Gerber

What Gerber does

Gerber is a Swiss fondue and cheese brand founded in 1836 in Thun, Switzerland, and currently operated as a brand division of Emmi Schweiz AG, the publicly listed Swiss dairy major (ticker: EMMN on SIX Swiss Exchange). Emmi acquired Gerber in 2004 through the merger of cheese producers Tiger and Zingg into Emmi Fondue AG, making Gerber the number 1 player on the Swiss cheese market. The product portfolio centers on ready-to-use fondue cheese mixes (including L'Original, Moitié-Moitié, and Le Gruyère AOP varieties), fresh fondue in pouches, single-portion fondue pots, processed cheese slices (Burger, Emmentaler AOP, Le Gruyère AOP, Toast), and spreadable cheese.

The company's core technology is a UHT (Ultra-High Temperature) processing method descended from Walter Gerber's 1913 invention of the world's first processed cheese, which enables fondue products to be shelf-stable for several months at room temperature without preservatives. All manufacturing is conducted at the Langnau im Emmental facility in the canton of Bern, with headquarters at Emmi Schweiz AG in Luzern. Products are formulated with 100% Swiss cheese, AOP-protected varieties where applicable, and natural ingredients (melting salts were removed in 2018).

Gerber's business model is B2C retail distribution through Swiss supermarket chains (Coop, Manor, Spar, Volg), convenience-store formats (Coop Pronto, Migrolino, Spar Express), and retailer-operated e-commerce platforms (coop.ch, Migros Online, brack.ch). Exports extend to the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Revenue is generated through wholesale/retermark pricing set by retail partners rather than direct consumer pricing. The primary customer segments are Swiss households and convenience-oriented consumers seeking ready-to-use, natural-ingredient fondue for spontaneous and social dining occasions. Brand identity is reinforced through content marketing (recipe website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube) and recurring campaigns such as 'Fondue-Glüschtli'.

Name

Gerber

Legal name

Emmi Schweiz AG

Website

https://gerberfondue.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1836

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gerber is a Swiss fondue and cheese brand founded in 1836, operated as a brand division of Emmi Schweiz AG. It produces ready-to-use fondue mixes, fresh fondue, cheese slices, and spreadable cheeses using UHT processing, distributed across Swiss retailers and exported to USA, Canada, and the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lucerne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Food Products Sales: Gerber generates revenue through the sale of fondue products, fresh fondue, cheese slices, and spreadable cheeses through Swiss retail channels including supermarkets, convenience stores, and online grocery platforms.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gerber manufactures and sells ready-to-use Swiss fondue cheese mixes, fresh fondue in pouches, single-portion fondue pots, processed cheese slices, and spreadable cheese. Products are made with 100% Swiss cheese and natural ingredients without preservatives, leveraging proprietary UHT processing technology for long shelf life at room temperature. The portfolio targets Swiss households and convenience-oriented consumers seeking authentic, foolproof fondue and cheese products for home consumption.

Product overview

Gerber is a Swiss fondue and cheese company founded in 1836, now part of Emmi Group. The product portfolio centers on ready-to-use fondue cheese mixes (Fondue products in round boxes, Frisch Fondue pouches, and Fondue-Töpflein single-portion pots), complemented by processed cheese slices (Scheiben) and spreadable cheese (Streichkäse). All products feature 100% Swiss cheese and natural ingredients with no preservatives. The main fondue varieties are L'Original (classic blend with Emmentaler AOP and Le Gruyère AOP), Moitié-Moitié (50/50 Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP and Le Gruyère AOP), and Le Gruyère AOP (spicier variant). Products are produced in Langnau im Emmental, Switzerland, and distributed through major Swiss retailers including Coop, Migros, Manor, Spar, and Volg.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gerber Fondue: Ready-to-use fondue mixes including L'Original, Moitié-Moitié, and Le Gruyère AOP varieties
• Gerber Frisch Fondue
• Gerber Scheiben
• Gerber Streichkäse

Products and services

• Gerber Fondue (Fondue Mixes) Ready-to-use fondue cheese mixes in various varieties including L'Original (classic Emmentaler AOP and Le Gruyère AOP blend), Moitié-Moitié (50/50 Vacherin Fribourgeois AOP and Le Gruyère AOP), and Le Gruyère AOP (spicier variant). Made with 100% Swiss cheese and natural ingredients for home fondue preparation.
• Gerber Frisch Fondue (Fresh Fondue) Fresh, ready-to-use fondue in pouch/Beutel format for particularly enjoyable fondue moments. The Moitié-Moitié variety contains 60% Swiss cheese and white wine in a 600g pouch format.
• Gerber Fondue-Töpflein (Fondue Pots) Convenient single-portion fondue pots (200g) suitable for microwave and oven preparation, ideal for spontaneous fondue moments for one person.
• Gerber Scheiben (Cheese Slices) Processed cheese slices available in varieties including Burger, Emmentaler AOP, Le Gruyère AOP, and Toast. Suitable for sandwiches, toasts, burgers, or snacking.
• Gerber Streichkäse (Spreadable Cheese)

Quantifiable outcome

• Products remain consumable after best-before date when appearance, smell, and taste are normal (Verified by label 'Often good after')

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Emmi Schweiz AGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Emmi Schweiz AG acquired Gerber in 2004 through the merger of Tiger and Zingg cheese producers to create Emmi Fondue AG. Emmi is now the parent company of the Gerber brand, providing manufacturing, distribution, and marketing support across the Swiss market.
• Too Good To GocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Too Good To Go to combat food waste. Gerber participates in the 'Often good after' ('Souvent bon après') initiative, encouraging consumers to check if fondue is still good after the best-before date rather than automatically throwing it away. Too Good To Go is a surplus food rescue app.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GerberTubes
• Facebookfacebook.com/gerberfondue
• Instagraminstagram.com/gerbercheese/?hl=de

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Gerber