Hervorragend AG

What Hervorragend AG does

Hervorragend AG is a Swiss, privately held greeting card company (Aktiengesellschaft) headquartered at Länggassstrasse 16 in Bern, selling handmade and fair-trade greeting cards under the hervorragend.ch e-commerce brand. The portfolio spans more than a dozen specialty product lines — 3D pop-up cards, paper quilling, Scherenschnitt (traditional Swiss papercutting), handmade paper from South Africa, growing/seed paper, OPC (organic Nepali paper with screen-printed gold/silver), tea-bag cards, tunnel cards, hand-painted art cards, gift boxes, postcards, and card-box sets — with unit prices from CHF 3.50 to CHF 24.90. Production blends computer-aided design, laser cutting, and significant hand assembly, and finishing/logistics are performed in partnership with three Swiss social foundations that employ people with disabilities, with international paper and craft inputs sourced via fair-trade partners.

The company serves two primary customer segments. The dominant segment is long-tail individual consumers (D2C) purchasing 1–5 cards per transaction for occasions such as birthdays, weddings, Christmas, and sympathy, reached through the Magento e-commerce platform, the Bern showroom, and a Swiss reseller network surfaced via a store-locator. A secondary B2B/Firmenkarten division offers inquiry-based custom design services — individualized 3D pop-up, Scherenschnitt, and Growing Paper cards, plus business cards — to corporate clients. Distribution is hybrid (own e-commerce, physical showroom, reseller network, and international shipping to the EU, USA, and Canada at a CHF 100 minimum order), and marketing relies on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, a quarterly Brevo/Sendinblue newsletter, Google Ads, and annual participation in the ORNARIS trade show. Hervorragend AG is owned and managed by Stefan Schüpbach and Herbert Heuscher (co-owners and managing directors) with Massimo Bencivinni also serving as managing director; no external investors, parent company, or funding history are disclosed.

Name

Hervorragend AG

Legal name

Hervorragend AG

Website

https://hervorragend.ch

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hervorragend AG is a privately held Swiss greeting card company headquartered in Bern that designs, produces, and sells handmade fair-trade cards (3D pop-up, quilling, Scherenschnitt, growing paper) through its own e-commerce platform, a Bern showroom, a Swiss reseller network, and international shipping to the EU, USA, and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Greeting Cards and Stationery

NAICS

Greeting Card Publishers (513191), Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Retailers (45942)

SIC

Greeting Cards (2771)

akta.pro primary industry

Greeting Cards, Wrap & Party Supplies Retail (CRALAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Greeting Cards, Gift Wrap & Party Paper Goods Distribution (CRAOALAJ)

Keywords

• Handmade greeting cards
• 3D pop-up cards
• Fair trade stationery
• Custom corporate cards
• Plantable seed paper

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Greeting Card Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of handmade greeting cards through e-commerce platform. Products include 3D pop-up cards, growing paper cards, quilling cards, Scherenschnitt cards, OPC cards, and various other specialty paper cards. Transaction-based one-time purchases with prices ranging from CHF 3.50 to CHF 24.90.
2. Corporate/B2B Custom Cards: Custom corporate greeting card design and production services for businesses. The company creates individualized cards based on customer ideas and designs, including custom 3D pop-up cards, Scherenschnitt cards, and growing paper cards for corporate use.
3. Wholesale/Reseller: Sales to resellers across Switzerland through store locator network. Resellers purchase products for resale in their physical retail locations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hervorragend AG designs, produces, and sells handmade and fair-trade greeting cards in Switzerland. Its core products are 3D Pop-up, Paper Quilling, Scherenschnitt (papercutting), Growing Paper (seed paper), and OPC cards, plus postcards, gift boxes, and custom corporate cards. Cards are sold through the company's own e-commerce platform hervorragend.ch, a Bern showroom, a national reseller network, and international shipping to EU/USA/Canada.

