Fondation Colis du Coeur

What Fondation Colis du Coeur does

Fondation Colis du Coeur is a Swiss non-profit charitable foundation headquartered in Carouge (canton of Geneva), founded in 1993 to fight food insecurity among disadvantaged individuals and families. Since 2024 it has operated two free grocery stores — the ColiShop de Blavignac (650 m², Carouge) and the ColiShop des Charmilles (Geneva) — where beneficiaries follow a seven-counter selection path (cereals/legumes, oils/condiments/fish, breakfast items, dairy/eggs/charcuterie, vegetables/fruits, hygiene products, and baby products) and choose products themselves rather than receiving pre-packed parcels. A proprietary QR-code beneficiary card is scanned at reception and at each of the seven counters to track household size and product allocations, replacing the foundation's earlier bag-based distribution model.

The foundation operates with approximately 13 permanent staff supplemented by 350 regular volunteers who rotate across six weekly distribution days. Access is gated by certificates issued by a network of 57 accredited social partner organizations — including Hospice Général, Caritas Genève, Croix-Rouge genevoise, Centre social protestant, Pro Infirmis, and Pro Senectute — that assess beneficiaries' situations. Supporting technology includes the internal "Bénévolat Plus" volunteer scheduling platform and the "Espace Organismes Sociaux" portal for digital attestation submission, alongside a multi-channel donation system accepting Twint, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PostFinance bank transfers.

The foundation serves 8,000+ beneficiaries weekly (40% minors) and distributes roughly 510,000 products per month across both sites, covering an estimated half of recipients' caloric and protein needs. All services are free of charge; the foundation is funded entirely by donations from individuals, recurring givers, corporate CSR programs, in-kind contributions, and bequests. It is governed by a Conseil de fondation chaired by David Hiler, with Jasmine Abarca-Golay serving as Directrice. Operational scale is documented as having more than doubled over the past six years, and the 2024–2025 corporate and foundation partner roster has expanded to include Fondation Gandur pour la Jeunesse, Quaero Capital, Fondation VRM, Mandarin Oriental Geneva, Verisure, IG BANK, and Caran d'Ache, among others.

Name

Fondation Colis du Coeur

Legal name

La Fondation Colis du Coeur

Website

https://colisducoeur.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Geneva-based non-profit foundation operating two free grocery stores (ColiShops) that distribute food and hygiene products to 8,000+ weekly beneficiaries, 40% of whom are minors, through a QR-code card system and a network of 57 accredited social partner organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Food Distribution

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421)

akta.pro primary industry

Community-Owned / Nonprofit Grocery Stores (CRAHALAB)

Keywords

• Food assistance services
• Charitable food distribution
• Humanitarian aid services
• Social welfare programs
• Food insecurity relief

Headquarters

HQ city

Carouge

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: The foundation operates entirely on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Donations can be one-time or recurring and are eligible for tax deductions in Switzerland.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Companies support the foundation through financial donations (fixed amounts, percentage of profits, per-sale contributions), in-kind donations of equipment/supplies, or corporate volunteering programs.
3. Legacies and Testaments: Individuals can leave bequests to the foundation through wills, providing long-term sustainable support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fondation Colis du Coeur operates two free grocery stores called ColiShops in Geneva and Carouge, distributing essential food and hygiene products weekly to more than 8,000 beneficiaries in precarious situations in the canton of Geneva. Beneficiaries are referred via 57 accredited social partner organizations and access the ColiShops through a QR-code card system, selecting products themselves along a 7-counter path. The foundation is funded entirely by donations, sponsorships, legacies, and grants.

