Horeca Vlaanderen

What Horeca Vlaanderen does

Horeca Vlaanderen is a Belgian non-profit sector federation (vereniging zonder winstoogmerk / vzw) representing horeca entrepreneurs in the Flanders and Brussels-Capital regions. Founded on October 28, 1976 and headquartered at Anspachlaan 111, bus 4, 1000 Brussels, the federation acts as the collective representative body for operators across hotels, restaurants, cafés, nightclubs, snackbars, fry shops, and catering businesses, with operational reach expressed through 39 local departments and a governance structure drawing on more than 300 board members. Leadership comprises CEO Matthias De Caluwe and Chairman Paul Snoeys; the federation frames its scope as covering 86,000+ sector employees in its representational claims.

The federation's service portfolio is anchored in sub-brands including Horeca Academie (training), Jong Keukengeweld (youth talent development), Erkend Friturist (specialist certification), EersteKlas, and the Samenwerken Samengroeien tourism-sector program launched in partnership with Toerisme Vlaanderen in 2024. Digital infrastructure is limited to a public website and a member-training portal; the federation publishes and co-enforces the Gedragscode Horeca Vlaanderen self-regulatory code, most recently substantially revised in June 2025 with a prior 2022 addendum, in conjunction with FAVV and other sector partners.

The business model is membership-based with tiered annual subscriptions priced between €239 and €1,249 per member depending on full-time-equivalent headcount. Incremental non-subscription revenue is generated through the Horeca Academie training programs, partner commissions negotiated via a partner network that spans HR (Liantis), banking (Europabank), tourism (Toerisme Vlaanderen), e-learning (Goodhabitz), fuel (Q8), meal vouchers (Edenred, Pluxee, Monizze), food safety authority engagement (FAVV), payment processing (Unisono), supply (HGC-Hanos), and public funding/grant channels (Vlaio, Horeca Forma, Navefri). As a vzw, Horeca Vlaanderen does not publicly disclose its income or membership totals.

Name

Horeca Vlaanderen

Legal name

Horeca Vlaanderen vzw

Website

https://horecavlaanderen.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Belgian non-profit federation (vzw) representing horeca entrepreneurs in Flanders and Brussels since 1976, delivering training, legal advocacy, partner discounts, and sector self-regulation through 39 local departments and sub-brands including Horeca Academie and Erkend Friturist.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Membership subscriptions: Horeca Vlaanderen generates its primary revenue from annual membership fees paid by horeca entrepreneurs (restaurants, cafés, hotels, etc.). Fees are tiered by the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, ranging from €239 per year for businesses with 0–9 FTE to €1,249 per year for businesses with 50+ FTE. The membership is 100% tax-deductible and is collected annually.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Horeca Vlaanderen is a non-profit sector federation offering paid annual membership to horeca entrepreneurs in Flanders and Brussels. Membership bundles political advocacy, free first-line legal advice on labour law/food safety/fiscal matters, discounted partner services (banking, HR/payroll, fuel, meal vouchers, author rights), and structured training via Horeca Academie (in-person workshops, FAVV food safety sessions, Digicursussen online modules, and free Goodhabitz learning platform access). The federation also runs sector projects such as Jong Keukengeweld, Erkend Friturist, EersteKlas, and the annual Horeca Expo trade fair.

Product overview

Horeca Vlaanderen is a sector federation for the Flemish hospitality industry (hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars) that operates as a membership-based organization with multiple interconnected products and services. The core offering centers on membership providing advocacy, legal support, and training (via Horeca Academie). The Horeca Academie provides both in-person training and digital learning through Digicursussen and the Goodhabitz partnership. Members receive financial benefits through partnerships (Unisono, Liantis, Europabank, Q8, meal voucher providers). The federation also produces practical guides (HACCP-gids, Startersbrochure, GDPR-stappenplan) and operates sector initiatives (Jong Keukengeweld, Erkend Friturist, Horeca Expo, EersteKlas). The organization functions as a platform providing member benefits, educational content, legal resources, and industry representation rather than a single unified software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Horeca Academie: Training and education platform for hospitality professionals offering courses, workshops, and digital learning modules.
• Jong Keukengeweld
• Erkend Friturist
• EersteKlas
• Samenwerken, Samengroeien

Products and services

• Horeca Vlaanderen Membership Annual subscription membership for Belgian horeca entrepreneurs (hotels, restaurants, cafés, nightclubs, snackbars, fry shops, catering). Tiered by FTE count from €239 to €1,249/year, 100% tax-deductible. Includes free first-line legal advice, partner discounts, Horeca FLASH newsletter, political representation, and free Horeca Expo entry.
• Horeca Academie

