Afiro

What Afiro does

Afiro (Association pour la Formation Initiale, la Réadaptation et l'Occupation) is a Swiss non-profit association d'utilité publique, established in its current form in 1977 with roots in a 1964 rehabilitation centre, headquartered in Ecublens, Canton of Vaud. Its mission is the social and professional integration of adults in receipt of Swiss disability insurance (assurance-invalidité, AI) benefits, delivered through adapted employment, vocational training and professional rehabilitation. The organisation operates four sites across Vaud (Ecublens, Lausanne, Aubonne, Yverdon-les-Bains) running multi-sector production workshops that together serve roughly 250 supported persons, structured around three activity axes: Food (bakery/biscuit production under the On s'connait brand, catering, a public restaurant, two tea-rooms, food packaging), Industrial (CNC mechanics with Alphacam/SOLIDWORKS, metal construction with Amada laser cutting and LVD bending, carpentry/woodworking) and Services (digital printing up to 1.2m wide, logistics, administrative/data-entry, finishing/assembly, multimedia). Operations are certified to ISO 9001, FSSC 22000 and BIO Suisse, with regional Vaud Certifié d'ici, Fourchette Verte and Fait maison labels on consumer-facing output.

Revenue is generated through three streams: industrial and commercial production sold to enterprises and consumers (notably a 50-year wholesale flûtes au beurre partnership with Migros Vaud distributing ~10,000 barquettes weekly plus ~500,000 bakery products annually across Romandy, and long-standing CNC/printing/administrative subcontracting for Bobst); structural public funding from federal, cantonal and communal authorities for AI-mandated professional integration services; and membership fees (CHF 30 individual / CHF 100 collective) plus donations. The go-to-market blends enterprise field sales for subcontracting capacity, direct e-commerce for gourmet gift boxes, regional event presence (Comptoir d'Echallens, Habitat & Jardin), tea-room/restaurant footfall, and wholesale through Migros. Customer segments are hybrid: primary institutional/enterprise buyers subcontracting production, AI beneficiaries receiving adapted employment and training, and a secondary consumer segment purchasing directly from tea-rooms, restaurant and gift boxes. Strategic recent moves centre on the 2021 commissioning of the new Ecublens site, the embedded Migros Vaud logistics workshop, the Tea-Room L'Atelier opening, and the 2024 launch of the Atelier PULSE autism-focused integration program alongside 100% Vaud Certifié d'ici labelling.

Name

Afiro

Legal name

AFIRO (Association pour la Formation Initiale, la Réadaptation et l'Occupation)

Website

https://afiro.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Afiro is a Swiss non-profit association providing adapted employment, vocational training and professional integration services to disability insurance (AI) beneficiaries, operating multi-sector food, industrial and services workshops across four Vaud canton sites.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Rehabilitation and Adapted Employment Services

NAICS

Other Food Manufacturing (3119), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529), Household and Institutional Furniture Manufacturing (33712), Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (541850)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Retail-Eating Places (5812), Wholesale-Durable Goods, Nec (5099)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Catering & Refreshment Services (HSACADAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Commercial Interior Fit-Out (Offices & Corporate) (IMAFANAA)

Keywords

• Vocational rehabilitation services
• Adapted employment services
• Industrial subcontracting workshops
• Bakery and biscuit production
• Social enterprise training

Headquarters

HQ city

Aubonne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Industrial and commercial production: Revenue from industrial subcontracting (mechanics, metal construction, woodworking) and commercial food production (bakery, pastry, catering) sold to clients and through retail channels.
2. Public funding: Contributions from federal, cantonal, and communal government bodies for social integration and vocational training services provided to disability insurance beneficiaries.
3. Membership fees and donations: Revenue from association membership fees (CHF 30 individual, CHF 100 collective) and donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Afiro is a Swiss nonprofit association that operates multi-sector sheltered production workshops (food, industrial, and services) to deliver adapted employment and vocational training to adults receiving Swiss disability insurance (AI) benefits. Commercial production includes bakery and biscuit products under the "On s'connait" brand, CNC mechanical parts, metal construction, carpentry, digital printing, logistics, and administrative services sold to enterprise and institutional clients such as Migros Vaud and Bobst. Public retail access is offered through two tea-rooms, a restaurant, and an online gift-box shop.

