 certified) and the FOOD2050 menu guidance system developed in partnership with a Zurich-based startup.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Sorell Hotels: A boutique hotel chain operated by ZFV with 15 hotels across German-speaking Switzerland, rebranded in 2025 with a focus on local experiences and sustainability (Swisstainable Level III certified, ISO 14001 certified).
- KiMi
- Green Kitchen Lab
- ZFV Living Lab – Open Innovation
- FOOD2050 Menu System
- Mensa Futura
Products and services
- Gemeinschaftsgastronomie (Community Gastronomy / Institutional Catering) Operates ~200 staff restaurants, university canteens, school cafeterias, hospital and retirement-home catering contracts across Switzerland for institutional clients such as universities (University of Bern, University of Zurich, ETH Zurich), UBS and SBB.
- Sorell Hotels (Boutique Hotel Chain) Operates 15 boutique hotels in German-speaking Switzerland targeting leisure and business travellers, with on-site restaurants and event facilities; achieved 297,000 overnight stays annually.
- KiMi Kinderbetreuung und -verpflegung (Childcare and Child Meal Services) Provides early-childhood daycare and meal services for children through KIMI Krippen AG facilities, including registration via the ZFV SIS portal.
- Bäckereien (Bakery Operations) Produces artisanal bakery goods in partnership with Jung, using organic ingredients and regional suppliers, supplying ZFV's restaurants and external customers.
- Event Planen (Event Planning and Banqueting) Plans and delivers corporate events, banquets and private celebrations at ZFV venues, with climate-friendly menus and full event logistics including catering, decoration and permits.
- FOOD2050 Menüleitsystem (Climate-Impact Menu Guidance System) Digital menu-planning tool used across ZFV's communal gastronomy operations that displays the climate footprint and nutritional balance of dishes via a traffic-light interface, enabling chefs to design climate-friendly menus and guests to make conscious food choices.
- ZFV Living Lab (Open Innovation Platform) Provides startups, universities and research institutions a real-world hospitality environment to test food-service innovations; ZFV acts as implementation advisor and pilot host.
- ZFV Gift Vouchers Sells fixed-denomination gift vouchers via an online e-guma storefront that can be redeemed across ZFV's restaurants, hotels and event venues.
Quantifiable outcome
- ~11 million meals served annually across 220+ locations in Switzerland
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use ZFV Group
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
ZFV Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
ZFV Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- FOOD2050coreZFV co-developed the FOOD2050 MenuCheck menu guidance system with the Zurich-based startup founded in 2022. The system visualizes climate impact and nutritional balance of menu items using a traffic-light system. ZFV operates this system across its communal gastronomy operations and helps the startup test and scale its solution.
- JungcoreZFV partners with Jung, a bakery operator, emphasizing artisanal baking craft, quality, organic ingredients, and preference for regional suppliers. This partnership supports ZFV's sustainability commitment in its bakery operations.
- RootsminorRoots shares its plant-based cuisine philosophy with ZFV, inspiring new culinary creations in ZFV's kitchens. The partnership contributes to ZFV's goal of expanding plant-based menu options.
- Swiss Food & Nutrition ValleyminorZFV participates in a pilot program with Canton Waadt, Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley, pi2Life, and ZFV to expand the FOOD2050 MenuCheck system under the Living Lab framework.
- pi2LifeminorPartner in the pilot program for FOOD2050 MenuCheck expansion in Canton Waadt, alongside Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley and ZFV.
- Polyright SAcorePolyright SA provides the cashless payment system for ZFV's SIS (semester flat-rate) registration portal. Students and parents register a cashless account via Polyright to pay for school meal plans managed by ZFV.
- MetaDesignminorMetaDesign developed Sorell Hotels' new brand identity, visual and verbal brand platform, and individual color universes for each hotel. The agency created the repositioning strategy that positions Sorell as a boutique hotel experience platform.
- Benjamin HermannminorSwiss illustrator Benjamin Hermann created the unique architectural and atmospheric motifs for each Sorell hotel, serving as key visuals for the new brand identity. Each illustration tells a story inspired by the personality and identity of each location.
- Universität BerncoreZFV collaborates with the University of Bern's research group on the 'Mensa Futura' project, testing how labels influence guests' menu choices toward more sustainable options. The study ran in ZFV's Mensa UniS and Mensa vonRoll canteens.
- ETH ZürichminorETH Zürich experts support the second intervention phase of the Mensa Futura research project run by ZFV and University of Bern, providing interdisciplinary input on sustainable food behavior.
