BlauArt Catering

What BlauArt Catering does

BlauArt Catering GmbH is a Potsdam-based, founder-owned institutional catering company founded in 1994 by trained chefs Simone and Ralf Blauert. The company operates exclusively within the city of Potsdam and serves approximately 4,000 kindergarten and school children daily with hot, freshly prepared lunches compliant with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung (DGE) nutritional guidelines. A secondary revenue stream covers corporate canteen supply and event catering for up to 1,000 guests. Following the summer 2024 inauguration of its new purpose-built production kitchen at the Tagungshaus am Wildpark on Werderscher Damm 8, BlauArt operates with capacity for up to 6,000 daily portions — a 50% headroom over current demand — using ten 150-litre cooking kettles and modern combi steamers under a single consolidated roof.

The technology stack centres on operational and customer-facing tools rather than software platforms: an online Kundenportal (customer portal) for parents to register/deregister meals, view monthly menus with allergen information, and manage SEPA direct-debit billing; an RFID-based Essenchip/Essenskarte meal-identification system used by service staff on-site; an integrated HACCP-based self-control system for food safety; ISO 9001:2015 quality management; and EU organic certification (DE-ÖKO-034). Since January 2020 the kitchen has run on 100% renewable hydropower electricity, achieving climate-neutral operations. The company's customer-facing surface includes a website with menu plans, registration forms, news/blog content, and WhatsApp/phone/email support channels.

BlauArt's revenue model is dominated by subscription-recurring institutional catering contracts (Kita- and Schulverpflegung) billed monthly to families, with BuT (Bildung und Teilhabe) state subsidies settled directly with the municipality. Pricing is regulated: the City of Potsdam has set a mandatory price ceiling of €3.90 per meal for municipal schools and directly subsidises the gap to BlauArt. Event catering is transaction-based with individually quoted pricing. Go-to-market is sales-led, relying on direct outreach to schools and Kitas, public tendering with municipal authorities, and word-of-mouth referrals within the Potsdam educational community, augmented by Ralf Blauert's position as 1st Chairman of the national VDSKC industry association.

Name

BlauArt Catering

Legal name

BlauArt Catering GmbH

Website

https://blauart.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BlauArt Catering GmbH is a Potsdam-based, founder-owned institutional caterer founded in 1994 that serves approximately 4,000 kindergarten and school children daily with DGE-compliant hot meals, supplemented by corporate canteen and event catering, operating from a new 6,000-portion production kitchen in Potsdam.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Institutional Catering Services

NAICS

Food Service Contractors (72231), Caterers (722320), Special Food Services (7223)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812)

akta.pro primary industry

Central Kitchen & Commissary Operations (Batch Cooking, Satellite Serving) (EDAEAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

In-House Cafeteria Operations & Meal Preparation (EDAEAEAA), Menu Planning, Nutrition & Dietary Accommodation Services (Allergens, Special Diets) (EDAEAEAD), Full-Service Catering (Off-Premise) (HSACAGAA), Corporate Catering & Office Food Programs (HSACAGAC)

Keywords

• Institutional catering services
• School meal catering
• Kindergarten food service
• Corporate event catering
• Canteen catering

Headquarters

HQ city

Potsdam

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. School and Kita Catering (Kita-/Schulverpflegung): Daily catering contracts with schools and kindergartens in Potsdam. Parents register children for daily hot lunch via the customer portal. Meals are charged per delivered day, with billing via SEPA direct debit at month-end. Families receiving BuT (Bildung und Teilhabe) state subsidies are billed directly to the municipality. The city of Potsdam has set a price cap of €3.90 per meal for city-run schools, with the city covering the difference up to that price.
2. Company Restaurant and Canteen Catering (Betriebsrestaurants und Kantinen): Catering services for company cafeterias and canteens, providing daily meals to corporate employees at partner businesses in Potsdam.
3. Event Catering (Eventcatering): Custom catering for corporate events, jubilees, congresses, conferences, seminars, and team events. Provides warm and cold buffets, appetizers, desserts, baked goods, and beverages. Includes furniture, tableware, cutlery, and service staff for up to 1,000 guests. Cooking is available in fully vegetarian or vegan options, with seasonal organic products from regional suppliers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BlauArt Catering operates a large-scale production kitchen (Großküche) in Potsdam, Germany, preparing fresh daily meals for approximately 4,000 kindergarten and school children across Potsdam schools and day-care facilities, with capacity for up to 6,000 portions per day. Beyond institutional school and kindergarten catering (Kita-/Schulverpflegung), the company provides custom event catering for corporate functions, jubilees, conferences, and seminars for up to 1,000 guests, as well as daily meal supply to company canteens (Betriebsrestaurants) in Potsdam.

Product overview

BlauArt Catering is a Potsdam-based family-owned catering company founded in 1994 that operates as a unified food service operation rather than a platform architecture. The core offerings consist of Kita-/Schulverpflegung (institutional catering for daycares and schools) and Event Catering (corporate event services). Supporting modules include the Kundenportal (customer portal) for registration and meal management, digital Speisepläne (meal plans) for parents, and Sonderkost (special diet options) for children with allergies or dietary restrictions. The company prepares approximately 4,000 meals daily in its production kitchen and delivers fresh meals in thermoport containers throughout Potsdam.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kita-/Schulverpflegung (Kindergarten and School Catering) Daily fresh hot lunch service for approximately 4,000 kindergarten and school children in Potsdam, offering two main dishes, fresh produce, salad bars, water, and tea. Meals are prepared according to Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung (DGE) guidelines in a purpose-built production kitchen and delivered fresh daily in thermoport containers to on-site canteens. Includes registration/billing via online customer portal and allergen-aware special diets for children with allergies or intolerances.
• Event Catering (Eventcatering) Custom catering for corporate events, jubilees, congresses, conferences, seminars, and team events for up to 1,000 guests. Provides warm and cold buffets, appetizers, desserts, baked goods, and beverages, with vegetarian and vegan options. Service includes furniture, tableware, cutlery, and trained service staff at the client's venue, with seasonal organic regional ingredients.
• Company Restaurant and Canteen Catering (Betriebsrestaurants und Kantinen)

