Gaumenfreundinnen GmbH

What Gaumenfreundinnen GmbH does

Gaumenfreundinnen GmbH is a Vienna-based sustainable organic catering company founded in 2014 by Philippa Erlacher and Margherita Putze. The company provides 100% organic, fully meat-free (vegetarian or vegan) event catering for corporate functions, private celebrations, weddings, and conferences, with capacity to serve up to 800 guests per event across Vienna and surrounding areas. Its offering is organized around five core product lines — Work, Afterwork, Private, Wedding, and Self-Service Catering — supported by a curated menu library spanning finger food, tasting menus, main courses, desserts, and organic beverages. All ingredients are sourced from a named network of regional Austrian suppliers, and the company holds six sustainability certifications including ÖkoEvent, Fairtrade Österreich, Natürlich Gut Essen Gold, BIO AUSTRIA Gold, Umweltzeichen, and Bio Garantie.

The business operates on a direct, sales-led go-to-market model: prospective customers submit detailed inquiries through segmented website forms (by event type), receive a customized non-binding quote based on guest count, menu selection, and service requirements, and confirm with a 50% deposit. Pricing is per-person with unit-style quoting; the company also accepts small self-service bookings under 45 guests via pickup or delivery. There is no proprietary software platform — the company's "technology" consists of its inquiry/quoting process and operational systems supporting logistics for events of varying scale.

The company employs approximately seven people in a lean structure that includes cooks, customer service, and service staff, and operates its headquarters and production kitchen from a single site at Längenfeldgasse 27/A in Vienna's 12th district. It is privately held, founder-led, and shows no external investors. As of April 2025, DI Reinhard Kroiss joined as a third Managing Director to support operational scaling. Recent 2025 engagements with high-visibility clients (Austrian Parliament, Impact Hub Vienna, BOKU, BIZ Spring, NEONGREEN NETWORK) and a recurring contract-cooking partnership with the wellness startup Basenbox indicate ongoing demand and modest commercial diversification within the Vienna organic catering segment.

Name

Gaumenfreundinnen GmbH

Legal name

Gaumenfreundinnen GmbH

Website

https://gaumenfreundinnen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gaumenfreundinnen GmbH is a Vienna-based sustainable organic catering company founded in 2014, providing 100% organic, fully vegetarian or vegan event catering for corporate events, weddings, and private celebrations of up to 800 guests across Vienna and surrounding areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Event Catering Services

NAICS

Caterers (722320), Special Food Services (7223), Food Service Contractors (722310)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty & Dietary Catering (Halal, Kosher, Vegan, Allergen-Free, Medical) (THAHAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate & Business Event Catering (THAHAKAA), Wedding & Social Event Catering (THAHAKAE), Off-Premise / Mobile Event Catering (THAHAKAD), Event Culinary Staffing & Back-of-House Services (Chefs, Servers, Bartenders) (THAHAKAN)

Keywords

• Organic catering services
• Vegetarian vegan catering
• Corporate event catering
• Wedding catering Vienna
• Sustainable food service

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Event Catering Services: Per-person pricing model for catering events. Pro-person prices are quoted in offers and can change if guest count decreases by more than 10%. They require 50% deposit upon order confirmation. Services include finger food, tasting menus, main courses, desserts, and beverages for events ranging from seminars to weddings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gaumenfreundinnen GmbH provides 100% organic, vegetarian/vegan event catering services in Vienna and surrounding areas, serving events of up to 800 guests with menu categories including finger food, tasting menus, main courses, desserts, and organic beverages. The company operates across five core service lines—Work Catering (corporate conferences/seminars), Afterwork Catering (corporate receptions/gala evenings), Private Events Catering, Wedding Catering (up to 800 guests), and Self-Service Catering (under 45 persons, delivery or pickup). All offerings are built around seasonal, regional Austrian ingredients, reusable tableware, and certified sustainable practices.

Product overview

Gaumenfreundinnen GmbH is a sustainable organic catering company founded in 2014, offering a comprehensive portfolio of catering services across five core product lines: Work Catering for business events, Afterwork Catering for receptions and galas, Private Events Catering for personal celebrations, Wedding Catering for weddings, and Self-Service Catering for small events. The company serves up to 800 guests at events and provides vegetarian or vegan organic cuisine with seasonal and regional focus. Their food offerings include Fingerfood & Brötchen, Degustationsmenüs (tasting menus), Hauptspeisen & Menüs (main courses), Simple Lunch to-go, Wiener Heurigenbuffet, and organic beverages. All services emphasize sustainability with Mehrweg (reusable) tableware, regional suppliers, and certified organic ingredients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Work Catering Sustainable organic catering for corporate conferences, seminars, and workshops, serving business participants with vegetarian or vegan options at business events in Vienna and surrounding areas.
• Afterwork Catering Organic catering for casual corporate receptions, gala evenings, and networking events, providing high-quality plant-based food offerings for professional social occasions.
• Private Events Catering Organic catering for private celebrations including birthday parties, garden parties, and family gatherings, delivering vegetarian or vegan menus to personal events.
• Wedding Catering Vegetarian or vegan organic catering for weddings, partnerships, and free ceremonies, serving up to 800 guests with full-service options including finger food agape, buffets, and cocktail bars.
• Self-Service Catering Organic food and beverage catering for small events under 45 persons, delivered or picked up without on-site catering staff, available in cardboard boxes or on silver platters.
• Fingerfood & Brötchen Handheld food offerings, both savory and sweet, in rolled or skewered formats, suitable for small to large gatherings and reusable presentations.
• Degustationsmenüs (Tasting Menus) Tasting menus offering a variety of small warm or cold dishes for receptions, standing dinners, or flying buffets, providing premium plant-based cuisine for special occasions.
• Hauptspeisen & Menüs (Main Courses & Plated Menus) Appetizers, main courses, and desserts served as plated menus or buffets, ranging from traditional Austrian cuisine to international dishes, all vegetarian or vegan.
• Simple Lunch "to go" Pre-portioned meals in sustainable packaging including items like goulash in screw-top jars or strudel parcels for convenient takeaway.
• Wiener Heurigenbuffet Traditional Viennese food offerings including Liptauer, potato salad, and Buchteln, served traditionally or with modern plant-based interpretations.
• Kalte & warme Getränke (Beverages) 100% organic beverages including organic wine and beer, cocktails, Sonnentor teas, J. Hornig Fairtrade coffee, and drinks in reusable bottles for events.