Product overview

Afiro is a social enterprise and training organization operating as a multi-service workshop with three main sectors: Food (Alimentaire), Industrial (Industriel), and Services. The Food sector includes bakery and biscuit production under the 'On s'connait' brand, catering services, food packaging, a restaurant, and two tea-rooms. The Industrial sector encompasses metal construction, carpentry, and mechanical workshop services. The Services sector offers digital printing, advertising production, logistics, administrative support, and multiservice finishing work. Afiro also operates a professional training center (CRFA) offering AI-recognized formations and an autism integration program called Atelier PULSE. The company serves both social beneficiaries (people with disabilities receiving AI benefits) and commercial clients through its production workshops.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• On s'connait: Afiro's branded line of bakery and biscuit products including flûtes au beurre, bâtons croustillants vaudois, sablés, mini cakes, and caramel beurre salé. Produced at the Ecublens bakery workshop. Products are 100% certified Vaud Certifié d'ici.

Products and services

• On s'connait bakery and biscuit products Afiro's proprietary brand of baked goods including Bâtonnets croustillants vaudois, flûtes au beurre, sablés, mini cakes, and caramel beurre salé, produced at the Ecublens bakery workshop and 100% Vaud Certifié d'ici certified. Sold through Migros Vaud retail and Afiro's own tea-rooms.
• Catering service (Service traiteur) Catering offering cocktail receptions for 20 to 500+ people, with three formula options (La Tradition at CHF 14/person, L'Afiro Mix at CHF 20/person, La Gourmande at CHF 32/person) featuring local Vaud ingredients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 500,000 bakery products produced annually under certified quality standards
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Migros VaudcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 197650-year partnership (1976-2026) for production of Flûtes au beurre and other bakery products distributed through Migros stores across Romandy Switzerland. Migros Magazine featured Afiro in 2026 highlighting the collaboration and social integration mission.
• BobstcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership for industrial subcontracting including CNC machining, logo sticker production, and administrative services. Bobst entrusts Afiro with data entry for global order processing.
• Ville de VeveyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfiro designed and manufactured custom stainless steel waste sorting stations for the city, featuring clear signage and practical access design for municipal staff.
• Ville d'Yverdon-les-BainsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration between Aubonne metal construction and Yverdon woodworking sites to create urban furniture including beach seating and platform structures for lakefront redevelopment.
• TinguelyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCustom furniture project for Habitat & Jardin exhibition: recycling bin converted into a 2-place aluminum sofa with industrial design aesthetic, showcasing Afiro's fabrication capabilities.
• Haras du DevinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 'Le pied à l'étrier' program offering preformation participants exposure to equestrian activities and life skills development through horse interaction.
• Migros Vaud LogisticsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst integrated workshop at Migros Vaud logistics facility in Ecublens, with 4-5 apprentices supervised by socio-professional masters immersed in fruit and vegetable operations.
• Studioworks.designminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on interior and exterior design for Gare de Bière station, with Afiro workshops manufacturing furniture including cabinets, display cases, tables, and benches.
• NagaréminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal design firm collaboration for fabrication of various design elements and custom furniture pieces.
• e-smartminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with e-smart company for professional integration of young people through specialized programs.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves16 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Lebenshilfe Werkstätten: Germany's largest federation of sheltered workshops (Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen, WfBM) operating adapted employment across industrial, food, and services. Geographically outside Switzerland but operates the same social-enterprise sheltered workshop model that Afiro embodies.
• Les Papillons Blancs: Federation of French associations operating sheltered workshops (ESAT) and adapted-employment services for people with intellectual disabilities. Functionally comparable to Afiro's adapted-employment sheltered workshops, though operating under French medical-social funding rather than Swiss AI.

Broad incumbents

• Pro Infirmis: Swiss disability services organization (Pro Infirmis Schweiz) supporting people with disabilities, including contracts with sheltered workshops like Afiro. Comparable as a broader ecosystem participant aligned with Afiro's mission but operating a service/support mandate rather than a commercial-production sheltered workshop.
• Inclusion Handicap: Swiss umbrella association of disability organizations (formerly Agile.CH) advocating for disability policy and supporting affiliated sheltered workshops. Comparable as an ecosystem enabler for Afiro but operating at federation level rather than as a direct sheltered workshop.

Direct peers

• Brühlgut Stiftung: Swiss sheltered workshop foundation in Winterthur operating protected workshops across industrial, food, and services with a similar AI-funded adapted-employment mission. Comparable in structure, regional scope, and combination of social mission with commercial B2B subcontracting and food production.
• Stiftung Brändi: One of the largest Swiss sheltered workshop associations, headquartered in Kriens (Lucerne), providing adapted employment across industrial manufacturing, food, retail, and services to people with disabilities. Closely comparable to Afiro in multi-sector commercial sheltered-workshop model, Swiss certification stack, and reliance on AI funding.
• Stiftung ARWO: Central Swiss sheltered workshop foundation operating adapted-employment programs across industrial, food, and services sectors. Directly comparable to Afiro as a multi-sector Swiss sheltered workshop association serving AI beneficiaries with commercial production.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@afiro.association
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afiro

Compliance6 records

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 Afiro