Foodways

What Foodways does

Foodways Consulting GmbH is a Basel-headquartered sustainability consultancy founded in 2012 by Markus Hurschler, focused on reducing food waste and supporting sustainable transformation across the Swiss food industry. The firm serves three primary customer segments: gastronomy and food-service operators, food processing and manufacturing companies, and sector associations and public authorities (including the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment / BAFU and multiple cantonal governments). Its service portfolio centers on Food Save Management (FSM), a roughly one-year Plan-Do-Check-Act consulting methodology that delivers an average 35% food waste reduction and is recognized as a sustainability attestation under the Swisstainable Level II program. The firm also delivers potential analyses, transformation project design, stakeholder engagement, and neuromarketing-based menu engineering for hospitality clients.

The company's core product is Waste Tracker, a web and mobile food-waste measurement application (multilingual DE/FR/IT/EN) developed with technology partner Byrds & Bytes GmbH and awarded Swiss Made Software status. Waste Tracker is distributed as a self-serve SaaS subscription (CHF 49/month or CHF 449/year) after a 7-day free trial, providing a recurring-revenue complement to the project-based consulting business. Foodways also operates the management office of the United Against Waste (UAW) industry initiative, a Switzerland-wide network of nearly 200 member companies aligned with the SDG 12.3 target of halving food waste by 2030, and is an accredited expert under the Reffnet SME sustainability advisory program. Operations are conducted from Basel (headquarters) and Zurich, with a second office in the German-speaking region.

Commercially, Foodways combines sales-led enterprise consulting (quote-based projects, 30-day net terms), product-led SaaS acquisition via Waste Tracker, and community-led growth through UAW, supplemented by event-led engagement around its flagship annual Fokus Food Save conference. Revenue streams are professional services consulting, Waste Tracker subscription recurring revenue, and subsidized Reffnet advisory — with consulting as the dominant contributor. The customer base spans food retail (Lidl Schweiz, Transgourmet, Pistor), F&B manufacturing (Nestlé Suisse), healthcare catering (Luzerner Kantonsspital, Kantonsspital Graubünden), hospitality (Marché Restaurants Schweiz, B.H.M.S.), industry associations (Proviande, HotellerieSuisse, Bio Suisse), and public administration (Kanton Zürich AWEL, Kanton Basel-Stadt, BAFU).

Name

Foodways

Legal name

Foodways Consulting GmbH

Website

https://foodways.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Foodways is a Basel-based sustainability consultancy founded in 2012 that helps Swiss gastronomy operators, food processors, industry associations, and public authorities reduce food waste, achieve certification, and run food-system transformation projects via its Food Save Management methodology and Waste Tracker SaaS.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Consulting Services

NAICS

Food Service Contractors (72231)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Foodservice & Hospitality Waste Services (Non-hazardous, Back-of-house) (EUAIAGAE)

Keywords

• Food waste consulting
• Sustainability advisory
• Waste measurement software
• Circular economy services
• Food service analytics

Headquarters

HQ city

Basel

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sustainability Consulting & Project Management: Core revenue stream. Foodways delivers customized consulting engagements for food waste reduction, sustainability strategy, stakeholder engagement, and transformation projects. Pricing is quote-based per project, with 30-day net payment terms. Self-cost items for gastronomy Food Save projects due at contract signing.
2. Waste Tracker SaaS Subscription: Software-as-a-service subscription for the Waste Tracker food waste measurement tool. 7-day free trial available; paid subscription thereafter. Monthly and annual billing options. Contributes recurring subscription revenue.
3. Reffnet Advisory Services: Subsidized introductory sustainability consulting sessions via the Reffnet program, offering reduced-cost access to sustainability advisory for Swiss SMEs in the food sector.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Foodways provides sustainability consulting, workshops, and the Waste Tracker SaaS tool to reduce food waste and drive sustainable transformation in the Swiss food industry. Core deliverables include the Food Save Management (FSM) consulting methodology (~1 year Plan-Do-Check-Act engagement with certification), the Waste Tracker web/mobile measurement application, and management of the United Against Waste (UAW) industry network. Services target gastronomy businesses, food processing companies, sector associations, and public authorities.

Product overview

Foodways operates as a consulting firm specialized in ecological sustainability for the food industry, offering both consulting services and a SaaS product. Its primary software product is the Waste Tracker, a web/mobile application for measuring and recording food waste in catering and hospitality businesses. Complementary to the software, Foodways provides Food Save Management — a structured consulting methodology (Plan-Do-Check-Act) that achieves an average 35% food waste reduction over approximately one year with certification. The company also manages the United Against Waste (UAW) industry initiative (a Switzerland-wide network with nearly 200 members), delivers Reffnet-accredited sustainability consulting for processing companies, and offers transformational project services for public sector clients and sector associations. The Waste Tracker is available via subscription (CHF 49/month or CHF 449/year) after a 7-day free trial, and is developed by Byrds & Bytes GmbH as Swiss Made Software.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Waste Tracker: A food waste measurement and tracking tool for gastronomy and hotel businesses to measure, record and analyze food waste.
• Food Save Management (FSM)