Product overview

Fondation Colis du Coeur operates a charitable food distribution network centered on two ColiShops (free grocery stores) in Geneva and Carouge, where beneficiaries with social certificates shop through a 7-counter system selecting food and hygiene products. Supporting infrastructure includes the Bénévolat Plus volunteer management platform for scheduling, a Social Organizations Space for digital attestation submission, and a multi-channel donation system accepting mobile payments (Twint, Apple Pay, Google Pay) and bank transfers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ColiShops (Free Grocery Stores) Free grocery stores operated in Geneva (Charmilles) and Carouge (Blavignac, 650 m²) where beneficiaries with valid social certificates access food and hygiene products by following a 7-counter selection pathway, with quantities scaled to household size. Open to the public via referral from 57 accredited social partner organizations.
• Bénévolat Plus Volunteer Management Platform Web platform enabling approximately 350 volunteers to sign up for shifts and manage their schedules at either ColiShop location (Charmilles or Blavignac). Includes standard login/password authentication and email-based password recovery.
• Social Organizations Space (Espace Organismes Sociaux) Digital portal for the 57 accredited partner social organizations to submit beneficiary attestations online, enabling vetted access to the ColiShops. Partner organizations upload attestation documents and beneficiary information.
• Donation System (Multi-Channel Giving) Multi-channel donation infrastructure accepting QR code mobile payments (Twint, Apple Pay, Google Pay), PostFinance bank transfers via IBAN CH23 0900 0000 1415 2282 9, and recurring donation options with Swiss tax deduction eligibility.
• 7-Counter Distribution Pathway The structured selection path inside each ColiShop comprising 7 stations: cereals and legumes, oils/condiments/fish, breakfast items, dairy/eggs/charcuterie, vegetables/fruits, hygiene products, and baby products. Quantities are allocated based on household size and tracked via the QR code card.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8,000+ beneficiaries served weekly
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Union Maraîchère de Genève (UMG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides fresh fruits and vegetables for distribution at the ColiShops. Variable assortment based on seasonal availability.
• Haute École de SantéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides expertise on nutrition to ensure adequate caloric and protein support for beneficiaries.
• CAPAS GenèveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a key partner organization for 2026.
• 57 Social Partner OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccredited social service organizations including: Hospice Général, Caritas Genève, Croix-Rouge genevoise, Centre social protestant (CSP), Pro Infirmis, Pro Senectute, Association Appartenances, F-information, Université de Genève-Service social, and 47 others. These organizations assess beneficiaries' situations and issue certificates enabling access to ColiShops.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Too Good To Go: Commercial surplus-meal marketplace operating across Europe (including Switzerland). Thematically adjacent — tackles food waste and access to affordable food — but uses a paid app-based model rather than a donation-funded charitable distribution model.

Direct peers

• Banque Alimentaire de Genève: Geneva-based food bank affiliated with the Swiss food bank federation. Shares Colis du Coeur's Canton of Geneva footprint and food-insecurity mission, distributing donated and surplus food to certified social organizations serving beneficiaries.
• Winterhilfe Schweiz: Swiss foundation providing direct material and financial assistance to families in precarious situations across Switzerland. Comparable in mission and donation-funded operating model, though geographically broader than Colis du Coeur's Geneva-only footprint.
• Fondation Partage: Geneva-based charitable foundation fighting poverty and food insecurity, already a partner of Colis du Coeur. Operates an overlapping beneficiary network in the same canton with comparable food-aid and dignity-preserving distribution activities.
• Schweizer Tafel: Swiss nationwide food bank that rescues surplus food and redistributes it to people in need. Directly comparable to Colis du Coeur in mission, operating model (food redistribution to vulnerable populations), and reliance on volunteers and partner organizations, but operates at a larger, national scale.

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Suisse: Switzerland's largest humanitarian organization, addressing poverty, food insecurity and social exclusion across all cantons. Overlaps significantly with Colis du Coeur's mission and works with the same Geneva partner organizations (Caritas Genève is one of its 57 certifying partners).
• Croix-Rouge suisse / Croix-Rouge genevoise: Swiss Red Cross and its Geneva cantonal association, a major humanitarian incumbent active in food assistance, health and social support. Croix-Rouge genevoise is among Colis du Coeur's 57 social partner organizations, evidencing direct operational overlap.

Regional players

• Die Tafeln (Bundesverband Deutsche Tafel e.V.): Germany's nationwide food bank federation, redistributing surplus food to those in need. Highly comparable operating model (volunteer-staffed food redistribution through certified partner organizations) but operates in a different national market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/colisducoeur
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fondation-colis-du-coeur
• Instagraminstagram.com/fondationcolisducoeur

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Fondation Colis du Coeur