Berndorf Luzern

What Berndorf Luzern does

Berndorf Luzern AG is a privately held Swiss Aktiengesellschaft (stock corporation) headquartered in Sempach Station, Canton of Lucerne, that supplies table-top products, kitchen articles, and food distribution systems to professional end customers across Switzerland. Its served segments are gastronomy (restaurants, cafés, bistros), the hotel industry (boutique hotels, resorts, international chains), large-scale and institutional catering, and healthcare facilities (hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, care homes). The company operates an exclusively B2B model, requiring commercial registration and account approval before pricing is visible, and serves only professional buyers — not private individuals.

The product offering combines a proprietary in-house cutlery brand (Berndorf Luzern), a specialized food-distribution division (Caldomet, with 50 years of experience covering transport, regeneration, distribution, and serving systems for communal catering), and exclusive Swiss distribution rights for more than 113 international hospitality brands including Bauscher, Bauscher Care, Guy Degrenne, Zalto, Hering Berlin, Libbey, Eisch, Chilewich, Cristal d'Arques, Hupfer, Zafferano, HEART&SOUL, and ZicZac. Recent launches include the Durastrong professional frying pan series (recycled aluminum, PFAS-free non-stick coating, induction-compatible), the Himalaya Vintage cutlery extension, and the Collection L Couture Rayon dinnerware by Guy Degrenne. The Caldomet division offers active food-distribution systems (contact heat, induction, convection) and passive systems, plus peripheral products such as isothermal transport equipment, trays, and roll-material (tablet-removal carts, dish-transport carts, shelf carts, meal-transport carts).

The business model is account-based B2B distribution, generating revenue primarily through one-time product sales across three streams: table-top and kitchen equipment, Caldomet food distribution systems, and brand distribution of third-party labels. Pricing is non-public and gated by account approval, with free shipping above CHF 500. The company combines an e-commerce platform (shop.berndorf.ch), direct sales/account management for key customers, a physical showroom at headquarters, printed and digital catalogs, and a multi-brand online shop. It has operated for over 100 years under stable private ownership, with no public listing, no disclosed funding rounds, no M&A activity, and a leadership team led by Markus Hans as authorized representative. Geographic scope is Switzerland-only, with no stated international expansion.

Name

Berndorf Luzern

Legal name

Berndorf Luzern AG

Website

https://berndorf.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1843

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Berndorf Luzern AG is a Swiss B2B distributor and supplier of table-top products, professional kitchenware, and food distribution systems serving gastronomy, hotels, and large-scale catering (including healthcare facilities) across Switzerland via its proprietary Berndorf cutlery brand, the Caldomet division, and 113+ exclusive international brand partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Hospitality Equipment Supply

SIC

Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Restaurant & Commercial Kitchen Equipment Wholesale (AFAIALAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bar & Beverage Service Supplies Wholesale (AFAIALAG)

Keywords

• Professional tableware supply
• Commercial kitchen equipment
• Food distribution systems
• Hospitality cutlery distribution
• Institutional catering equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Lucerne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales - Table-Top & Kitchen Equipment: Sale of professional cutlery, tableware, glassware, kitchen utensils, and equipment to gastronomy, hotel, and large-scale catering businesses. Products sold through online shop and direct sales.
2. Caldomet Food Distribution Systems: Sale and distribution of food distribution systems including transport equipment, warming stations, and complete meal distribution solutions for healthcare facilities, hospitals, and event catering operations.
3. Brand Distribution: Distribution of 113+ internationally renowned hospitality brands (Bauscher, Guy Degrenne, Zalto, Hering Berlin, etc.) in Switzerland with exclusive distribution rights and partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Berndorf Luzern AG supplies professional table-top products (cutlery, dinnerware, glassware, table accessories), commercial kitchen articles, and complete food distribution systems to gastronomy, hotel, and large-scale catering businesses throughout Switzerland. The company combines its own in-house Berndorf cutlery brand and Caldomet meal-distribution solutions with exclusive Swiss distribution rights for more than 113 internationally recognized hospitality brands. Customers access the range through a B2B online shop (account approval required) backed by direct sales and a showroom at the Sempach Station headquarters.

Product overview

Berndorf Luzern AG is a specialized distributor and supplier for professional end customers in gastronomy, hotel industry, large-scale catering, and related businesses throughout Switzerland. The company operates a comprehensive online shop offering an extensive portfolio centered around Table-Top products (cutlery, dinnerware, glassware), kitchen articles, and food distribution systems. The core offerings include the proprietary Berndorf cutlery brand developed and produced in-house, the specialized Caldomet division for meal distribution solutions, and over 20 international distributed brands including Bauscher, Guy Degrenne, Zalto, Hering Berlin, and Chilewich. The company also recently launched new product lines including Durastrong professional frying pans, the Himalaya Vintage cutlery extension, and the Collection L Couture Rayon dinnerware by Guy Degrenne.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Caldomet: Food distribution solutions division serving healthcare facilities, hospitals, event catering, and large-scale catering operations for 50 years.

