Dortmunder Tafel

What Dortmunder Tafel does

Dortmunder Tafel e.V. is a registered charitable association (eingetragener Verein) founded on February 17, 2004 and headquartered at Osterlandwehr 12-14 in Dortmund, Germany. It operates as a food bank under the national Tafel Deutschland umbrella, rescuing surplus food from 174 retailer donors and distributing it to economically disadvantaged residents of Dortmund. Operating model: recipients register as cardholders through referrals from social welfare institutions (Jobcenter, Caritas, Diakonie, schools, embassies) and pay a symbolic contribution of €2-3 per week to receive food allocations, with branches also offering subsidized-priced basics. The organization is membership-based, with members paying a minimum of €20/year (split between the local association and Bundesverband), and is funded structurally through corporate donations, individual contributions, regional grants (e.g., Osthoffen Foundations, PSD, Sparkasse), and government employment programs (AGH, BuFDi). It is governed by a volunteer board led by 1st Chairman Dr. Horst Röhr (in role since 2013) and a 31-member general assembly.

The organization operates 10 branches across Dortmund districts and distributes 80,000-100,000 kg of food each week to approximately 5,300 cardholders serving roughly 14,500 family members. It is backed by a workforce of about 500 total contributors, including 7 direct staff, 67 AGH workers, 30 BuFDis, 8.5 additional positions, and 370+ volunteers. Distribution operations are coordinated with approximately 30 partner Tafel organizations for surplus food exchange. The technology stack is standard commercial (Google Maps, PayPal, Contao CMS, SSL/TLS via IONOS, MailChimp) with no disclosed proprietary systems or AI/ML components. Notable programming extends beyond food distribution to include the Panoramahaus at Haydnstraße (in partnership with Jobcenter), a children's program (Kinder-Panorama), multilingual cookbook publications, a volunteer choir, and three photovoltaic installations (the third funded by Lidl at €30,000), alongside pedagogical and integration projects for asylum seekers and the long-term unemployed.

The business model is non-commercial and depends on a diversified donor base of large corporate sponsors (Mercedes-Benz, Sparkasse, REWE, Lidl, Amazon, Vonovia, Signal Iduna, KKH, PSD Bank) alongside individual donors, foundation grants, and symbolic recipient contributions. The organization has received two Federal Crosses of Merit (Bundesverdienstkreuz), the 2008 Umweltpreis, Ökoprofit certification, the Dortmund Citizenship Medal, and 2nd place in the Dortmunder Engagementpreis 2025 (€5,000). Customer concentration from a recipient perspective is low (diversified low-income population), but donor concentration on a small number of marquee corporate sponsors constitutes a moderate structural risk.

Name

Dortmunder Tafel

Legal name

Dortmunder Tafel e.V.

Website

https://dortmundertafel.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dortmunder Tafel e.V. is a Dortmund-based charitable food bank founded in 2004 that rescues and redistributes surplus food to economically disadvantaged residents through 10 branches, serving approximately 5,300 cardholders (14,500 family members) with 80,000-100,000 kg of food weekly.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Food Distribution

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

Keywords

• Food bank services
• Food rescue distribution
• Charitable food aid
• Social welfare support
• Community food programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Dortmund

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: The organization relies entirely on donations from individuals, companies, and foundations. No regular government funding is received for operational work.
2. Membership Fees: Association members pay annual dues of at least 20 EUR, contributing to financial stability.
3. Food Sales: Customers pay a symbolic fee of 3 EUR (temporarily reduced to 2 EUR) per weekly food collection, generating minor revenue while maintaining dignity for recipients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dortmunder Tafel rescues surplus food from regional donors and redistributes it to people in need through 10 neighborhood branches (Filialen) in Dortmund, distributing approximately 80,000–100,000 kg of food per week to about 5,300 Tafel cardholders. In parallel it operates social-cohesion programs (Tafelchor choir, Panoramaprogramm arts/intercultural initiative) and auxiliary offerings such as the Tafel-Express delivery service and Kochbücher cookbooks.

