Kaufmännischer Verband Zürich

Name

Kaufmännischer Verband Zürich

Legal name

Kaufmännischer Verband Zürich

Website

https://kfmv-zuerich.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1861

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Primary revenue stream from tiered annual membership fees. Categories include individual apprenticeship years (CHF 30–70/year depending on year), club membership (CHF 100/year), youth membership (CHF 175/year), and active membership (CHF 215/year). Additional specialty group memberships such as Fachgruppe wbp (CHF 250/year with 60% regional discount).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Kaufmännischer Verband Zürich is a non-profit professional association founded in 1861 that represents approximately 10,000 commercial and retail employees in the Greater Zurich area. It sells tiered annual memberships (Club for apprentices at CHF 100, Youth at CHF 175, Active at CHF 215) granting members free legal advice, salary consultation, career coaching, youth counseling, discounts at partner companies, and access to events. The association also negotiates collective labor agreements (GAV), operates affiliated commercial schools and business schools, and advocates for fair working conditions in commercial and retail sectors.

Product overview

Kaufmännischer Verband Zürich operates as a professional association and trade union for commercial and retail employees in the Zurich region. The organization offers a unified membership-based service portfolio centered on consultation services (legal advice, salary consultation, and career coaching), professional development (events, seminars, publications, and educational discounts), and political advocacy (collective bargaining agreements and labor policy engagement). The core membership tiers (Club for apprentices at CHF 100/year, Youth for under-25s at CHF 175/year, and Active for over-25s at CHF 215/year) provide access to free consultations, a quarterly magazine, member discounts with partner organizations, and networking communities including language groups, sports clubs, and professional interest groups. The association also publishes annual salary recommendations, provides study loans for continuing education, and advocates for working conditions through collective labor agreements. A significant initiative includes the Work-ID AG, a digital skills verification system launched in partnership with other associations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wir Kaufleute: The membership magazine of the association published regularly with themes related to work, career, and labor law
• Aktiv Jugend
• Clubmitgliedschaft
• Fachgruppe wbp
• FrauenNetz Zürich
• Orchester des Kaufmännischen Verbands Zürich (OKVZ)
• Turn- und Sportverein Kaufleute Zürich (TKZ)
• Cercle Français and English Club
• Smart Monday / Digital Smart Monday
• JobLex

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 17,000 low-wage workers in Zurich receive a pay increase due to the association's supported minimum wage of CHF 23.90/hour
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Work-ID AGminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 September 2025Digital work identity solution for the Swiss labor market. Founded with CHF 4 million in funding. The association supports the development of the digital ID system for Swiss workers, announced as a media partnership in September 2025.
• KV Business School Zürich AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe association is the owner of KV Business School Zürich AG, one of Switzerland's largest continuing education institutes in business administration, serving over 6,000 students annually with approximately 420 courses, modules, and programs. The school occupies floors in the Bildungszentrum Sihlpost near Zurich's main train station. Members receive 10% discount on selected programs.
• Controller Akademie AGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe association holds a majority stake in Controller Akademie AG, founded in 2000 together with VEB (the Swiss Association for Controlling, Accounting, and Finance). The academy offers high-level accounting and controlling certification programs and is administered by CEO Monika Lehmann with Andrea Kuhn-Senn as Chair of the Board.
• Wirtschaftsschule KV ZürichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe association is the founding and supporting organization (Träger) of Wirtschaftsschule KV Zürich, Switzerland's largest commercial vocational school with approximately 3,800–4,200 students. In 2024, the school was transitioned to the association 'Wirtschaftsschule KV Zürich' co-founded by the association and the Swiss Commercial Association. The association owns the school building at Limmatstrasse 310.
• Boa LinguaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLanguage travel provider offering language immersion programs in over 30 countries with 300+ partner schools. Members receive 10% discount on the entire range of language travel offerings. Boa Lingua and the association co-run promotional contests, including a CHF 2,000 voucher giveaway on Instagram.
• Orell FüssliminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSwitzerland's largest bookstore chain with over 30 locations in German-speaking Switzerland. Members receive 10% discount in all stores and online (with prior email registration). Excludes magazines, hardware, vouchers, gift cards, and already-reduced items.
• RekaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReka-Card program offers members 10% discount on the first CHF 500 and 5% on the second CHF 500 of Reka credit. Annual account fee is CHF 8 instead of CHF 15. Reka-Card is redeemable at over 6,000 acceptance points across Switzerland including railways, gas stations, and Reka holiday accommodations.
• Concordia Health InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSwiss health insurance provider offering comprehensive health and accident coverage. Members benefit from alternative insurance models (myDoc and HMO) for premium savings, free additional insurance for third and subsequent children, and 88% premium discount on basic insurance. Collective discount code: 'KN000232'. Zurich agency at Beatengasse 9.
• Landolt Weine AGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndependent family-owned winery founded in 1834, now in its sixth generation under Marc Landolt. Members receive 10% discount on retail prices (not combinable with other promotions). Orders via email or webshop. Three vineyards in the city of Zurich; over 500 wines from producers worldwide.
• Select FotostudiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerLeading business and application photography studio in the Zurich area. Members receive a 'Business Shooting' package for CHF 75 instead of CHF 89, including 30-minute session, selection from 20 photos out of ~150, professional retouching, and clothing change. Book via dedicated link.
• SWICA Health InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOne of Switzerland's largest health and accident insurers, recognized for quality strategy. National member benefit offered across all kfmv sections in Switzerland.
• KPT Health InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmong Switzerland's ten largest health insurers, offering personalized customer service and innovation. National member benefit offered across all kfmv sections.
• Zurich VersicherungminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOne of Switzerland's largest insurance companies with strong roots in Switzerland, emphasizing precision, reliability, and security. National member benefit.
• CAP RechtsschutzversicherungminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLeading legal protection insurance provider headquartered in Wallisellen, with a comprehensive network of attorneys in Switzerland and internationally and regional legal offices in Bern, Basel, Geneva, Etoy, Lugano, Wallisellen, St. Gallen, and Luzern. This is the insurer for the association's member legal protection coverage (up to CHF 600,000).
• JobLex (initiative of kfmv Zürich)minorOthersAn initiative of the Kaufmännische Verband Zürich offering career, salary, and legal advice services for non-members at market rates. Serves as a pathway to membership conversion.
• HWZ Hochschule für Wirtschaft ZürichminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversity of Applied Sciences for Business (Fachhochschule). Members receive various discounts on programs offered by HWZ.
• Schweizerisches Institut für Betriebsökonomie (SIB)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSwiss institute for business economics offering various programs. Members receive discounts on SIB programs.
• Swiss Accounting (Vereinsverband für Rechnungslegung, Controlling und Rechnungswesen)minorOthersSwiss professional association for accounting, controlling, and finance professionals with over 9,000 members. Located at Haus zur Kaufleuten. Co-founded Controller Akademie AG with kfmv Zürich.
• Allianz gegen die Sparpläne in der WeiterbildungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition opposing budget cuts to continuing education, of which kfmv Zürich is a member. Represents a broad alliance of organizations advocating for maintaining public funding for vocational education.
• Vereinigte Personalverbände des Kantons Zürich (VPV)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmbrella organization of 16 professional associations representing approximately 18,000 of 38,000 cantonal employees. Kfmv Zürich is a member and active in the board. Cooperates on political representation for public sector employees and coordinates support for cantonal and government council elections.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights1 record

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1mZrTnfxJazsySyjsDQxOg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kfmvzh
• Instagraminstagram.com/wirkaufleute
• TikToktiktok.com/@wirkaufleute

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Kaufmännischer Verband Zürich