Products and services

• Berndorf Cutlery (Eigenmarke) Proprietary Berndorf Luzern cutlery line developed and produced in-house for the professional gastronomy and hotel industry in Switzerland.
• Caldomet Food Distribution Systems Complete meal distribution solutions division offering active (contact heat, induction, convection) and passive systems for storage, preparation, warming, transport, regeneration, distribution, and serving in institutional catering.
• Caldomet Frühstückswagen (Breakfast Trolley) Breakfast trolley system within the Caldomet food distribution line for serving meals in healthcare and institutional settings.
• Durastrong Bratpfannen (Professional Frying Pans) Professional frying pan series made from recycled aluminum with PFAS-free non-stick coating and ergonomic Bakelite handle, designed for intensive daily use in commercial kitchens.
• Himalaya Vintage Cutlery Series Vintage-finished table cutlery with characteristic rock-formation inspired relief patterns on handles and a deliberately aged vintage patina surface, offered for professional gastronomy table settings.
• Collection L Couture Rayon (Guy Degrenne) Elegant dinnerware collection by distributed brand Guy Degrenne featuring a refined ray/radiation-pattern relief design inspired by French Art de Vivre, available in white and black variants.
• International Hospitality Brand Portfolio (Bauscher, Guy Degrenne, Zalto, Hering Berlin, Hupfer, Chilewich, Cristal d'Arques, Eisch, Libbey, Zafferano, ZicZac, AdHoc and others) Curated portfolio of more than 20 distributed international hospitality brands covering professional porcelain, glassware, cutlery, table textiles, transport equipment, and live-cooking concepts, sold in Switzerland under exclusive distribution rights.

Quantifiable outcome

• Caldomet serves healthcare facilities, hospitals, and care homes with complete food distribution solutions covering storage, preparation, warming, transport, regeneration, and serving

Named customers12 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

One partnership is on record.

• Béard solutions horecacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-branding partnership under 'Tischkultur mit Berndorf Luzern & Béard solutions horeca'. Béard solutions horeca is a partner company that collaborates on hospitality table culture solutions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Electrolux Professional AB: Global manufacturer of professional kitchen, laundry, and food-service equipment; serves the same HORECA and institutional customers as Berndorf Luzern with a much broader and more capital-intensive portfolio.
• Metro AG: Global foodservice distribution giant operating Prodega/Gastro Star in Switzerland; offers broader portfolio across foodservice categories but serves the same HORECA and institutional customer base as Berndorf Luzern.
• Rational AG: German manufacturer of professional combi-steamers and cooking systems for commercial kitchens; serves the same hotel, restaurant, and institutional catering customers as Berndorf Luzern but specializes in a higher-value capital equipment niche.

Direct peers

• Rieber GmbH: German manufacturer of food distribution systems (transport, regeneration, serving) for healthcare and communal catering; directly comparable to Berndorf's Caldomet division in product offering and customer base.
• Meiko Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG: German manufacturer of commercial dishwashing, cleaning, and food-waste systems for hotels, restaurants, hospitals, and caterers; serves the same professional hospitality and institutional customer base as Berndorf Luzern.
• Transgourmet Schweiz AG: Swiss B2B foodservice wholesaler serving gastronomy, hotels, and care homes with overlapping customer base and similar account-based B2B model; directly comparable to Berndorf Luzern's distribution operations across Switzerland.
• Winterhalter Gastronom GmbH: German manufacturer of commercial dishwashing systems for hospitality and catering; serves overlapping HORECA and healthcare-catering customers as Berndorf Luzern with complementary capital equipment offerings.
• Hupfer Metallwerke GmbH & Co. KG: German manufacturer of meal distribution and transport systems for large-scale catering; produces overlapping products to Berndorf's Caldomet portfolio (and is also currently distributed by Berndorf, making it both a supplier and adjacent competitor).
• Prodega (Metro AG): Swiss B2B wholesale subsidiary of Metro AG targeting gastronomy and hospitality buyers; competes head-to-head with Berndorf Luzern's distribution model in the same Swiss HORECA customer base.
• Blanco Professional GmbH: German manufacturer of professional kitchen and food distribution equipment serving healthcare and communal catering; comparable product offering and customer base to Berndorf's Caldomet division.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/berndorf.luzern
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/berndorf-luzern-ag
• Instagraminstagram.com/tableandkitchen
• Xx.com/berndorfluzern

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Berndorf Luzern