Product overview

Dortmunder Tafel operates as a nonprofit food bank and social services organization offering multiple interconnected programs. Its core services include a weekly food distribution program (Lebensmittelausgabe) accessed through the Tafel-Ausweis identification card system, distributed across 10 branches throughout Dortmund. The organization publishes the quarterly Tafel-Express newsletter and runs the Tafelchor community choir as a social cohesion initiative. Its children-focused Panoramaprogramm (Tafel für Kinder) delivers educational, nutritional, and recreational programming including tutoring, cooking classes, and excursions, supported by multilingual cookbooks. The organization does not operate a technology product but provides charitable social services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lebensmittelausgabe (Food Distribution) Weekly distribution of rescued surplus food to Tafel cardholders across 10 Filialen in Dortmund, at a symbolic price of €2–€3 per unit; reaches ~5,300 cardholders (≈14,500 people) and handles 80,000–100,000 kg of food per week.
• Tafel-Express Delivery variant of the food distribution service that brings rescued food directly to mobility-impaired Tafel cardholders who cannot easily visit a branch.
• Tafel-Ausweis (Tafel Card) Membership identification card issued to eligible low-income individuals and families in Dortmund, granting access to the food distribution service at the symbolic €2–€3 price point.
• Tafelchor Community choir program organized by Dortmunder Tafel that uses music to foster social participation among beneficiaries and supporters.
• Panoramaprogramm Arts and intercultural program accompanying the food distribution service, designed to promote integration and community engagement among beneficiaries.
• Kochbücher (Cookbooks) Cookbooks published and sold by the association, combining fundraising with nutrition education for Tafel beneficiaries and supporters.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80,000-100,000 kg food redistributed weekly, preventing waste
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• help and hope StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation partner for children's sports and leisure programs. Provides funding and support for Tafel children's projects including nature exploration activities and summer camps.
• StadtSportBund DortmundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity sports federation partner providing access to sports programs and helping children find appropriate sports clubs. Joint projects for sports and recreation activities.
• DreizeitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting sports and leisure activities for children of Tafel customers.
• Jobcenter DortmundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment employment agency providing AGH workers (1-Euro-Jobbers) to Tafel operations and conducting on-site counseling. Started on-site consultations in October 2019.
• Mercedes-BenzcoreOthersMultiple vehicle donations including refrigerated trucks, E-Sprinter vehicles, and fast charging station for electric vehicle fleet.
• Tafel Deutschland e.V.coreOthersNational umbrella organization. Member since May 1, 2004.
• BVB (Borussia Dortmund)minorOthersRegular donations, free game tickets for volunteers, player visits (Marcel Schmelzer, Jürgen Klopp), and BVB-Stiftung support.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Deutschland: Germany's largest Catholic welfare organization operating a broad portfolio of services including food assistance, shelters, and social services. Larger and broader in scope than Dortmunder Tafel but overlapping on food relief for low-income populations.
• Diakonie Deutschland: Germany's Protestant welfare federation providing social services including emergency food relief. A national incumbent with overlapping food-assistance programming, though significantly broader in mission and scale.

Direct peers

• Kölner Tafel: Cologne's Tafel chapter and direct NRW-neighbor to Dortmunder Tafel. Operates the same volunteer-driven, donation-funded, weekly food-distribution model with branches across the city.
• Münchner Tafel: Munich's Tafel chapter distributing surplus food to welfare recipients across the metropolitan area. Comparable scale and city-level branch network structure.
• Bundesverband Deutsche Tafel e.V. The federal association coordinating Germany's Tafeln; equivalent to Tafel Deutschland, serving as the backbone organization supporting 30+ regional Tafeln including Dortmunder with shared logistics and policy advocacy. Functions as a peer-level umbrella for the same charitable redistribution mission.
• Foodsharing e.V. German nonprofit operating a decentralized food-rescue platform with 'Fairteiler' sharing points. Targets the same surplus-food-redistribution mission as Dortmunder Tafel, though using a tech- and volunteer-driven model that intersects with the Tafel's.
• Tafel Deutschland e.V. National umbrella organization for the German Tafel network and Dortmunder Tafel's direct parent membership body since 2004. Comparable as the strategic coordinating entity with shared food-exchange network across ~30+ regional Tafeln.
• Hamburger Tafel: Hamburg's Tafel chapter providing rescued food to economically disadvantaged residents. Operates a virtually identical charitable redistribution model through neighborhood branches, making it a close operational peer.
• Berliner Tafel: Berlin's chapter of the Tafel network, operating the same model of weekly food rescue and distribution to welfare recipients. Directly comparable in structure, mission, and operational mechanics to Dortmunder Tafel.

Emerging players

• Too Good To Go: Tech-enabled marketplace that lets consumers purchase surplus food from retailers and restaurants. Operates in the same food-rescue space but uses a commercial app model rather than a volunteer-run charitable network, representing a parallel channel for retailer surplus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/dortmunder_tafel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dortmunder-tafel

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Dortmunder Tafel