What Nah & Frisch does

Nah & Frisch is an Austrian regional grocery retail network operating under a franchise/merchant model, in which independent entrepreneurs (Kaufleute) own and operate their own stores under the unified Nah & Frisch brand. Founded in 1983 and headquartered in Vienna, the network focuses on serving rural Austrian municipalities (Nahversorger role) that lack adequate food retail infrastructure, with documented store openings across Lower Austria, Styria, Upper Austria, Carinthia, and Burgenland. The central entity, Z-E-V Nah & Frisch Marketingservice GmbH, provides brand management, marketing services, and operational concept support to the merchant network, while wholesale supply is delivered through core partners KASTNER Gruppe, UNI Group, and Kiennast.

The company's core product offering centers on the traditional Nah & Frisch supermarket format plus an expanding Hybridmarkt concept that combines staffed counter service with self-service digital access (bank card entry, digital cash registers) enabling up to 72 hours per week of operation. Ancillary services integrated into stores include PostPartner postal services, Lotto/Toto, tobacco sales, café operations, and Too Good To Go food rescue, positioning stores as multi-service community hubs. Private label brands include the value-oriented 'Jeden Tag,' premium water 'UNIpur,' and organic line 'natürlich für uns,' complemented by the 'aus'm Dorf' regional sourcing program that procures directly from local Austrian producers.

The business model generates revenue through franchise/merchant fees, marketing services, and brand licensing from the central entity, while individual merchants generate transaction-fee revenue from retail sales and ancillary services. Pricing is set independently by each merchant. Go-to-market is channel-partner driven, recruiting local entrepreneurs to become Kaufleute; brand marketing runs through the company website, WhatsApp newsletter, the 'Griass di' seasonal magazine, store events, and earned local media coverage. No external private equity or venture capital ownership is indicated.

Name

Nah & Frisch

Legal name

Z-E-V "Nah&Frisch" Marketingservice Gesellschaft m.b.H.

Website

https://nahundfrisch.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nah & Frisch is an Austrian franchise network of independent grocery merchants serving rural communities, operating under a unified brand with a hybrid market format that combines staffed service and self-service digital access for up to 72 hours weekly operation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Grocery Retail

NAICS

Food and Beverage Retailers (445), General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers (424410), General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers (42441)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Line Supermarkets (National/Regional Chains) (CRAHAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grocery & Supermarket (Ambient/Dry) Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAB), Health, Organic & Natural Grocery Wholesale (AFAIABAI)

Keywords

• Grocery retail network
• Franchise supermarket
• Rural food retail
• Hybrid market stores
• Consumer goods marketplace

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales: Revenue generated from the sale of daily consumer goods and groceries through independent franchise stores operated by Nah&Frisch Kaufleute across Austria. Stores offer products of daily necessity including regional specialties, fresh baked goods, and basic necessities.
2. Additional Services: Revenue streams from complementary services including PostPartner (postal services), Lotto/Toto (lottery), tobacco sales, and café operations. These services vary by location and enhance store traffic and revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Nah & Frisch operates a franchise-based regional grocery retail network across Austrian rural communities, providing independent merchants with a branded store concept that combines traditional staffed service with self-service hybrid market formats. Stores offer daily consumer goods, regional and Austrian-sourced products, and ancillary in-store services including PostPartner postal services, Lotto, and tobacco sales.