Quantifiable outcome

• Capacity to serve up to 800 guests per event
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Biohof AdamahcoreOthersPrimary supplier of fruits and vegetables. Gaumenfreundinnen sources the majority of their produce from this organic farm.
• Weingut HörmanncoreOthersWinery supplying wines for events. Cabernet Sauvignon and other wines sourced from this Lower Austrian vineyard.
• J. HornigcoreOthersCoffee roastery supplying coffee since 1912. Known for highest quality and coffee enjoyment, providing Fairtrade coffee for events.
• SonnentorcoreOthersTea supplier for hot beverage buffets at events. Austrian organic tea company.
• Joseph BrotcoreOthersRenowned Viennese bakery supplying bread and pastries. Known for high-quality organic baking craft in Vienna.
• ManicoreOthersSupplier of high-quality olive oil, olives, and capers for Mediterranean touches in dishes.
• BasenboxcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerViennese wellness startup. Gaumenfreundinnen cooks daily alkaline organic dishes for Basenbox, a Vienna wellness startup.
• Bio Berghof GrießlerminorOthersOrganic farm supplying walnuts for cakes and salads from Lower Austria.
• NusslandminorOthersLower Austrian supplier of walnuts for cakes and salads.
• Kasnudl Stadtküche AspernminorOthersPrepares the delicious Kasnudln (Austrian dumplings) offered in Gaumenfreundinnen's menu.
• Nestelberger SchälmühleminorOthersMill in Perg, Upper Austria supplying wheat flour for cooking.
• Biohof FriSchminorOthersOrganic farm in Groißenbrunn, Marchfeld (Lower Austria) supplying eggs.
• Biohof TretterminorOthersOrganic farm in Schlierbach, Upper Austria supplying eggs.
• Bio-Milchhof KoppensteinercoreOthersOrganic dairy from Waldviertel, Lower Austria supplying most of the milk used in cooking.
• ÖkoEventcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative for green events in Vienna. Gaumenfreundinnen is a certified partner for sustainable event catering.
• Foodsharing WienminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVerein (association) that receives surplus food to prevent waste. Gaumenfreundinnen cooperates to ensure no food unnecessarily goes to waste.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Do & Co: Do & Co is an Austrian-headquartered premium global hospitality and catering group serving airlines, events, and restaurants. It overlaps with Gaumenfreundinnen in Austrian premium event catering but at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Sodexo: Sodexo is a global food services and facilities management company with event and corporate catering in Austria and across Europe. Comparable as a contract caterer but at vastly larger scale and with generalist rather than sustainability-led positioning.
• Gerstner Catering: Gerstner is a long-established Viennese caterer and confectioner serving traditional events, hotels, and private clients. Comparable in Vienna event catering scope but anchored in classic Austrian cuisine rather than organic/plant-forward menus.
• Aramark: Aramark is a global contract foodservice and catering provider serving corporate, sports, and event clients worldwide, including in Austria. Comparable in event catering capability but as a broad incumbent rather than a niche organic/vegan specialist.
• WISAG Catering: WISAG is a large German facility-services group with Austrian catering operations covering corporate, event, and institutional clients. Comparable in catering service delivery but as a broad, multi-vertical incumbent rather than a sustainability specialist.
• Marché International: Marché is a Swiss-headquartered foodservice and catering group with strong Austrian and DACH event presence. Comparable in event and institutional catering operations but with a much broader portfolio beyond organic/sustainable menus.
• Elior Group: Elior is a French-headquartered European contract catering group serving corporate, event, and institutional clients across multiple European markets. Comparable in European event catering scale but with a generalist rather than organic/sustainable positioning.
• GOURMET Catering Austria: GOURMET is an Austrian catering company specializing in corporate and institutional food services, originally spun out of the voestalpine ecosystem. Comparable in Austrian contract/event catering but operates at a much larger scale than Gaumenfreundinnen.
• Compass Group (Eurest): Compass Group is the world's largest contract foodservice company, with Eurest covering corporate catering in the DACH region. Comparable in corporate event catering reach but as a global incumbent, not a sustainability-focused niche operator.

Direct peers

• blün Catering: blün is a Vienna-based organic and sustainable catering company offering plant-forward menus for corporate and private events. It is the closest direct peer, sharing the same Austrian organic-catering niche, Vienna geography, and ESG-led value proposition as Gaumenfreundinnen.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gaumenfreundinnen
• Instagraminstagram.com/gaumenfreundinnen_biocatering
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gaumenfreundinnen-gmbh

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Gaumenfreundinnen GmbH