- Universität Zürich (UZH)minorZFV operates the Green Kitchen Lab at UZH, a real laboratory for sustainable food innovation. ZFV chefs collaborate with UZH researchers to test new plant-based recipes and food concepts.
- LuyaminorZFV sources plant-based 'Luya' sliced products for its menus, expanding innovative plant-based protein options across its restaurant operations.
- YumameminorZFV incorporates Yumame plant-based products into its menus as part of its strategy to expand plant-based dining options.
- New Roots (Vegan Cheese)minorZFV features vegan cheese from New Roots in its plant-based menu offerings, sourced as part of the company's commitment to sustainable and innovative food options.
- Outlawz FoodminorZFV features the plant-based Seitan Döner from Outlawz Food in its menus as part of food promotions showcasing innovative Swiss plant-based products.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ZFV Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ISS A/S: Denmark-listed integrated facility services provider whose food services division competes with ZFV's institutional catering in corporate, education, and healthcare settings across Europe.
- Aramark: US-listed global contract foodservice and uniform services giant active across institutional dining, education, and healthcare - overlapping with ZFV's caterer/communal gastronomy offering at a much broader global scale.
- Compass Group Switzerland: Swiss arm of global contract foodservice giant Compass Group, serving corporate, education, and healthcare clients with similar offerings to ZFV's Gemeinschaftsgastronomie across the same Swiss institutional market.
- AccorHotels: Global hotel group with multiple brands operating across Swiss cities - directly comparable to Sorell Hotels' boutique offering but at vastly greater scale, geographic reach, and loyalty-program depth.
- Sodexo (now Pluxee/names restructuring): French-headquartered global facility management and contract catering group with Swiss operations serving the same institutional foodservice market as ZFV, but at significantly larger global scale.
Direct peers
- Motel One Group: European design-led budget boutique hotel chain - conceptually comparable to Sorell Hotels' repositioned boutique, design-forward, sustainable positioning in the upper-economy/midscale segment.
- Dussmann Group: German-headquartered facility services and contract catering group with Swiss operations across corporate, education, and healthcare, comparable to ZFV's communal gastronomy and facility-management-adjacent offerings.
- SV Group: Swiss contract caterer and hospitality operator running staff restaurants, canteens, hotels, and event venues across Switzerland - directly comparable to ZFV's communal gastronomy and hotel segments and its main domestic competitor.
- Menü Partner: German contract caterer specializing in school, kindergarten, and corporate catering - directly comparable to ZFV's KIMI childcare meals and university/school canteen operations from a DACH-region perspective.
Regional players
- Gategroup (now gategroup Aviation): Swiss-based aviation catering and hospitality company operating from the same Zürich business community as ZFV, sharing the Swiss hospitality DNA even if it specializes in airline catering rather than institutional foodservice.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ZFV Group social profiles
Digital presenceZFV Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ZFV Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
ZFV Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries9 records
ZFV Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ZFV Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ZFV Group
What does ZFV Group do?
ZFV Group (Genossenschaft ZFV-Unternehmungen) operates over 220 hospitality venues across Switzerland across four core business lines: communal gastronomy (corporate restaurants, university, school, hospital and retirement-home catering serving ~11 million meals annually), Sorell Hotels (15 boutique hotels), KiMi childcare and meal services, and bakery operations. The cooperative also provides event/banqueting services, the proprietary FOOD2050 MenuCheck climate-impact menu guidance system, and runs the ZFV Living Lab open-innovation platform for startups and universities.
Is ZFV Group a public or private company?
ZFV Group is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was ZFV Group founded?
ZFV Group was founded in 1894. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is ZFV Group based?
ZFV Group is headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does ZFV Group make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Gastronomy & Catering is the primary driver. The others are hotellerie (Sorell Hotels), kinderbetreuung & -verpflegung (Childcare), bakery Operations and event & Banqueting Services.
Who are ZFV Group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ISS A/S, Aramark, Compass Group Switzerland, AccorHotels and Sodexo (now Pluxee/names restructuring). Direct peers are Motel One Group, Dussmann Group, SV Group and Menü Partner. Gategroup (now gategroup Aviation) is listed as a regional player.
Does ZFV Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for ZFV Group.
What industry is ZFV Group in?
ZFV Group's product category is Contract Catering and Hospitality Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHAKAC, Hotel & Resort Banqueting (In-House Catering), with a secondary code of THAHAKAB, Conference & Convention Center Catering. Its NAICS code is 722514 and its SIC code is 7000.