Product overview

Nah&Frisch operates as a franchise grocery retail network across Austria, comprising independently owned supermarket locations under a unified brand. The offering centers on the core Nah&Frisch supermarket format, with an expanding network of Hybridmarkt (hybrid market) locations that combine traditional counter service with extended self-service hours via digital access systems. The portfolio includes ancillary services such as PostPartner postal services, lottery and tobacco sales, and coffee corners. Private label offerings include the value brand Jeden Tag, premium water brand UNIpur, and the organic line natürlich für uns. The regional products program (aus'm Dorf) features locally sourced items from Austrian producers. A partnership with Too Good To Go enables food rescue services through surprise bags. The Griaß di magazine provides seasonal content and recipes. The business operates primarily through physical retail locations with supporting web platforms for store information and news, without a standalone software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Nah & Frisch Franchise Grocery Stores Franchised, locally operated grocery stores serving Austrian rural communities with daily consumer goods and a regional product assortment under the Nah & Frisch brand.
• Nah & Frisch Hybridmarkt (Hybrid Market) Hybrid store format combining traditional staffed counter service with self-service areas to suit varying customer preferences and store footprints.
• PostPartner Service in Nah & Frisch Stores Postal service points co-located in Nah & Frisch stores, providing Austrian postal services to rural residents.
• PostShop, Lotto and Tobacco in Nah & Frisch Stores Ancillary convenience offerings operated inside Nah & Frisch stores, including a post shop counter, Austrian Lotto, and tobacco sales.
• Regional and Austrian Local Products Assortment Curated assortment of regional products sourced from Austrian suppliers, sold through the Nah & Frisch franchise network.
• Too Good To Go Surplus Food Offering Participation in the Too Good To Go app to offer surplus food from Nah & Frisch stores to local consumers and reduce food waste.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 72 hours per week operating capacity through hybrid model
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KASTNER GruppecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary wholesale supply partner and co-branding partner. KASTNER Gruppe supplies merchandise to Nah&Frisch stores and supports store development, openings, and expansions. The relationship is central to Nah&Frisch operations across Austria, with company representatives regularly attending store openings and events.
• UNI Group (UNI Großhandel)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale supply partner for many Nah&Frisch stores, particularly in southern Austria (Styria, Carinthia). UNI Group provides inventory, merchandising support, and hybrid market technology for member stores.
• Too Good To GominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood waste reduction partnership where selected Nah&Frisch stores offer surprise bags of unsold food through the Too Good To Go app at discounted prices, contributing to sustainability goals.
• Austrian Post AG (PostPartner)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPostPartner collaboration integrated at numerous Nah&Frisch locations, providing postal services including parcel pickup/drop-off, letter posting, banking services, and prepaid cards directly within stores.
• NAFES (Niederösterreichische Arbeitsgemeinschaft zur Förderung des Einkaufs in Orts- und Stadtzentren)minorOthersRegional funding organization supporting the revitalization of town centers in Lower Austria. NAFES provides financial support to municipalities for investing in local grocery stores, helping fund store construction, renovation, and equipment for Nah&Frisch locations.
• Kiennast (Handelshaus Julius Kiennast)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale partner for Nah&Frisch stores in Lower Austria, particularly supporting hybrid market conversions and extended opening hour concepts. Kiennast works with local merchants on store development and technology implementation.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves78 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• MPREIS: MPREIS is a Tyrol-based Austrian regional supermarket chain with a strong presence in western Austria. It is comparable to Nah&Frisch as a regional/small-format grocery brand but operates primarily in a different geographic catchment (Tyrol vs. eastern/southern Austria).
• Sutterlüty: Sutterlüty is a Vorarlberg-based regional supermarket chain in western Austria known for regional sourcing and sustainability. It is comparable to Nah&Frisch's regional product positioning but operates in a distinct Austrian region without direct retail overlap.

Broad incumbents

• SPAR Austria: SPAR Austria operates a national network of SPAR, Eurospar, and Interspar formats covering urban and rural Austria. It is a broad incumbent that competes with Nah&Frisch for grocery spend in overlapping catchments and serves as a benchmark for grocery retail scale in Austria.
• BILLA (REWE Group Austria): BILLA is the largest supermarket chain in Austria under REWE Group, with thousands of stores ranging from neighborhood to large-format. It is a broad incumbent competitor that constrains Nah&Frisch's pricing and assortment, particularly through BILLA's expanding rural and discount-adjacent footprint.
• Hofer (Aldi Süd Austria): Hofer is the Aldi Süd discount banner in Austria, operating a dense national network focused on hard-discount grocery. It is a broad incumbent competing on price with Nah&Frisch's Jeden Tag private label and increasingly expanding fresh and regional assortments in rural catchments.
• Lidl Austria: Lidl operates a national hard-discount grocery network in Austria with an expanding fresh and organic range. It is a broad incumbent and a key competitor to Nah&Frisch on price-sensitive rural customers.

Others

• KASTNER Gruppe: KASTNER Gruppe is Nah&Frisch's primary wholesale supply partner and operates its own grocery wholesale and Eigenfilialen (own branches) using the Nah&Frisch brand. It is an ecosystem participant and infrastructure provider rather than a retail competitor, central to Nah&Frisch's supply chain and even direct store operation during transitions.
• UNI Group (UNI Großhandel): UNI Group is a regional Austrian grocery wholesaler supplying many Nah&Frisch stores in Styria, Carinthia, and surrounding regions, and provides hybrid market technology. It is an ecosystem wholesaler and infrastructure partner comparable to KASTNER's role within the Nah&Frisch network.

Direct peers

• ADEG: ADEG is an Austrian supermarket franchise brand operating small-to-mid format grocery stores across rural and suburban Austria. It is a direct competitor and a comparable franchise retail model to Nah&Frisch, including documented conversions of former ADEG markets to Nah&Frisch (e.g., Innermanzing).
• Unimarkt: Unimarkt was an Austrian regional supermarket chain focused on small-town and rural retail that exited stationary retail. Its former locations have been systematically taken over by Nah&Frisch merchants (e.g., Loosdorf, Bad Goisern), making it the closest direct comparable in format and customer base.

Market position

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/nahundfrisch.at

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Nah & Frisch