ESSwerk gemeinnützige Integrationsgesellschaft mbH

What ESSwerk gemeinnützige Integrationsgesellschaft mbH does

ESSwerk gemeinnützige Integrationsgesellschaft mbH is a non-profit integration company (gGmbH) incorporated in 2011 in Offenbach am Main, Germany, and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Stiftung LEBENSRÄUME Offenbach am Main foundation. It pursues a dual mission: (i) producing and delivering meals to public-sector clients, and (ii) providing vocational qualification, sheltered employment, and reintegration programmes for people with mental disabilities across the Stadt und Kreis Offenbach region.

Operationally, ESSwerk runs two modern HACCP-certified production kitchens in Dietzenbach and Rodgau-Hainhausen that prepare more than 1,000 warm meals daily, delivered by an in-house driver fleet to approximately 40 schools and childcare facilities spanning seven municipalities (Offenbach, Dietzenbach, Heusenstamm, Neu-Isenburg, Langen, Mainflingen, Rodgau). Complementary services include Betriebskantine (corporate cafeteria) management — exemplified by Kreishaus Dietzenbach — mobile catering for up to 1,000 persons, Schulkiosk (school kiosk) operations, and on-site Personalservice covering meal distribution, dishwashing, cash collection, and library/mediathek support. The digital layer is limited to an online Bestellsystem (schulessen.lebensraeume-of.de) embedded in individual school websites for menu publication, ordering, billing, and funding applications; no proprietary AI or platform technology is disclosed.

Revenue derives from two streams: contract-based catering and meal services billed to schools, companies, and municipal institutions; and public funding for employment programmes (AGH, Zuverdienst, Tagesstätte, geförderte Beschäftigung, Anderer Leistungsanbieter) sourced from Jobcenter MainArbeit, ProArbeit Kreis Offenbach, LWV Hessen, Integrationsamt, and the Agentur für Arbeit. Of approximately 200 total participants/employees, around 70 are in regular socially insured employment. Pricing for programme participants is regulated (€1/hour for AGH and Zuverdienst, €1.50/hour for Tagesstätte, TVöD Vka for geförderte Beschäftigung). The company holds AZAV certification (2024–2029), AGRECO organic certification (DE-ÖKO-012), three DGE nutrient-optimised menu certifications (December 2024), and is the sole authorised 'Anderer Leistungsanbieter' in the Rhein-Main area.

Name

ESSwerk gemeinnützige Integrationsgesellschaft mbH

Legal name

ESSwerk gemeinnützige Integrationsgesellschaft mbH

Website

https://esswerk-of.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ESSwerk gemeinnützige Integrationsgesellschaft mbH is a non-profit integration company in Offenbach am Main, Germany, that operates two production kitchens preparing 1,000+ daily meals for 40 schools and childcare facilities while running vocational rehabilitation and employment programmes for people with mental disabilities across seven municipalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Institutional Catering & Social Integration Services

NAICS

Food Service Contractors (722310), Food Service Contractors (72231), Caterers (72232)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Contract Foodservice Management for Schools (EDAEAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Menu Planning, Nutrition & Dietary Accommodation Services (Allergens, Special Diets) (EDAEAEAD), Food Service & Dining Operations Management (Managed Cafeterias) (EDAEALAG), Nutrition, Dietary Management & Allergen/Accommodation Services (EDALADAJ), Catering, Pantry & Food Service (On-site Refreshments/Events) (IMAIALAD)

Keywords

• School catering services
• Vocational rehabilitation programs
• Institutional meal production
• Disability employment services
• Social integration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Offenbach am Main

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Catering and Meal Service: Revenue from providing meal services to schools, companies, and public institutions including food preparation, delivery, and staffing. ESSwerk operates Schulküchen (school kitchens), Betriebskantinen (company canteens), Schulkioske (school kiosks), and provides catering for municipal facilities. Revenue is earned through contracts with educational institutions, municipal clients, and companies.
2. Government-Funded Employment Programs: ESSwerk receives public funding to employ and qualify people with mental disabilities. Funding comes from job centres (MainArbeit, ProArbeit), Integrationsamt, LWV Hessen, and the Agentur für Arbeit. These cover programs such as AGH (Arbeitsgelegenheiten), Zuverdienst, Tagesstätte, geförderte Beschäftigung, and the 'Anderer Leistungsanbieter' (alternative service provider) programme. Revenue includes stipends, transition payments, and operational support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ESSwerk gemeinnützige Integrationsgesellschaft mbH provides institutional catering and school support services (school meal production, delivery, canteen, kiosk, and staffing) to approximately 40 educational and childcare facilities across the Offenbach region, while also running vocational rehabilitation and employment programmes (AGH, Zuverdienst, Tagesstätte, Geförderte Beschäftigung, Anderer Leistungsanbieter) for people with mental disabilities. The company operates two production kitchens in Dietzenbach and Rodgau-Hainhausen that prepare over 1,000 warm meals daily and is the only approved "Anderer Leistungsanbieter" in the Rhein-Main area.

