Fredag
Fredag is a Swiss convenience food manufacturer producing chilled and frozen poultry, meat, seafood, vegetarian, and vegan products for domestic gastronomy and retail private-label customers, operating from Root with ~200 staff as a wholly-owned subsidiary of ORIOR AG.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersRoot, Switzerland
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Fredag does
Fredag is a Swiss convenience food manufacturer headquartered in Root, Canton Lucerne, that produces chilled and frozen products across five categories — poultry, meat, seafood, vegetarian, and vegan — for the domestic gastronomy channel and Swiss retail private-label customers. The company operates a single production site with daily capacity of 20–25 tonnes (approximately 9,000 tonnes annually) and employs around 200 staff from more than 40 nationalities. Proprietary process technologies include SMART Premium Formstücke, which reassembles trimmed chicken breast scraps using natural protein into 100% muscle-meat formed pieces, and wet extrusion used in plant-based meat alternatives under the Happy Vegi Butcher brand. The product portfolio spans 10 owned sub-brands including Happy Vegi Butcher, Nature Gourmet, noppa's (tofu), Börgär (burgers), Ocean's Best (seafood), SMART, Us Schwiizer Güggeti, Queen of Asia, Délicorn, and Swissline.
The company makes money through B2B sales of own-branded convenience products to hotels, restaurants, catering, and collective catering (gastronomy) via a dedicated external sales team organised by Swiss region (Food Service West, Ost, Mitte, and Convenience & Events), supported by inside sales. A separate revenue stream is private-label manufacturing for Swiss retail chains, historically including the Délicorn range at Coop (launched 2006) and Weight Watchers-branded products (2005). Distribution runs through a network of 24 gastronomy wholesale partners including Aligro, Pistor AG, TopCC AG, and Transgourmet/Prodega, plus a direct-to-consumer factory store in Root opened in 2024. Pricing is quote-based with minimum order thresholds (100 kg for frozen Fredag products; CHF 250 for Pastinella; CHF 200 for Le Patron) and a CHF 40 surcharge for below-minimum orders; pricing is not publicly disclosed.
Fredag is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ORIOR AG, a Swiss food and beverage group listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker: ORIOR) since April 2010. ORIOR took a majority stake in 1990 and full ownership in 2000; Fredag AG was renamed Fredag – ORIOR Food AG in 2025 as part of ORIOR group structural simplification. Certifications include FSSC 22000, IFS (2005), ISO 9001 (1996), Suisse Garantie, Bio Suisse, MSC, ASC, EU Bio, and Naturform. The company is a recognised vegetarian/vegan pioneer in Switzerland with 20+ years in the category, first launching vegetarian products (VegiFit and Quorn) in 1995.
Fredag firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fredag
- Legal name
- Fredag - ORIOR Food AG
- Website
- https://fredag.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Fredag is a Swiss convenience food manufacturer producing chilled and frozen poultry, meat, seafood, vegetarian, and vegan products for domestic gastronomy and retail private-label customers, operating from Root with ~200 staff as a wholly-owned subsidiary of ORIOR AG.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fredag industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Convenience Food Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing (311991), Animal Slaughtering and Processing (3116)
- SIC
- Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Frozen Meat & Poultry Meals & Value-Added Proteins (CRADADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Plant-Based & Alternative Proteins (Packaged) (CRADAAAH), Frozen Plant-Based & Vegetarian Meals (CRADADAF), Refrigerated Meat & Seafood (Processed/Packaged) (CRADACAK), Frozen Entrées & Complete Meals (CRADADAA)
Keywords
Where Fredag is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Root
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Fredag business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Own-branded Convenience Products (B2B foodservice): Fredag manufactures and sells its own branded convenience products (poultry, meat, seafood, vegetarian/vegan) directly to hotels, restaurants, catering companies, and collective catering (gastronomy segment) via its own sales team. Products are sold chilled and frozen. The company has operated a factory store in Root since 2024, selling directly to end consumers.
- Private-Label Manufacturing: Fredag produces private-label convenience products for retail chains. Historical examples include the Délicorn range sold at Coop (launched 2006) and Léger/Weight Watchers branded products (2005). Products are manufactured to retailer specifications and sold under the retailer's own brand.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Fredag frozen products — minimum order 100kg, minimum quantity surcharge CHF 40 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pastinella (frozen and fresh) — minimum order CHF 250, surcharge CHF 40 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Le Patron fresh products — minimum order CHF 200, surcharge CHF 40 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Fredag product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fredag manufactures and sells a broad portfolio of chilled and frozen convenience food products spanning poultry, meat, seafood, vegetarian, and vegan categories. Products are sold primarily to the Swiss gastronomy (hotels, restaurants, catering) through a dedicated B2B sales team and wholesale distribution network, with additional private-label manufacturing for retail chains and a direct-to-consumer factory store in Root.
