What Dr. Gurtner does

Dr. Gurtner Gruppe AG is a privately held Swiss healthcare services group headquartered in Bern-Bümpliz, operating since 1913 and now in its second generation of Gerber family ownership (Stephan Gerber as CEO; Dr. Bernhard Gerber as medical director). The group runs five divisions: (1) eight community pharmacies and drogeries across the Bern area (Bümpliz, Ostermundigen, Worb, Weissenbühl, Zytglogge, Niederwangen, Schermen, Bachmätteli); (2) Dr. Gurtner Pharma AG, whose Blisterzentrum Bern produces patient-individual medication blister pouches in GMP-compliant clean rooms using JV-500SLD packaging machines with ACRS-II RFID canister recognition and a photo-optical Pouch Inspector system for quality control; (3) Dr. Gurtner Med AG, operating two primary care medical centers (Bern West Med founded 2016 and Ärztezentrum Bachmätteli opened January 2025), with on-site radiology through a Hirslanden partnership; (4) Dr. Gurtner Care AG, providing GESKES-audited HomeCare enteral and supplemental nutrition delivery in Bern and Basel; and (5) Dr. Gurtner Immobilien AG for real estate management, supported by company-run Kita Grisu childcare facilities.

The business model combines retail pharmacy transaction revenue, institutional subscription contracts for weekly blister packaging to care homes, practices, and individual patients, health-insurer-billed primary care and home nutrition services under Swiss KVG reimbursement, and managed real estate income. Pricing for clinical services (blister packaging, enteral nutrition) is largely insurance-regulated and triggered by physician prescription. The group employs over 180 staff, including 17 apprentices, and reaches approximately 9 operational locations across Canton Bern and Basel-Land. Strategic distribution occurs via direct pharmacy retail, GDP-compliant logistics fleet for institutional supply, home delivery for registered patients, and co-located pharmacy access at the medical centers. Sponsorships with SC Bern, BSC Young Boys, and other regional partners anchor brand presence in the Bern canton market.

Recent strategic activity emphasizes organic expansion and tuck-in acquisitions: the 2024 acquisition of Schermen Apotheke De Meuron, 2024 openings of Bachmätteli Apotheke and the group rebrand, January 2025 launch of Ärztezentrum Bachmätteli with attached pharmacy, 2026 affiliation with the mediX bern physician network, and a planned 2026 headquarters relocation to Niederwangen. The group holds GESKES, GMP, and GDP certifications and integrates with the Abilis stammgemeinschaft for the Swiss Electronic Patient Dossier (EPD).

Name

Dr. Gurtner

Legal name

Dr. Gurtner Gruppe AG

Website

https://drgurtner.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Dr. Gurtner is a family-owned Swiss healthcare group operating eight community pharmacies, a GMP-certified blister packaging center, two primary care medical centers, GESKES-audited home nutrition services in Bern and Basel, and a real estate arm, serving individual consumers, care institutions, and physician practices across Canton Bern.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Pharmacy & Healthcare Services

NAICS

Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (456110), Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (424210), Pharmacy Benefit Management and Other Third Party Administration of Insurance and Pension Funds (524292), Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (45611)

SIC

Retail-Drug Stores And Proprietary Stores (5912), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Discount Drugstores with Clinics (Retail Health Clinics) (CRAEAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health & Pharmacy Omnichannel (CRAFAEAK), Retail & Pharmacy-Based Urgent Care Clinics (HLAFADAE), Pharmacy Benefit/Channel Services (PSAO, 340B Admin, Chargebacks/Rebates Ops) (CRAOAHAK), Dermatology & Acne Prescribing + Pharmacy Delivery Platforms (HLALAIAK)