Product overview

ESSwerk is a charitable integration company providing catering and school support services alongside vocational rehabilitation programs for people with mental health conditions. The core catering operation consists of production kitchens (Schulküchen) in Dietzenbach and Rodgau-Hainhausen that prepare over 1,000 daily meals. Complementary services include Betriebskantine management, mobile Catering for up to 1,000 persons, and Schulkiosk operations. The Schulservice division provides Personalservice across 40 schools, manages an Online-Bestellsystem for meal ordering, and operates school libraries/mediatheks. Employment services encompass qualification and work programs (AGH, Zuverdienst, Tagesstätte, Geförderte Beschäftigung) and the exclusive regional 'Anderer Leistungsanbieter' program enabling disabled individuals to transition toward the primary labor market through structured entry procedures, vocational training, and permanent employment areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Schulküchen / Kochküchen (Production Kitchens) Two modern production kitchens that prepare over 1,000 fresh meals daily for delivery to 24 schools and childcare facilities in the Offenbach region.
• Betriebskantine (Corporate Cafeteria) Public cafeteria management at Kreishaus Dietzenbach, offering breakfast, lunch with component selection, salad bar, cakes, coffee-to-go, snacks, and conference/event services.
• Catering Catering services for municipal facilities, kindergartens, schools, public educational institutions, and non-profit organizations, with options including finger food through hot kitchen offerings, scalable for events of up to 1,000 persons.
• Schulkiosk (School Kiosk) Complete school kiosk management including procurement, fresh sandwich preparation, hot sausages, snacks, cold and warm beverages, with offerings coordinated with school administration and parent/student representatives.
• Personalservice (Staffing Service) Personnel service at 40 schools and childcare facilities, including meal distribution, dishwashing, cash collection, kiosk operation, and library/media services, with comprehensive personnel administration ensuring uninterrupted service.
• Qualifizierung, Beschäftigung und Maßnahmen (Qualification, Employment and Programs) Vocational rehabilitation and employment programmes for people with mental health conditions, ranging from work trials and internships to subsidized employment, providing structured daily activities and integration support.
• AGH - Arbeitsgelegenheiten (Work Opportunities) Work trial programme (6 months, extendable up to 3-5 times) for kitchen assistants, drivers, or passenger assistants via Jobcenter referral, focused on vocational rehabilitation and reintegration with €1/hour earnings plus travel reimbursement.
• Zuverdienst (Subsidiary Earnings) Subsidiary earning programme for individuals with attested mental illness who cannot work more than 15 hours weekly, providing day structure and work trial opportunities with €1/hour earnings plus travel reimbursement.
• Tagesstätte (Day Facility) Day facility for individuals with chronic mental illness, providing structured activities such as apron repairs, greeting card and Christmas present production, and bonus card preparation for the ESSwerk workforce, with €1.50/hour earnings plus travel reimbursement.
• Geförderte Beschäftigung (Subsidized Employment) Subsidized employment for long-term unemployed individuals or those with severe disabilities, aiming at reintegration into the primary labour market, lasting 2-5 years with 15 hours/week to full-time hours, remunerated according to TVöD Vka.
• Anderer Leistungsanbieter / Teilhabe (Alternative Service Provider) Only approved Anderer Leistungsanbieter in the Rhein-Main region, enabling people with mental disabilities entitled to a Werkstattplatz to explore the working world through an entry procedure (1-3 months), vocational training area (12-24 months), and permanent working area.
• Schulservice (School Service) Comprehensive school service encompassing meal delivery and distribution, kiosk operations, staffing services, administration, library/media center operations, and full-service solutions from food preparation through billing.
• Speisepläne (Meal Plans) Nutritionally optimised monthly menu plans published 2-4 weeks in advance, developed according to DGE (German Nutrition Society) guidelines and certified for Kitas, primary schools, and secondary schools.
• Online-Bestellsystem (Online Ordering System) Online ordering and billing system for school meals with integrated menu planning, accessible through individual school websites, supporting advance ordering, billing, and funding applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 200 people with disabilities have found employment at ESSwerk since inception, with ~70 in regular socially insured positions.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stiftung LEBENSRÄUME Offenbach am MaincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESSwerk is a wholly owned subsidiary (Tochtergesellschaft) of Stiftung LEBENSRÄUME Offenbach am Main. The foundation established ESSwerk as its integration company to provide employment and qualification for people with mental disabilities. The foundation provides strategic oversight, brand identity (using the Lebensräume logo), and a shared website infrastructure.
• Jobcenter Offenbach (MainArbeit)coreOthersMainArbeit is the Jobcenter for the city of Offenbach. It refers unemployed individuals to ESSwerk's AGH (Arbeitsgelegenheiten) programme and provides funding for work integration measures. ESSwerk requires referral by a job coach for programme participation.
• ProArbeit (Kreis Offenbach)coreOthersProArbeit is the job centre for Kreis Offenbach (district of Offenbach). It refers unemployed individuals to ESSwerk's employment programmes and provides funding. Referral by a job coach is required.
• LWV Hessen (Landeswohlfahrtsverband Hessen)coreOthersLWV Hessen is the Hessian State Welfare Association, which provides funding and approvals for ESSwerk's Tagesstätte (day facility) and Zuverdienst (pocket-money employment) programmes. Initial approval from LWV Hessen is required for these services, with approval periods of one year (Zuverdienst) and two years (Tagesstätte).
• RECUPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerESSwerk uses the RECUP reusable cup and bowl deposit system as part of its sustainability and environmental protection efforts. RECUP provides a multi-use deposit system for take-away containers and cups, supporting ESSwerk's goal to reduce single-use packaging.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Compass Group Germany (Eurest / Medirest): World-leading contract food services group operating in Germany through Eurest and Medirest brands; competes in school, corporate and public-sector catering with the scale to underbid regional operators like ESSwerk on large municipal tenders.
• Dussmann Service: German integrated facility-services provider offering catering, canteen and school-support bundles to public-sector clients; overlaps with ESSwerk's Betriebskantine, catering and Personalservice lines and competes for the same municipal contracts in Hessen.
• Aramark Germany: International contract caterer with significant German school, corporate and healthcare meal operations; directly comparable to ESSwerk's catering/cafeteria arm, but runs purely commercial contracts at national scale rather than combining vocational rehabilitation with food service.
• Sodexo Germany: Global contract foodservice and facilities management major operating a large school, public-sector and corporate catering portfolio across Germany; competes head-to-head with ESSwerk for institutional meal tenders in the Rhine-Main area but without the integration-mission focus or "Anderer Leistungsanbieter" license.