Product overview
Fredag is a convenience food manufacturer offering a diversified portfolio across five main product categories: Geflügel (poultry) featuring SMART Premium Formstücke and Us Schwiizer Güggeli sub-brands; Vegetarisch & Vegan (vegetarian & vegan) under Happy Vegi Butcher, Nature Gourmet, noppa's, and Quorn sub-brands; Fleisch (meat) with the Börgär burger label; Seafood under the Ocean's Best brand; and Spezialitäten (Asian specialties) including spring rolls and gyoza. Products are sold to food service (gastronomy) and retail customers, with a factory outlet store and recipe inspiration resources. The company operates as a B2B supplier with a dedicated sales team and holds multiple quality and sustainability certifications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Happy Vegi Butcher: Premium meat-free meat alternative brand offering plant-based products without compromises on taste, texture, fiber, recipe choice, or origin.
- Nature Gourmet
- noppa's
- Börgär
- Ocean's Best
- SMART
- Us Ämmitaler Güggle / Us Schwiizer Güggeli
- Queen of Asia
- Délicorn
- Swissline
Products and services
- Geflügel (Poultry) Versatile poultry product range for professional kitchens and retail, including SMART Premium formed pieces, Us Schwiizer Güggeli, chicken nuggets, chicken burgers, schnitzel, cordon bleu, yakitori skewers, and chicken wings.
- SMART Premium Formstücke (SMART Premium Formed Pieces) Innovative formed pieces from 100% muscle meat using natural protein technology, offering premium quality with authentic meat texture, structure, and taste without grinding, combined with efficient raw material utilization.
- Us Schwiizer Güggeli Swiss premium poultry line made from 100% Swiss poultry, prepared with handcraft tradition, no artificial additives (E-numbers), using only flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs.
- Vegetarisch & Vegan (Vegetarian & Vegan) Vegetarian and vegan product range for foodservice and retail including Happy Vegi Butcher, Nature Gourmet, noppa's tofu, and Quorn mycoprotein-based products.
- Happy Vegi Butcher Premium plant-based meat alternative brand offering vegan products such as nuggets, burgers, kebab, wings, sausages, and sliced products that replicate meat taste, texture, and fiber without compromise.
- Nature Gourmet Vegetarian and vegan products based on high-quality natural ingredients and refined spices, prepared according to Swiss quality standards, including nuggets, schnitzel, vegetables, and burgers.
- noppa's High-quality tofu creations with traditional and innovative recipes, including bio tofu, smoked tofu, tofu with vegetables, and silken tofu, produced according to high Swiss quality standards.
- Quorn Products based on mycoprotein, a nutritious protein source rich in fiber, meat-free, and naturally low in saturated fats, including schnitzel, geschnetzeltes, and minced products.
- Fleisch (Meat) 100% Swiss meat products including burgers under the Börgär label, beef products like meatballs, pork schnitzel and cordon bleu, and specialty cuts for foodservice and retail customers.
- Börgär Burger line featuring original patties from 100% Swiss meat, vegan alternatives, and trendy seasonal burgers for creative recipes, unified under a single brand label.
- Seafood Frozen fish and shellfish from around the world under the Ocean's Best brand, including mangrove shrimps, prawns, seafood specialties, and fresh/saltwater fish, carrying Bio, MSC, and ASC certifications.
- Ocean's Best Brand representing consistent top quality for frozen fish and shellfish from around the world, carrying important certifications including Bio, MSC, and ASC labels for sustainable sourcing.
- Spezialitäten (Specialties) Asian specialties including spring rolls and gyoza, popular as finger food and appetizers for foodservice and retail customers.
- Factory Store (Direct-to-Consumer Outlet) Direct-to-consumer factory outlet store at Fredag headquarters in Root (Oberfeld 7), open Fridays and Saturdays, offering the full range of poultry, meat, vegetarian/vegan, and seafood products to end consumers.
- Private-Label Manufacturing Contract manufacturing of private-label convenience products for Swiss retail chains, produced to retailer specifications and sold under the retailer's own brand.
Quantifiable outcome
- Water consumption reduced by over 23% since 2018 through production process optimization.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Fredag
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Fredag technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Fredag partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
24 partnerships are on record, tiered major and regional.
- AligromajorSwiss gastronomy wholesale distribution partner serving hotels, restaurants, and catering businesses across Switzerland. Listed as a primary partner on Fredag's partner page with direct link to aligro.ch.
- Pistor AGmajorSwiss gastronomy wholesale distribution partner. Listed as a primary partner on Fredag's partner page with direct link to pistor.ch.
- TopCC AGmajorSwiss gastronomy wholesale distribution partner. Listed as a primary partner on Fredag's partner page with direct link to topcc.ch.
- Transgourmet/ProdegamajorMajor Swiss gastronomy wholesale distribution partner. Listed as a primary partner on Fredag's partner page with direct link to transgourmet.ch.
