Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper
Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper is the publishing arm (Hotellerie Gastronomie Zeitung, HGZ) of the Hotel & Gastro Union, Switzerland's largest employee association for hospitality, gastronomy, and bakery-confectionery workers. It publishes a weekly industry newspaper and serves members across all Swiss language regions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1886
- HeadquartersLucerne, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper does
Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper operates as the publishing identity (Hotellerie Gastronomie Zeitung, HGZ) of the Hotel & Gastro Union (HGU), Switzerland's largest employee and professional association for the hospitality, gastronomy, and bakery-confectionery sectors. Founded in 1886 and headquartered in Lucerne within the Art Deco Hotel Montana building (since 1944), HGU serves workers across hotels, restaurants, catering, housekeeping, hotel administration, and bakery-confectionery trades. The organization operates as a Swiss-registered Verein (association) and is governed by a delegate assembly and central board, with no parent company or external investor control.
HGU's core offerings are membership-based services rather than commercial software: legal advice and legal protection, continuing education through partner institutions (SHL, Hotel & Gastro formation, WIGL), professional networking via regional events (Hotelcamp, ZAGG, GASTIA, Igeho), member discounts via the HGU webshop (up to 40%), a dedicated job portal (gastrojob.ch), and the weekly HGZ industry newspaper published by its wholly-owned Hotellerie Gastronomie Verlag subsidiary. The technology footprint consists of a multilingual (DE/FR/IT) web platform, e-guma-powered event ticketing, the gastrojob.ch portal infrastructure, and the HGU webshop storefront. Under HGU sit five wholly-owned professional associations (SKV for cooks, BVR for service/restaurant, BVHH for hotel & housekeeping, BVHAM for hotel administration & management, SBKPV for bakery & confectionery) that serve as sub-brands and distribution channels.
Revenue is generated predominantly through recurring monthly membership subscriptions at CHF 27 per month (standard), CHF 13.50 per month (apprentices after 6 free months, and spouses), with supplementary income from webshop sales, employer-side job portal listings on gastrojob.ch, advertising in the HGZ newspaper, event ticketing, and partner commissions (e.g., SWICA health insurance up to 23% collective discount, Allianz property insurance). Customer acquisition is community-led: members are recruited through the five professional associations, educational institutions, employer referrals, word-of-mouth (reinforced by a CHF 100 referral bonus), and a digital funnel spanning the multilingual website, social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok), and email newsletter.
Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper
- Legal name
- Hotel & Gastro Union
- Website
- https://hotelgastrounion.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1886
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper is the publishing arm (Hotellerie Gastronomie Zeitung, HGZ) of the Hotel & Gastro Union, Switzerland's largest employee association for hospitality, gastronomy, and bakery-confectionery workers. It publishes a weekly industry newspaper and serves members across all Swiss language regions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lucerne
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Subscriptions: Primary revenue stream from monthly membership fees. Standard membership at CHF 27/month, reduced rate for apprentices (CHF 13.50/month after 6 free months), and spouse memberships at CHF 13.50/month.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Standard Membership - CHF 27/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Apprentice Membership - First 6 months free, then CHF 13.50/month |
| Subscription | Monthly | Spouse Membership - CHF 13.50/month |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Referral Bonus - CHF 100 per new member |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Hotel & Gastro Union (HGU) is Switzerland's largest employee organization for the hospitality and gastronomy industry, operating as a membership-based professional association since 1886. It provides monthly subscription membership services that bundle legal advice and legal protection, professional networking events, vocational training, member discounts, a job portal (gastrojob.ch), and a weekly industry newspaper (Hotellerie Gastronomie Zeitung). The organization operates under five umbrella professional associations covering cooks, service staff, hotel administration, housekeeping, and bakery-confectionery trades.
Product overview
Hotel & Gastro Union (HGU) is not a technology product company but rather Switzerland's largest employee organization (Arbeitnehmerorganisation) for the hospitality and gastronomy industry, founded in 1886. The organization does not offer a unified SaaS platform or product portfolio in the traditional sense. Instead, it provides membership services including legal advice and legal protection, professional development and training through partner institutions, a job portal (gastrojob.ch), a weekly industry newspaper (Hotellerie Gastronomie Zeitung), event management via e-guma platform, an e-commerce webshop (HGU-Webshop), and various regional services. The five professional associations under its umbrella include the Swiss Cooks Association (SKV), Service/Restauration Professional Association (BVR), Hospitality & Housekeeping Professional Association (BVHH), Hotel Administration & Management Professional Association (BVHAM), and Bakery & Confectionery Professional Association (SBKPV). These are member services, not commercial products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hotellerie Gastronomie Zeitung (HGZ): Weekly newspaper and themed magazines covering hospitality and gastronomy news
- gastrojob.ch
- Union Circle
- HGU-Webshop
Products and services
- HGU Membership (Hotel & Gastro Union Membership) Comprehensive monthly membership package providing legal advice, legal protection in employment matters, networking events, professional development opportunities, member discounts up to 40% on products, and access to gastrojob.ch job portal. Designed for individual workers in Swiss hospitality, gastronomy, and bakery-confectionery sectors.
- gastrojob.ch Job Portal
Companies that use Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- gastrojob.chcoreIntegrated job portal specifically for the hospitality-restaurant industry, providing members with exclusive job placement services and employers with targeted recruitment.
- Hotellerie Gastronomie VerlagcorePublisher of the weekly newspaper (Hotellerie Gastronomie Zeitung/Hôtellerie Gastronomie Hebdo) and thematic magazines, integrated under HGU umbrella.
- Hotel & Gastro formationminorPartner for vocational education and training in the hospitality sector.
- SHL Schweizerische Hotelfachschule LuzernminorSwiss Hotel Management School in Lucerne, listed as a key partner for education and professional development.
- SwissSkillsminorHGU supports member participation in SwissSkills professional championships including EuroSkills and SwissSkills Hotel Reception.
- SWICAminorHealth insurance partner offering collective discounts up to 23% on premiums for members and their families.
- AllianzminorInsurance partner offering preferential rates on selected property insurance products for members.
- ARTISET BildungminorContinuing education provider for hospitality and facility management professionals, offering preferential pricing to HGU members.
- Art Deco Hotel MontanaminorHost location for HGU headquarters in Luzern since 1944, listed as an important partner page.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper social profiles
Digital presenceHotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper 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 Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper
What does Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper do?
Hotel & Gastro Union (HGU) is Switzerland's largest employee organization for the hospitality and gastronomy industry, operating as a membership-based professional association since 1886. It provides monthly subscription membership services that bundle legal advice and legal protection, professional networking events, vocational training, member discounts, a job portal (gastrojob.ch), and a weekly industry newspaper (Hotellerie Gastronomie Zeitung). The organization operates under five umbrella professional associations covering cooks, service staff, hotel administration, housekeeping, and bakery-confectionery trades.
Is Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper a public or private company?
Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper founded?
Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper was founded in 1886. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper based?
Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper is headquartered in Lucerne, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership Subscriptions.
Does Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper have an API?
No public API is recorded for Hotel Industry Gastronomy Newspaper.