Keywords

• Retail pharmacy services
• Blister medication packaging
• Clinical home nutrition
• Primary medical care
• Pharmaceutical distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Berne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Pharmacy & Drogerie Retail: Retail sales of pharmaceuticals, health, and beauty products across 8 pharmacy and drogery locations in the Bern area. Revenue from OTC products, prescription medications, and health & beauty items.
2. Blisterzentrum — Institutional Blister Packaging: Patient-individual medication blistering service for care homes, nursing institutions, and private individuals. Production of weekly blister pouches in GMP-compliant clean rooms. Revenue from institutional contracts and individual patient subscriptions.
3. HomeCare — Clinical Nutrition Supply: HomeCare Bern and HomeCare Basel supply patients dependent on tube feeding or supplemental nutrition directly to their homes or institutions. Revenue from health insurance reimbursements (at indicated medical necessity) and direct billing to insurers/IV.
4. Medical Services — Bern West Med & Ärztezentrum Bachmätteli: Medical group practice and primary care physician center services. Revenue from Swiss health insurance (KVG) billing for medical consultations, treatments, and procedures.
5. Dr. Gurtner Immobilien AG: Real estate management and development of properties within the group portfolio, including healthcare and pharmaceutical facilities, medical centers, and residential/commercial properties.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dr. Gurtner operates eight Apotheken & Drogerien locations across the Bern region offering retail pharmacy, over-the-counter, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical services. Beyond retail, the group runs Blisterzentrum Bern, a GMP-certified pharmaceutical blister packaging facility that prepares weekly patient-specific medication pouches for care homes, physician practices, and hospitals. The integrated healthcare offering is completed by two primary-care medical centers (Bern West Med and Ärztezentrum Bachmätteli) and HomeCare Bern & Basel, which delivers clinical nutrition and related products to patients in their homes.

Product overview

Dr. Gurtner operates a multi-location pharmacy and healthcare group consisting of 8 pharmacies & drugstores, 2 medical centers (Bern West Med and Ärztezentrum Bachmätteli), the Blisterzentrum Bern pharmaceutical packaging facility, HomeCare Bern & Basel clinical nutrition services, Dr. Gurtner Immobilien AG real estate, and company childcare facilities (Kita Grisu). The core offering centers on community pharmacy services supplemented by integrated healthcare delivery through medical centers and specialized blister medication packaging for patients and care institutions. The Abilis digital health platform provides customer-facing health data management and pharmacy services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dr. Gurtner Apotheken & Drogerien (8 retail locations)

Quantifiable outcome

• Quick reaction service for institutional blister supply within 4-6 hours
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and flagship.