- Agemo SAregionalSwiss gastronomy wholesale partner based in Western Switzerland (Westschweiz region).
- Berger SAregionalSwiss gastronomy wholesale partner.
- G. Bianchi AGregionalSwiss gastronomy wholesale partner.
- CC AligroregionalSwiss gastronomy wholesale partner (related to Aligro group).
- Dörig&Brandl ComestiblesregionalSwiss gastronomy wholesale partner specializing in fish and seafood (der-frisch-fisch.ch).
- Eggenschwiler AGregionalSwiss gastronomy wholesale partner.
- FrigalimentregionalSwiss gastronomy wholesale partner.
- Gourmador frigemo AGregionalSwiss gastronomy wholesale partner.
- Hosberg AGregionalSwiss gastronomy wholesale partner.
- Marinello & Co. AGregionalSwiss gastronomy wholesale partner.
- Mundo AGregionalSwiss gastronomy wholesale partner.
- SavivaregionalSwiss gastronomy wholesale partner.
- VermoregionalSwiss gastronomy wholesale partner.
- BolayregionalSwiss gastronomy partner in the West Switzerland region.
- SGG Waser AGregionalSwiss gastronomy partner.
- Pitoeuf SAregionalSwiss gastronomy partner in the West Switzerland region.
- Dupasquier SAregionalSwiss gastronomy partner in the West Switzerland region.
- Bonfrais Bongel & Berger frigemo SAregionalSwiss gastronomy partner.
- Von Kaenel Comestibles SAregionalSwiss gastronomy partner.
- Forster Früchte und Gemüse AGregionalSwiss produce and vegetable supplier partner.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Fredag competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Frigemo (fenaco): Swiss producer of frozen and chilled convenience foods for gastronomy and retail, competing in the same domestic foodservice convenience niche.
- Bell Food Group: Leading Swiss meat and convenience food processor supplying retail and foodservice; directly comparable in Swiss meat/poultry and convenience manufacturing, competing for similar customers.
- Micarna (Migros): Major Swiss meat, poultry and seafood processor producing value-added and convenience products, competing directly in Fredag's core protein categories in the Swiss market.
Broad incumbents
- Garden Gourmet (Nestlé): Global plant-based convenience brand from Nestlé competing in the same vegetarian/vegan foodservice and retail space, though as part of a far larger portfolio.
- The Vegetarian Butcher (Unilever): Plant-based meat-alternative brand serving foodservice channels; overlaps with Fredag's Happy Vegi Butcher positioning for gastronomy customers.
Emerging players
- Beyond Meat: Pure-play alternative-protein manufacturer; a category competitor to Fredag's plant-based lines in retail and foodservice.
- Planted: Swiss plant-based protein startup using extrusion to make meat alternatives for foodservice/retail, overlapping directly with Fredag's Happy Vegi Butcher vegan line.
- Rügenwalder Mühle: German producer of both meat products and plant-based alternatives, comparable in its dual meat/vegan convenience portfolio strategy.
Direct peers
- Hilcona: Swiss/Liechtenstein manufacturer of chilled convenience and prepared foods for gastronomy and retail—very close overlap in convenience food category, channels and geography.
Others
- Quorn (Marlow Foods): Mycoprotein-based meat-alternative maker; both a Fredag brand partner/ingredient and a comparable in the vegetarian convenience category.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Fredag compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance9 records
Fredag financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fredag leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Fredag subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Fredag funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fredag M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Fredag
What does Fredag do?
Fredag manufactures and sells a broad portfolio of chilled and frozen convenience food products spanning poultry, meat, seafood, vegetarian, and vegan categories. Products are sold primarily to the Swiss gastronomy (hotels, restaurants, catering) through a dedicated B2B sales team and wholesale distribution network, with additional private-label manufacturing for retail chains and a direct-to-consumer factory store in Root.
Is Fredag a public or private company?
Fredag is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Fredag founded?
Fredag was founded in 1986. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Fredag based?
Fredag is headquartered in Root, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Fredag make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Own-branded Convenience Products (B2B foodservice) is the primary driver. The others are private-Label Manufacturing.
Who are Fredag's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Frigemo (fenaco), Bell Food Group and Micarna (Migros). Broad incumbents are Garden Gourmet (Nestlé) and The Vegetarian Butcher (Unilever). Emerging players are Beyond Meat, Planted and Rügenwalder Mühle. Hilcona is listed as a direct peer. Quorn (Marlow Foods) is listed as an others.
Does Fredag have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fredag.
What industry is Fredag in?
Fredag's product category is Convenience Food Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADADAH, Frozen Meat & Poultry Meals & Value-Added Proteins, with a secondary code of CRADAAAH, Plant-Based & Alternative Proteins (Packaged). Its NAICS code is 311991 and its SIC code is 2013.