Emerging players

• Diakonie Werkstätten: Protestant-affiliated network of WfbM operators offering sheltered and qualification employment for people with disabilities across Germany; peer to ESSwerk's qualification and integration programmes, often with parallel catering or canteen business lines.
• Stiftung ICP München (Integrationsunternehmen): Munich-based integration company that, like ESSwerk, combines vocational qualification for people with disabilities with a commercial business line (catering/facility services); the closest direct structural peer in southern Germany, though operating under Bavarian rather than Hessian funding rules.
• Lebenshilfe Werkstätten: Germany-wide federation of WfbM providers focused on people with intellectual/developmental disabilities; comparable integration-employment model to ESSwerk, with similar reliance on public funding and structured reintegration pathways.
• Caritas Werkstätten / Wertarbeit: Network of Catholic-affiliated WfbM and "Andere Leistungsanbieter" operators running qualification and sheltered employment for people with disabilities; comparable to ESSwerk's Anderer Leistungsanbieter and Tagesstätte programmes, sometimes bundling cafeteria or canteen work as part of vocational training.

Regional players

• Klüh Catering: Düsseldorf-based contract caterer with strong presence in NRW and corporate/education segments; comparable to ESSwerk's catering and canteen operations though primarily focused on Rhineland rather than Hessen, and not a WfbM or "Anderer Leistungsanbieter" operator.

Direct peers

• Apetito Catering (incl. Menüplan): One of Germany's largest dedicated school, kindergarten and childcare caterers; directly comparable to ESSwerk's contract school meals and DGE-certified menu planning, with national procurement scale and established parent ordering systems.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/esswerk-gemeinn%C3%BCtzige-integrationsgesellschaft-mbh

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ESSwerk gemeinnützige Integrationsgesellschaft mbH