Product overview

Hervorragend AG is a Swiss greeting card company specializing in handmade, fair trade greeting cards. The product portfolio centers on 3D Pop-up-Karten with intricate laser-cut designs, Paper Quilling-Karten crafted from rolled paper art, Handmade Paper-Karten from recycled materials (produced in South Africa, assembled in Swiss social foundations), and Scherenschnitt-Karten featuring traditional Swiss papercutting art. The collection also includes unique specialty cards: Growing Paper-Karten made from plantable seed paper, OPC-Karten with handcrafted Nepali paper, Tea Bag-Karten from recycled materials, and Tunnel-Karten with 3D viewing effects. Additional offerings include Art Cards (painted by artists), Geschenkboxen (gift boxes), and Postkarten (postcards). The company also offers corporate customization services and business cards as extensions. All products emphasize social responsibility through fair trade partnerships and Swiss social institution collaborations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 3D Pop-up-Karten (3D Pop-up Cards) Greeting cards with intricate laser-cut inner mechanisms that unfold in 3D when opened, creating a wow effect. Produced through computer-aided design work, laser cutting, and hand assembly. Available in Mini, Standard, and XL formats for personal gifting occasions.
• Paper Quilling-Karten (Paper Quilling Cards) Fine paper strips are hand-rolled and artistically arranged into intricate patterns by skilled artisans, creating masterful images. Each card is a unique handcrafted piece suited to consumers seeking distinctive, hand-rolled paper artistry.
• Handmade Paper-Karten (Handmade Paper Cards) Greeting cards made from recycled paper, fairly produced by hand in South Africa, with designs printed and assembled at a social foundation in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland. Targeted at consumers valuing fair-trade and recycled materials.
• Scherenschnitt-Karten (Swiss Papercutting Cards) Cards reinterpreting classic Swiss Scherenschnitt (scissors cutting) patterns. Originals are created by hand by Swiss artists, then precisely laser-cut for filigree details and consistent production quality. Designed for consumers seeking traditional Swiss paper-cutting art.
• Holz-Scherenschnitt-Karten (Wood Papercutting Cards) Papercutting cards with wood applications, combining traditional Scherenschnitt art with wooden elements for a distinctive look. Targeted at consumers seeking premium mixed-material cards.
• Growing Paper-Karten (Growing Paper / Seed Paper Cards) Plantable greeting cards made from seed paper. When planted in soil, recipients can grow herbs, salad, or flowers from the card. Illustrations are designed by Swiss illustrators, with eco-friendly positioning for values-driven consumers.
• 5er-Karten (5-Card Sets with Swiss motifs) Card series featuring Swiss motifs, including the traditional 5-Rappen coin design, produced at a social institution in the Canton of Bern. Targeted at consumers and tourists seeking quintessentially Swiss designs.
• OPC-Karten (Organic Paper Cards from Nepal) Cards made from traditionally handcrafted paper from Nepal, refined with gold and silver colors using precise screen printing. Each card has distinctive structure, depth, and an elegant appearance for premium gifting occasions.
• Handpainted Jaab-Karten and FromJUDE-Karten Cards featuring sequins, glitter, and gold applications, with some cards hand-finished with glitter stones. High-quality and socially produced, targeted at consumers seeking decorative hand-finished embellishment.
• Tea Bag-Karten (Tea Bag Cards) Charming small artworks made from recycled and painted tea bags are used to decorate these special cards, providing an upcycled, artisanal option for sustainability-minded consumers.
• Tunnel-Karten (Tunnel Cards) Three-dimensional cards with a filigree view into the interior, serving as both a greeting card and a decorative gift that can be displayed. Includes an inserted text card on the back for personal messages.
• Art Cards (by Teodor Stratulat) Cards featuring paintings by Teodor Stratulat. The artist hand-decorates printed cards with brush and paint, creating unique artistic greeting cards targeted at art-conscious consumers.
• Geschenkboxen (Gift Boxes) Hand-finished boxes with elegant finishes for gifts and storage, coordinating with the Hervorragend greeting card collections and targeted at gift-giving consumers.
• Postkarten (Postcards) Postcards made from handcrafted paper with unique haptic qualities. Designed with loving motifs by Swiss illustrators for consumers and tourists.
• Kartenboxen (Card Boxes / 5-Piece Sets) Sets of 5 Growing Paper cards packaged in decorative boxes, available for occasions such as Birthday, Condolence, and Flowers, offering bundled value over individual cards.
• Theater-Karten (Theatre Cards) Three-dimensional theatre-style cards with layered scene designs, sold as a distinct product category in the Hervorragend catalog.
• Individualisierte Firmenkarten (Customized Corporate Cards) Custom-designed corporate greeting cards where Hervorragend creates designs based on customer ideas. Offers various card types including 3D Pop-up, papercutting, and Growing Paper for business occasions and corporate clients.
• Visitenkarten (Custom Business Cards) Custom business cards available for corporate customers, produced by Hervorragend's B2B/Firmenkarten division.