Products and services

• Waste Tracker

Quantifiable outcome

• 35% average food waste reduction in catering establishments using Food Save Management methodology
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Against Waste (UAW)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Foodways manages the UAW office — the leading Swiss industry initiative against food waste, launched in 2013. Foodways is responsible for strategic objectives, network management, association administration, and project operations. UAW has nearly 200 members and aligns with SDG 12.3 and the Federal Council's national action plan to halve food waste by 2030.
• Byrds & Bytes GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationByrds & Bytes, founded by Johnny Gerber, developed and maintains the Waste Tracker web application. Johnny Gerber serves as software architect with over 15 years of experience. The partnership is described as a close co-development relationship producing a mission-critical product for the food waste measurement workflow.
• ReffnetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFoodways is a Reffnet-accredited expert. The Reffnet program enables subsidized introductory sustainability consulting for Swiss SMEs, providing Foodways with a channel to reach smaller food businesses that might not engage at standard consulting rates.
• LeanpathminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeanpath is a US-based food waste measurement technology company. CEO Andrew Shakman provides a testimonial for Foodways, describing it as a well-established sustainability consultancy with deep expertise. Leanpath represents a strategic peer in the food waste technology space.
• MyClimateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimate protection organization and partner in Foodways' sustainability ecosystem. MyClimate offers carbon offsetting and climate consulting services, complementing Foodways' food waste focus.
• gsünder baselminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBasel-based health and sustainability network. Partner in Foodways' local sustainability ecosystem in the Basel region.
• Molkerei Fuchs AGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPractice partner in the Transparency in the Supply Chain research project exploring blockchain technology applications in the dairy industry. Project conducted with the University of Zurich and Dezentrum.
• DezentrumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss think tank collaborating on the Transparency in the Supply Chain project researching blockchain applications for food supply chain traceability, alongside the University of Zurich.
• Universität Zürich (UZH)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner in the Transparency in the Supply Chain project examining blockchain potential for the dairy industry supply chain.
• Bundesamt für Landwirtschaft (BLW)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Federal Office for Agriculture partnered on The Consumer Brand project exploring co-creation models between consumers and producers.
• ZHAWminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZurich University of Applied Sciences — academic partner and network contact for Foodways' sustainability initiatives.
• ETH ZürichminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich — part of Foodways' academic and innovation network.
• FiBL (Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch Institute of Organic Agriculture — partner in Foodways' sustainability and food system network.
• Stiftung MercatorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss foundation supporting sustainability and educational initiatives. Partner in Foodways' broader sustainability network.
• Climate-KICminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU Climate Knowledge and Innovation Community. Markus Hurschler is a member, connecting Foodways to European climate innovation networks.
• Food Packaging ForumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss foundation focused on food packaging science and sustainability. Part of Foodways' sustainability ecosystem.
• Swiss Food ResearchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSwiss Food Research network — Foodways holds membership and participates in food research initiatives.
• öbuminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSwiss sustainability business network. Foodways holds membership as part of its professional network.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• GAIA Hotel Basel: Swiss sustainable hospitality operator where Foodways' Philip Moser previously implemented Food Save Management. Demonstrable reference customer in hospitality; comparable as a peer deployment rather than a direct competitor.
• Reffnet: Swiss subsidized sustainability consulting program for SMEs in resource-intensive sectors. Foodways is a Reffnet-accredited expert; Reffnet acts as a GTM partner and distribution channel rather than a competitor. Comparable as part of the Swiss sustainability advisory ecosystem.
• MyClimate: Swiss climate-protection foundation offering carbon offsetting and sustainability consulting. Ecosystem partner rather than competitor; addresses adjacent scope (carbon/climate) versus Foodways' food waste focus, but co-sells into Swiss sustainability programs.

Emerging players

• Eaternity: Swiss climate scoring and menu engineering platform for restaurants to measure and reduce carbon footprints of dishes. Partial overlap on menu analytics and neuromarketing-style intervention; addresses environmental footprint adjacent to Foodways' food waste focus, with comparable DACH restaurant customer base.
• Olio: UK-based food sharing and surplus redistribution network. Adjacent food-waste player focused on consumer and retail redistribution rather than operational measurement; competes for mind share and partner attention in the same food-waste reduction narrative.

Broad incumbents

• Too Good To Go: Marketplace app for surplus food from restaurants, hotels, and food retailers. Broad incumbent in food waste with consumer reach rather than kitchen measurement; operates a different model (resale marketplace) but addresses the same food-waste problem space and overlaps in Foodways' hospitality and retail customer base.

Direct peers

• Leanpath: US-based food waste measurement technology company. Direct competitor in kitchen-level food waste tracking and analytics; Leanpath's CEO publicly endorses Foodways as a partner (technology peer). Both sell measurement + behavior-change to commercial kitchens, though Leanpath leans hardware-led while Foodways bundles with consulting.
• Winnow Solutions: UK-based AI food waste measurement platform serving hospitality and catering globally. Direct peer on the SaaS measurement side; both provide daily kitchen waste recording, visual reporting, and reduction analytics to reduce costs and environmental impact for foodservice operators.
• Kitro: Swiss-founded food waste measurement company using scales and camera-based recognition. Direct peer in the food waste measurement SaaS segment with overlapping hospitality and contract-catering use cases, headquartered in Switzerland with DACH distribution.

Regional players

• ZFV-Unternehmungen: Swiss cooperative catering company operating restaurants and canteens across Switzerland and providing sustainability consulting collaborations. Documented Foodways customer/partner; a large regional contract caterer (not a software vendor) and useful comparably because both food waste reduction inside commercial kitchens.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foodways

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Foodways