Circunis

What Circunis does

Circunis operates a Swiss B2B online marketplace (circunis.ch) that connects businesses holding surplus food with businesses able to use it, enabling direct bilateral negotiations between sellers and buyers. The platform is built around three integrated modules — a Selling Module for producers, manufacturers, and retailers to publish surplus listings with images, pricing, and logistics details; a Buying Module for gastronomy, catering, hospitality, and wholesale buyers to search and filter by category, storage condition, and manufacturing stage; and a Food Donation Module routing surplus to tax-exempt charitable organizations. A separate Nebenströme (by-products) prototype extends coverage to secondary streams such as whey, potato peelings, and apple pomace from food production, supporting Switzerland's food-upcycling ecosystem.

The platform is operated by Verein Mehr als zwei, a nonprofit association founded in Zürich in 2019, and Circunis itself began commercial operations in January 2024. Revenue comes from annual B2B subscriptions tiered by company turnover (CHF 250 for up to CHF 0.5M, CHF 500 for CHF 0.5–5M, CHF 1,000 for CHF 5–15M, CHF 2,000 for CHF 15–25M, custom above that), with reduced fees for charitable organizations, a 20% discount for three-year commitments, and a separate CHF 200/CHF 160 matching fee in the Nebenströme prototype. There are no transaction fees on the core marketplace — deals close directly between counterparties. Distribution combines self-serve registration, inside sales via customer account managers, association referrals, and industry events; the geographic footprint expanded from German-speaking Switzerland to nationwide (including Romandie) in March 2026.

Funding is grant-based rather than equity-based, anchored by the Migros Pioneer Fund and Seedling Foundation as core backers, with additional support from Innosuisse in collaboration with FHNW. By the end of the first operational year the platform reported 84 regular business users and 42 tonnes of surplus food commercialized; the company's own website cites 80+ companies benefiting nationwide. The core team is six people, led by co-directors Olivia Menzi and Aline von Jüchen, supported by an advisory committee and a wide network of food-industry association memberships.

Name

Circunis

Legal name

Verein Mehr als zwei

Website

https://circunis.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Circunis is a Swiss B2B online marketplace (operated by nonprofit Verein Mehr als zwei) that lets businesses list and purchase surplus food and by-products directly, using annual subscriptions tiered by company revenue across manufacturers, gastronomy, wholesale, upcyclers, and charities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

B2B Food Surplus Marketplace

NAICS

General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers (42441)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

DTC Perishable Subscription Delivery (Meat/Seafood/Produce/Dairy) (AFAIAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bulk Food Buying Clubs & Cooperative Bulk Programs (CRAHAMAM), Peer-to-Peer (C2C) Resale Marketplaces (CRAFAGAM)

Keywords

• B2B food surplus marketplace
• Surplus food trading
• Food waste reduction
• Circular economy food
• Food by-product matching

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Annual Marketplace Subscription: Companies pay an annual subscription fee for access to the B2B marketplace. The fee is tiered based on the company's annual revenue/turnover. Sellers and buyers both need subscriptions to access the platform. Charitable organizations pay reduced fees. No transaction fees are charged — all negotiations and deals happen directly between buyer and seller.
2. By-product Matching Service (Prototype Nebenströme): For the secondary by-product (Nebenströme) matching service, Circunis charges a matching fee of CHF 200 per successful connection for non-platform participants, with a 20% discount (CHF 160) for existing B2B marketplace subscribers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Circunis operates a Swiss B2B online marketplace (circunis.ch) that enables food producers, manufacturers, and retailers to list surplus food inventory and connects them with buyers in gastronomy, catering, hospitality, and wholesale who search and filter listings by category, storage condition, and manufacturing stage. Both sellers and buyers pay an annual subscription fee (tiered by company revenue) and negotiate deals directly without Circunis intermediating transactions or charging transaction fees. The platform also supports charitable food donations by tax-exempt organizations and operates a prototype Nebenströme service for trading food production by-products.

Product overview

Circunis operates a unified B2B marketplace platform (circunis.ch) that connects surplus food sellers with buyers, functioning as the core product. The platform comprises three integrated modules: the Selling Module (for producers to list surplus), the Buying Module (for gastronomy and trade to purchase), and the Food Donation Module (for charitable organizations to receive donations). Additionally, a Secondary Streams (Nebenströme) prototype supports trading of food production by-products, while Food-Upcycling Support services help businesses create and market products made from surplus ingredients. Pricing is structured by annual subscription based on company revenue, with the platform enabling direct bilateral negotiations between parties without Circunis intermediating transactions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• B2B Marketplace (circunis.ch) Swiss B2B online marketplace connecting businesses with surplus food to buyers seeking to purchase or utilize these surplus goods, facilitating direct bilateral negotiations between parties without Circunis intermediating transactions.
• Nebenströme (Secondary Streams) By-Product Matching Prototype Prototype service enabling visibility and trading of food production by-products (e.g., whey, potato peels, apple pomace) that have no or insufficient demand as food but can serve as bases for other products.
• Food-Upcycling Support

