Kompetenzzentrum für Ernährung (KErn)

What Kompetenzzentrum für Ernährung (KErn) does

Kompetenzzentrum für Ernährung (KErn) is a Bavarian state government competence center for nutrition, established in 2016 as a department of the Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft (LfL) under the Bavarian State Ministry for Ernährung, Landwirtschaft, Forsten und Tourismus (StMELF). Headquartered in Kulmbach with a secondary office in Freising, KErn employs approximately 50 interdisciplinary staff across nutrition science, pedagogy, sociology, food technology, sports science, communication, and marketing. Its mandate spans four program areas: nutrition education and community catering (Ernährungsbildung & Gemeinschaftsverpflegung), food industry and enjoyment (Ernährungswirtschaft & Genuss), nutrition knowledge and innovation (Ernährungswissen & Innovation), and publications (Materialien).

KErn's portfolio combines educational tools, advisory services, informational resources, and applied research. Core offerings include the Bayerischer Saisonkalender (seasonal planning tool for community catering kitchens), the monthly Bayerisches Ernährungsjournal newsletter, the Ernährungsradar evidence-based nutrition myth-busting platform, the Blaues Brot audio documentary podcast, the Coaching Gemeinschaftsverpflegung advisory service, the Einkaufsanalyse purchasing analysis tool, and educational programs such as 'Wir sind Lebensmittelfreunde' and the 'Escape Game: Mission Zero Waste'. Active research projects include EvaPlaM (2025-2027), a three-year evaluation of plant-based drinks versus cow's milk in collaboration with TUM, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, INL, and LfL-Institut für Agrarökonomie, and SGV Bayern, a structural analysis of community catering across Bavaria.

KErn is wholly state-owned and publicly funded through Bavarian state budgets. It provides services free of charge, has no commercial product sales, no private customers, no equity investors, and no subsidiaries. Go-to-market relies on extension through 32 regional Ämter für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten (ÄELF) offices, annual events such as the Bayerischer Schulverpflegungskongress, partnerships with Vernetzungsstelle Kita- und Schulverpflegung, Cluster Ernährung Bayern, Genussakademie Bayern, and the Adalbert-Raps-Stiftung, plus digital channels including LinkedIn, YouTube, and podcast distribution. Customer segments are public-sector institutions: community catering facilities (primary), schools and kindergartens, family support organizations, and Bavarian food producers. Operating geography is exclusively Bavaria.

Name

Kompetenzzentrum für Ernährung (KErn)

Legal name

Kompetenzzentrum für Ernährung (KErn), Bayern

Website

https://kern.bayern.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kompetenzzentrum für Ernährung (KErn) is a Bavarian state government competence center providing evidence-based nutrition research, education, and advisory services to community catering facilities, schools, families, and food producers across Bavaria through an interdisciplinary team of ~50 staff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public nutrition services

akta.pro primary industry

Menu Planning, Nutrition & Dietary Accommodation Services (Allergens, Special Diets) (EDAEAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Institutional Catering (Schools, Hospitals, Government) (THAFAIAE), Pediatric & Family Nutrition (HSADAFAL), Food Allergy/Intolerance & Specialized Diets (Gluten-Free, Low-FODMAP, etc.) (HSADAFAI)

Keywords

• Nutrition education
• Community catering
• Food systems research
• Public nutrition services
• Sustainable food sourcing

Headquarters

HQ city

Kulmbach

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As an institute of the Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft (LfL) under the Bavarian State Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Tourism (StMELF), KErn is funded through government budgets.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KErn is a Bavarian state knowledge-transfer center that conducts nutrition science research, provides advisory and coaching services to community catering facilities (schools, daycare, company cafeterias, senior facilities), and produces educational programs and informational resources (seasonal calendar, newsletter, myth-busting platform, podcast) to promote healthy, regional, and sustainable nutrition across Bavaria.