Quantifiable outcome

• 96+ tonnes of CO2 saved annually since switching to 100% hydropower in January 2020 — equivalent to nearly 8,000 trees' annual climate protection effect.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ProVeg InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024ProVeg International conducted a two-day inspiration training in the BlauArt kitchen in April 2024. Under the motto 'Good Taste in Green', the teams prepared plant-based dishes together. Recipes from ProVeg are being incorporated into BlauArt's menu plans, supporting the company's push to increase plant-based meal options for school children.
• Verband deutscher Schul- und Kitacaterer (VDSKC)coreOthersRalf Blauert, BlauArt's founder and managing director, has served as 1st Chairman of VDSKC since November 2020 and was re-elected in September 2022. VDSKC advocates for school catering quality standards, lower VAT rates, and free school meals. BlauArt hosts VDSKC events (e.g., the 1st VDSKC Verbandstag in September 2021).
• Bundeszentrum für Kita- und SchulverpflegungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRalf Blauert was interviewed by the Bundeszentrum für Kita- und Schulverpflegung (Federal Centre for Day-Care and School Catering) about quality standards, inflation pressures, political work, and industry challenges. The interview was published on the Bundeszentrum's platform and positions BlauArt as a thought leader in the sector.
• City of Potsdam (Landeshauptstadt Potsdam)coreOthersThe city of Potsdam is both a key customer and institutional partner. The city set a mandatory price ceiling of €3.90 per school meal (effective September 2023) for all municipal schools and directly subsidises the difference to BlauArt. The city is also BlauArt's primary contracting authority for school catering services.
• Bundeszentrum Kita- und Schulverpflegung Brandenburg (Vernetzungsstelle)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerBlauArt links to informational resources from the Vernetzungsstelle Brandenburg on its website and supports the distribution of BuT (Bildung und Teilhabe) information flyers in six languages to help families access free school meals.
• Dr. SchnellminorOthersSince March 2022, BlauArt has switched its entire cleaning product range to the CO2-neutral, vegan, phosphate- and chlorine-free product line of Munich-based company Dr. Schnell. Dr. Schnell holds EU Ecolabel and EcoVadis Gold certifications.
• Local Food Suppliers (Regional)minorOthersNamed regional suppliers include: Bäckerei Fahland (bakery, Potsdam), Werder Frucht (fruit, Werder), Bio-Manufaktur Havelland (organic produce), Terra Naturkost (organic natural food), and suppliers of meat, poultry, and fish from Berlin, Velten, and Schwielowsee. These relationships are described as long-term and trust-based, supporting BlauArt's regional sourcing commitment.
• Puente Nica e.V.minorOthersBlauArt financially supports the charitable organisation Puente Nica e.V., which initiates education and culture projects for disadvantaged children and youth in Nicaragua. BlauArt learned of the organisation through one of its employees.
• Tagungshaus am Wildpark (Conference Venue)minorOthersBlauArt operates its kitchen in partnership with/within the Tagungshaus am Wildpark facility in Potsdam. The venue hosted VDSKC events and represents the new consolidated production location after more than four years of planning and construction.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sodexo Deutschland: Sodexo operates large-scale food services and facilities management in Germany, including school catering and corporate canteens. Overlaps with BlauArt's institutional catering core but serves a broader customer mix across healthcare, education, and corporate segments.
• Dussmann Group: Dussmann is a major German facility management and catering group operating company canteens, school meals, and event catering nationwide. Overlaps with BlauArt in canteen and institutional catering, but with significantly broader service scope and international presence.
• Apetito AG: Apetito is one of Germany's largest institutional caterers, supplying meals to schools, Kitas, hospitals, and care homes nationwide. Comparable to BlauArt in school/daycare catering segment, but operates at national scale with multiple central kitchens and broader product portfolio including frozen meal delivery.
• Aramark Holding Deutschland: Aramark is a global contract caterer with German operations spanning corporate dining, education, sports, and event catering. Comparable to BlauArt in education and event catering segments, but with significantly larger scale and multi-segment exposure.
• Compass Group / Eurest Deutschland: Compass Group, operating in Germany through Eurest, is a global food services major with substantial German institutional catering presence including school and corporate dining. Comparable to BlauArt in canteen and contract catering, but at vastly greater scale and with diversified industry exposure.

Direct peers

• VielfaltMenü GmbH: VielfaltMenü is a German caterer specializing in daycare and school meal provision with a focus on fresh, varied, and nutritionally balanced menus. Directly comparable to BlauArt's primary service line, targeting the same Kita and school segment with similar fresh-cook positioning.
• Kochzauber Catering: Kochzauber is a Berlin-based catering company focused on event catering and corporate food service. Comparable to BlauArt's secondary event catering line and adjacent corporate canteen offering, operating in the same regional Berlin-Brandenburg market with similar service model.
• Menüpartner GmbH: Menüpartner is a German school and Kita catering specialist serving daily hot meals to children across multiple federal states. Closely comparable to BlauArt's core Kita-/Schulverpflegung offering, with similar DGE-aligned menus and parent-portal functionality, though operating at multi-state scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BlauArtCatering
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blauart-catering

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 BlauArt Catering