Quantifiable outcome

• 42 tonnes of surplus food commercialized in first year of operation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FHNW (Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 February 2024FHNW is collaborating with Circunis on a research and optimization project funded by Innosuisse. FHNW researchers support Circunis in improving the marketplace's effectiveness and usability. Aline von Jüchen, Circunis's co-CEO, previously worked at FHNW leading projects in food and by-product valorization.
• Ernährungsforum ZürichminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerErnährungsforum Zürich is a network and platform focused on sustainable nutrition topics in the Zürich region. Circunis participates as a member, contributing to and benefiting from the network's expertise in food system sustainability.
• FoodwardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoodward is a Swiss food innovation ecosystem that connects startups, companies, and research institutions in the food sector. Circunis participates as a member, leveraging the network for collaboration and innovation opportunities.
• Foodwaste.chminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoodwaste.ch is a Swiss platform dedicated to reducing food waste. Circunis is listed as a member/partner, aligning its marketplace offering with the broader food waste reduction ecosystem in Switzerland.
• SwisscofelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwisscofel is the Swiss fruit and vegetable association. Circunis is an active member, contributing to the association's sustainability initiatives and leveraging it as a channel for reaching produce sector companies.
• SvialminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss association for innovation in food and hospitality (Svial) connects Circunis with the hospitality and food service sector. Circunis is recognized by Svial as a valuable project against food waste.
• United Against Waste (UAW)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Against Waste is a Swiss initiative focused on reducing food waste in the hospitality and food service sector. Circunis is a member, connecting the marketplace with UAW's waste reduction programs.
• Gastro FuturaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGastro Futura is a Swiss platform focused on the future of gastronomy and foodservice. Advisory committee member Andi Handke is associated with Gastro Futura, providing indirect connection to the Circunis ecosystem.
• Innovation ZurichminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation Zurich highlights Circunis as an innovative company in the Zürich region, providing media coverage and visibility within the local innovation ecosystem.
• Öbu (Ökologische Betriebsunion)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerÖbu is the Swiss association for businesses committed to sustainable development. Circunis is listed as a member, aligning with Öbu's sustainability goals.
• Swiss Food ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Food Research is a Swiss research network focused on food system innovation. Circunis is a member, connecting with academic and research expertise in food system sustainability.
• Swiss Food & Nutrition ValleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Food & Nutrition Valley is an ecosystem initiative connecting Swiss food and nutrition innovators. Circunis participates as a member, leveraging the network for collaboration and visibility.
• Verein Mehr als zwei (Association 'More than Two')coreOthersCircunis is a project of the association 'Verein Mehr als zwei' based in Zürich. The association, active since 2019, develops ideas and projects around sensible food handling and preventing food losses. The association holds all rights to the Circunis platform and is the contracting entity for all user agreements. The association's president/co-director is Olivia Menzi.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Karma: Surplus food marketplace connecting restaurants and retailers with consumers via a mobile app; comparable to Circunis in its marketplace-led approach to food waste reduction, though Karma is primarily B2C and Circunis is B2B.
• Phenix: French-headquartered B2B and B2C surplus food platform operating across Europe; the closest functional peer to Circunis given its direct B2B food surplus matching model, French-speaking market overlap, and circular-economy positioning.
• Too Good To Go: Europe's largest B2C surplus food marketplace; while Circunis is B2B and Too Good To Go is B2C, both operate marketplace platforms to commercialize surplus food from producers and retailers to downstream buyers (consumers vs. businesses).

Regional players

• Foodforfuture (United Against Waste Switzerland): Swiss industry initiative for hospitality and food service food waste reduction; Circunis is a member of United Against Waste, and the two operate in the same Swiss foodservice surplus ecosystem with potentially overlapping customer acquisition channels.

Emerging players

• Mimica: B2B freshness indicator and food waste reduction technology; serves a similar food manufacturing and processing customer base as Circunis (e.g., Hilcona-type accounts) with traceability tech, but addresses waste prevention upstream of the marketplace.

Broad incumbents

• FoodCloud: Ireland-based nonprofit food surplus redistribution platform linking retailers to charities; comparable to Circunis's charitable donation module and overall mission, but focuses on donation logistics rather than commercial B2B trading.
• Winnow Solutions: UK-based commercial kitchen food waste measurement and analytics platform; addresses the same upstream food waste problem as Circunis but with hardware/software tooling inside kitchens rather than a marketplace connecting surplus to buyers.
• Leanpath: US-headquartered food waste prevention platform for foodservice operations; competes for the same upstream food waste reduction budget as Circunis, particularly with Circunis's gastronomy and catering buyer segment, but via tracking tech rather than a marketplace.
• Olio: UK-based food sharing app connecting neighbors and businesses to redistribute surplus; operates in the same food surplus / circular economy space as Circunis, though primarily C2C and focused on household-level sharing.

Others

• Swiss Food Research: Swiss food innovation research network where Circunis holds membership; comparable as a Swiss food sustainability ecosystem player, though it is a research/coordination body rather than a commercial platform competing with Circunis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/circunis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Circunis