Quantifiable outcome

• Creates meaningful employment for people with disabilities through Swiss social foundation partnerships
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Swiss Fair Trade (Swissfairtrade)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Swiss Fair Trade organization, demonstrating commitment to fair trade principles and ethical business practices.
• Three Swiss Social FoundationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with three social foundations in Switzerland for logistics and finishing work. These organizations provide meaningful employment for people with disabilities, creating jobs with purpose in Switzerland.
• South African School ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports a school in South Africa through a financed school container where neglected children with learning deficits receive tutoring and individual support. Part of company's social responsibility initiatives.
• Fair Trade Production Partners (International)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduction facilities abroad operate according to fair trade principles. Production partners in developing countries receive fair wages and working conditions, supporting disadvantaged populations globally.
• Swiss Resellers (Store-Locator Network)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of retail stores across Switzerland that carry and resell Hervorragend products. Available through store locator on website.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Rifle Paper Co. Rifle Paper Co. is an established lifestyle stationery brand with extensive wholesale distribution of illustrated greeting cards. Its scale and wholesale model are similar to Hervorragend's reseller network, though its aesthetic and price band differ.
• Hallmark Cards: Hallmark is the largest global greeting card publisher and retailer with mass-market cards across virtually every occasion. It competes broadly with Hervorragend on Swiss shelves and online, but its portfolio is mass-produced and lacks the handmade/fair-trade positioning.
• American Greetings: American Greetings is a major mass-market greeting card manufacturer with a broad product range and licensing partnerships. It operates as the broad incumbent that Hervorragend's premium artisan offering is positioned against on price and craft.

Direct peers

• Cartefini: Cartefini is an Italy-based handmade greeting card producer selling artisan cards through European retail channels. It shares Hervorragend's handmade, European craft positioning and comparable B2B/distribution footprint.
• Quilling Card: Quilling Card is a Vietnam-based producer of handmade paper-quilling greeting cards sold internationally via B2B and own channels. Its paper-quilling technique directly mirrors Hervorragend's Paper Quilling-Karten line and its fair-trade production model is structurally similar.
• Lovepop: Lovepop designs and sells laser-cut, 3D pop-up greeting cards across consumer and B2B channels. Its portfolio of intricate pop-up designs, e-commerce storefront and corporate custom-card offering make it the closest functional peer to Hervorragend's 3D Pop-up-Karten and Firmenkarten divisions.

Others

• Woodstock Chimes (and similar social-enterprise fair-trade goods): Woodstock Chimes is included as an analogous fair-trade/social-enterprise import brand; not a direct competitor but illustrative of how brands leveraging fair-trade certification and international artisan production build positioning in the European market, the same playbook Hervorragend uses.
• Globi (licensed brand partner): Globi is a Swiss licensed character brand; Hervorragend has a dedicated Globi Karten category on its storefront. While not a competitor, it is an ecosystem participant illustrating Hervorragend's licensing/collaboration strategy for exclusive product lines.

Emerging players

• Artifact Publishing: Artifact Publishing is an independent, design-led paper goods publisher producing high-end greeting cards and stationery. It is comparable as a specialty, premium-positioned publisher competing on craft and design rather than scale.
• Papier: Papier is a DTC stationery and greeting card brand offering premium, design-led cards online. It is comparable as a digitally native, design-forward greeting card retailer targeting consumers seeking alternatives to mass-market cards.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/glueckwunschkarten.hervorragend
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hervorragend-ag
• Instagraminstagram.com/hervorragend_ag_grusskarten

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Hervorragend AG