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to €58.93 annual rebate on Unisono author rights fees for members
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• LiantiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiantis is a social secretariat and HR services firm. Horeca Vlaanderen members receive 15% discount on management costs per employee per payroll run (including 12 monthly payroll calculations, holiday pay, year-end bonus calculations, and corrections). Liantis and Horeca Vlaanderen also co-produce model labour regulation documents.
• EuropabankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropabank is a Belgian banking institution providing payment processing services. A long-standing framework agreement gives Horeca Vlaanderen members favourable commission rates, no subscription fees for card transaction processing (Visa, Vpay, Mastercard, Maestro, Debit Mastercard), and a free check-up of existing payment traffic. A SoftPOS smartphone-based payment solution is also offered.
• Toerisme VlaanderencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerToerisme Vlaanderen (Flanders Tourism) co-funded the 'Samenwerken, Samengroeien' trajectory, supporting 100 Flemish horeca entrepreneurs in sustainable entrepreneurship and HR management (2024). Also collaborated on the EersteKlas project to attract young talent to the sector.
• NavefriminorOthersNavefri (National Union of Fry Chefs) co-created the 'Erkend Friturist' (Recognised Fry Chef) certification with Horeca Vlaanderen and Vlaio in 2022, to preserve and recognise traditional fry shop craftsmanship in Flanders.
• VlaiominorOthersVlaio (Vlaams Agentschap voor Innovatie en Ondernemen) partnered with Horeca Vlaanderen and Navefri on the Erkend Friturist certification. Also supported the Competentiegedreven Ondernemen project alongside UNIZO and PMO.
• GoodhabitzcoreTechnology or IntegrationGoodhabitz is an online learning platform offering 140+ training courses in 20 languages. Horeca Vlaanderen members receive free access to the platform (one account per business, valid for one year). Training covers soft skills such as assertiveness, time management, and customer orientation.
• Q8minorGTM or Marketing PartnerQ8 (Kuwait Petroleum) provides members with a fixed discount on official fuel prices at all 480+ Belgian Q8 stations, accessible via a free Q8 Liberty fuel card. Additional benefits include a lowest-price guarantee, 1 Smile per litre earned, and free online card management.
• EdenredminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEdenred provides electronic meal vouchers and ecocheques. Members benefit from reduced transaction fees (1.31% vs. standard 1.95%) and a 40% discount on the base ecocheque management fee. No monthly licence fees or installation costs apply.
• PluxeeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPluxee (formerly Sodexo) is a meal voucher provider. Horeca Vlaanderen members receive reduced transaction costs of 1.3555% (minimum €0.1232 per transaction) compared to the standard 1.50% rate.
• MonizzeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMonizze is a Belgian meal voucher provider. Members benefit from a 1% transaction fee (minimum €0.03, maximum €0.10) instead of the standard minimum of €0.045, with no monthly subscription or annual licence fees.
• UnisonominorGTM or Marketing PartnerUnisono handles author rights collection for Belgian businesses. Horeca Vlaanderen members receive 10% discount on annual author rights fees, with a maximum reimbursement of €58.93 per year, applied bi-monthly.
• HGC-HanosminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHGC-Hanos is a wholesale supplier for the hospitality sector. Members receive an annual €50 discount voucher valid on purchases of €300 or more, redeemable at HGC-Hanos stores in Wommelgem and Hasselt.
• Horeca VerzekeringenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerA group insurance programme negotiated by Horeca Vlaanderen for its members, offering preferential premiums for business insurance coverage. Managed through www.horecaverzekeringen.com.
• Federaal Agentschap voor Voedselveiligheid (FAVV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Belgian Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FAVV) validates the HACCP guide produced by Horeca Vlaanderen, and collaborates on food safety training sessions offered through the Horeca Academie.
• Federaal Agentschap voor Voedselveiligheid (FAVV)coreOthersFAVV validates the HACCP guide (food safety and autocontrol system) for the hospitality sector, developed by Horeca Vlaanderen. The agency also conducts inspections and certifies the Smiley voluntary food safety programme.
• Horeca FormacoreOthersHoreca Forma is the vocational training centre for hospitality employees (PC 302). It partners with Horeca Vlaanderen on delivering practical training sessions, including FAVV food safety workshops at Horeca Expo and in provincial locations.
• Horeca Forma VlaanderenminorOthersHoreca Forma Vlaanderen provides short, practical training courses for hospitality workers. Through Horeca Vlaanderen, employees of member businesses can access Goodhabitz online learning via Horeca Forma Vlaanderen's platform.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• UKHospitality: UK trade association representing hospitality businesses with advocacy, member services, and policy engagement. Comparable federation model serving a different geography (United Kingdom).
• National Restaurant Association (US): Largest US trade association for the restaurant industry, providing advocacy, training, and member benefits. Comparable sector-federation model for a different geography.
• UWE (Union Wallonne des Entreprises): Walloon employers' federation offering comparable advocacy and member services across industries. Functions as a regional Belgian peer in the broader SME/trade-association category.
• Koninklijk Horeca Nederland (KHN): Largest Dutch hospitality trade association, providing advocacy, legal support, training, and member benefits to Dutch horeca entrepreneurs. Highly comparable operating model to Horeca Vlaanderen but serves the Netherlands.

Direct peers

• UNIZO: Belgian federation of independent entrepreneurs and SMEs across multiple sectors, including horeca. Directly comparable as a Belgian SME trade association with overlapping advocacy and member benefit functions; co-partner on the Competentiegedreven Ondernemen project.
• Horeca Brussel: Regional counterpart federation representing horeca entrepreneurs in the Brussels-Capital Region. Directly comparable in mission, structure, and member services, and a co-signatory on the Gedragscode alongside Horeca Vlaanderen.
• Horeca Wallonië: Walloon regional federation for the hospitality industry. Closest functional equivalent of Horeca Vlaanderen in the French-speaking region of Belgium, also co-signatory on the Gedragscode.

Broad incumbents

• VOKA (Vlaams Netwerk van Ondernemingen): Large Flemish employers' federation serving all industries, including horeca. Comparable membership-federation model but covers a broader mandate than Horeca Vlaanderen's hospitality specialization.
• HOTREC (Hotels, Restaurants, Pubs & Cafés in Europe): European umbrella federation for the hospitality sector, of which Horeca Vlaanderen is an indirect stakeholder through Belgian representation. Provides EU-level advocacy and benchmarking comparable to a broader incumbent.

Emerging players

• Navefri (Nationale Unie van Frituristen): Belgian national union of fry-shop operators. Direct operational partner on the Erkend Friturist certification; comparable as a narrower sectoral federation with overlapping member base in Flemish horeca.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HorecaVL
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/horeca-vlaanderen-vzw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Horeca Vlaanderen