• mediX bern AGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Starting January 2026, Bern West Med and Ärztezentrum Bachmätteli (Dr. Gurtner Med AG) join the mediX bern AG physician network. Medical care remains unchanged — patients continue with their existing primary care physicians. Network affiliation may provide patients with health insurance premium discounts when registering as their first point of contact.
• Klinik Permanence / Hirslanden (Institut für Radiologie)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2016Radiology partnership established in 2016 when Bern West Med was founded. Klinik Permanence (Hirslanden group) operates a radiology institute within Bern West Med's premises at Mühledorfstrasse 2a, offering comprehensive X-ray diagnostics including MRI and CT scanning. Provides fast diagnostics without long wait times or additional referrals for Bern West Med patients.
• OvivasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNutritional counseling partnership. Oviva dietitians provide on-site consultations at Bern West Med physician practice. The close collaboration with the physician enables more targeted complementary therapy and more sustainable outcomes. Patients can also use the free Oviva app to stay in contact with their dietitian from home.
• Rheumatologie WyssmannsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialist rheumatology and general internal medicine practice co-located at Bern West Med premises. Patients benefit from time-intensive consultations, thorough analysis of complaint causes, and integrated therapy planning involving the patient.
• SC BernflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerMain sponsor of SC Bern, the 16-time Swiss ice hockey champion. SC Bern has the highest average attendance in European club ice hockey, with fans wearing black, yellow, and red. Home venue is PostFinance Arena since 1967. Sponsorship aims to contribute positively to mental health and general wellbeing of people in Bern and surrounding area.
• SC Bern Future AGflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship of the SC Bern youth development program, which cares for approximately 250 children and young people aged 4-21. Youth development has been a priority for SC Bern since the 1950s. Training covers physical, technical, and tactical elements as well as personality, respect, and teamwork.
• BSC Young BoysflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship of BSC Young Boys, Bern's premier football club (YB Forever motto). The club maintains strong historical tradition with its motto prominently displayed since the first Wankdorf stadium (1925-1954). Club colors are yellow and black.
• Klimaplattform der Berner WirtschaftsupportingOthersPartner company of the Climate Platform of Bern's Business Community. Demonstrates commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility in business operations.
• WeServe AGsupportingTechnology or IntegrationWeb hosting provider. Dr. Gurtner's website is hosted by WeServe AG on servers in Switzerland. Servers are shielded against unauthorized access and regular backups are created to prevent data loss.
• Meta Platforms Ireland (Facebook/Instagram)supportingTechnology or IntegrationCorporate social media pages on Facebook and Instagram are operated by Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland. Data processing by Meta for analytics and user recognition when visiting the corporate page.
• LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited CompanysupportingTechnology or IntegrationCorporate LinkedIn page operated by LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. Used for professional networking and employer branding.
• TikTok (ByteDance)supportingTechnology or IntegrationCorporate TikTok presence operated by TikTok/ByteDance at 1237 E 58th Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90001, USA. Used for social media engagement and health awareness content.
• Abilis (Stammgemeinschaft)coreTechnology or IntegrationSwiss-wide 'stammgemeinschaft' (community) for the Electronic Patient Dossier (EPD). Dr. Gurtner pharmacies can open EPD accounts for patients via Abilis. Abilis provides the digital health platform for electronic health data management and is available as mobile and web application.
• Gollmann (Medication Robot)supportingTechnology or IntegrationMedication dispensing robots installed at the Bümpliz flagship pharmacy (Bernstrasse 72) in 2014 and in the Blisterzentrum Bern in 2019 (www.gollmann.ch). Automates medication dispensing for improved accuracy and efficiency.
• Streamfact (Krankenkassenabrechnung)supportingTechnology or IntegrationHealth insurance billing software introduced in 2005. Used for streamlined billing with Swiss health insurers (KVG).
• Kita Grisu (Kinderkrippe)supportingOthersTwo on-site company Kindergartens (Kita Grisu Frauenkappelen opened 2014, Kita Grisu Bümpliz opened 2024) support work-life balance for employees. Demonstrates commitment to family-friendly employment practices.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Rotpunkt Apotheken: Rotpunkt Apotheken is a Swiss independent pharmacy network with locations across German-speaking Switzerland. Comparable as a multi-location neighborhood pharmacy group with similar dispensing, consultation, and home delivery services.
• TopPharm Apotheken: TopPharm is a Swiss cooperative pharmacy brand with over 130 locations, offering prescription dispensing, OTC products, and pharmacy services. Comparable as a multi-location Swiss retail pharmacy group with similar service mix including blister packaging and institutional services.
• BENU Apotheken Schweiz: BENU Apotheken is part of the international Phoenix Group, operating pharmacy locations across Switzerland. Direct comparable as a multi-location Swiss pharmacy chain with similar retail and prescription services.
• Sun Store: Sun Store is a Galenica-owned pharmacy chain with locations across Switzerland, focused on prescription and OTC products. Direct comparable as a Swiss retail pharmacy chain with similar breadth of services and customer-facing health offerings.
• Medbase: Medbase operates a network of medical centers and pharmacies across Switzerland, including primary care, specialist consultations, and in-house pharmacies. Direct comparable to Dr. Gurtner's integrated clinic-plus-pharmacy model (Bern West Med, Ärztezentrum Bachmätteli).
• Coop Vitality: Coop Vitality is a health-and-beauty pharmacy chain jointly operated by Coop and Galenica, with locations across Switzerland. Comparable to Dr. Gurtner's combined pharmacy + drogerie (drugstore) retail format with health consultations and OTC products.
• Amavita Apotheke: Amavita is one of Switzerland's largest pharmacy chains, operated by Galenica, with nationwide retail pharmacy locations and digital services. Directly comparable to Dr. Gurtner's 8-store pharmacy retail model, though Amavita operates at national scale rather than a regional focus.

Regional players

• mediX bern AG: mediX bern AG is a Bern-area physician network joining Dr. Gurtner's medical centers in 2026. Comparable as a regional primary care network with overlapping patient base in the Bern region.

Broad incumbents

• Galenica AG: Galenica is Switzerland's largest pharmacy operator, running the Amavita, Sun Store, and Coop Vitality chains plus wholesale (Alloga) and the Mediservice specialty pharmacy. Most direct comparable to Dr. Gurtner as a multi-channel Swiss community pharmacy group with institutional and home delivery services.

Emerging players

• DocMorris (Zur Rose Group): DocMorris is a leading Swiss-headquartered online pharmacy and mail-order prescription provider. Comparable as a competitive channel for prescription and OTC fulfillment, though differentiated by mail-order model versus Dr. Gurtner's physical pharmacy network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/drgurtner
• Instagraminstagram.com/dr.gurtner
• TikToktiktok.com/@dr.gurtner
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dr-gurtner
• Xx.com/dr_gurtner

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries5 records

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 Dr. Gurtner