Product overview

Kompetenzzentrum für Ernährung (KErn) operates as a central knowledge transfer institution under the Bavarian State Ministry for Nutrition, Agriculture, Forestry and Tourism. Rather than offering a unified software product, KErn provides a portfolio of educational tools, advisory services, and informational resources including the Bayerischer Saisonkalender for seasonal planning, the Bayerisches Ernährungsjournal newsletter, the Ernährungsradar myth-busting platform, the Coaching Gemeinschaftsverpflegung advisory service, the Einkaufsanalyse purchasing analysis tool, and educational programs such as 'Wir sind Lebensmittelfreunde' and 'Escape Game: Mission Zero Waste'. These offerings support healthy, sustainable nutrition across Bavaria's educational and catering sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bayerisches Ernährungsjournal: KErn's monthly newsletter providing updates on projects, publications, and events.
• Ernährungsradar
• Restlos engagiert – Gemeinsam gegen Lebensmittelverschwendung
• Bayerischer Saisonkalender

Products and services

• Bayerischer Saisonkalender (Bavarian Seasonal Calendar) A seasonal calendar tool showing which fruits and vegetables are available from Bavarian sources at what times of year, designed to help community catering kitchens plan menus according to seasonal regional availability.
• Coaching Gemeinschaftsverpflegung (Community Catering Coaching) Advisory coaching service that supports community catering facilities in Bavaria to optimize their food offerings, making them healthier, more sustainable, and economically viable.
• Einkaufsanalyse (Procurement Analysis) Analysis service that evaluates the proportion of regional and ecological products in catering procurement, providing insights into current sourcing structures.
• Ernährungsbildungsprojekt Wir sind Lebensmittelfreunde (We are Food Friends) Educational program promoting food appreciation and sustainable nutrition habits in educational and catering contexts for children and youth.
• Escape Game: Mission Zero Waste Interactive educational escape game for children and youth designed to raise awareness about food waste reduction.
• Ernährungsradar (Nutrition Radar) Online platform providing evidence-based analysis of nutrition myths and facts by reviewing scientific research on food and health claims.
• Bayerisches Ernährungsjournal (KErn Newsletter) Monthly newsletter providing updates on KErn projects, publications, events, and nutrition-related news for Bavaria.
• Podcast Blaues Brot (Blue Bread Podcast) Audio documentary podcast series exploring the food system in Germany, including its challenges and solutions.
• EvaPlaM Research Project (Evaluierung von Pflanzendrinks und Milch) A three-year applied research project comparing health and environmental impacts of plant-based drinks versus cow's milk, using innovative evidence syntheses including pairwise, dose-response meta-analyses, and network meta-analyses.

Quantifiable outcome

• Three-year EvaPlaM project evaluating health and environmental impacts of plant-based drinks vs cow milk (2025-2027)

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Technische Universität München (TUM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaboration in the EvaPlaM project to evaluate health and environmental impacts of plant-based drinks compared to cow milk, leveraging TUM's expertise in nutrition science and consumer research.
• Universitätsklinikum Freiburg (IfEM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner in the EvaPlaM project contributing evidence-based medical expertise for evaluating health effects of plant-based drinks versus cow milk.
• Institut für nachhaltige Land- und Ernährungswirtschaft e.V. (INL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaborating institution in the EvaPlaM project providing expertise in sustainable agriculture and food economics for comprehensive evaluation.
• LfL-Institut für AgrarökonomiecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Institute within the Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft contributing agricultural economics analysis to the EvaPlaM project environmental assessment.
• Cluster Ernährung BayerncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBavarian food industry cluster that KErn collaborates with to strengthen the regional food economy and promote Bavarian food products.
• Vernetzungsstelle Kita- und SchulverpflegungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetworking center for daycare and school catering that KErn works with to improve nutrition in educational institutions.
• Genussakademie BayernminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBavarian culinary academy that KErn partners with to promote culinary heritage and food enjoyment.
• Ämter für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten (ÄELF)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor32 regional offices across Bavaria that help distribute KErn's educational programs and provide on-the-ground support to community catering facilities.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xyoutube.com/channel/UCcv-wyjsGVhRsOYEPRwrDZw
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCcv-wyjsGVhRsOYEPRwrDZw
• Facebookfacebook.com/Land.Schafft.Bayern
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kern-bayern
• Instagraminstagram.com/Land.Schafft.Bayern

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Kompetenzzentrum für Ernährung (KErn)