Service-Bund

Service-Bund is a group of owner-managed food wholesale companies serving the gastronomy, hotel and communal catering (Gemeinschaftsverpflegung) sectors in Germany and Austria. According to its own positioning, it sees itself as an independent group of entrepreneurial people whose task is to supply customers with a flexible and comprehensive food service — "jederzeit. an jedem Ort." (anytime, anywhere). The group traces its origins to 1973, when several specialist food wholesalers for gastronomy and communal catering joined forces. What began as a purchasing-oriented alliance developed into a nationwide service organisation. The group is structured as a network of independent regional companies rather than a single centrally owned chain. Wikipedia's German entry describes it as a group of owner-managed companies with 32 shareholders operating 43 locations nationwide, with its central office (Zentrale) in Lübeck. The official website reinforces this decentralised model, inviting customers to "Finden Sie Ihren Lieferanten!" (find your supplier) among the regional Service-Bund companies that maintain day-to-day contact with customers. Service-Bund's product range covers a full food assortment: fresh produce, frozen goods, dairy products, dry goods and beverages. Alongside articles from contract suppliers, it offers products under its own brands, including Servisa, ServisaPrime, Rodeo Ranch Quality, Mermaid, Burger Craft, Salva D'Or, Sourcer and Gastrovinum. Beyond pure distribution, the group provides services such as marketing support and further training for its customers. National key accounts — hotel groups, system gastronomy and similar large customers — are handled by the subsidiary Service-Bund National. On a European level, Service-Bund is a member of the European Catering Distributors (ECD) interest group and belongs to the Europe-wide trading and purchasing cooperation Markant. The group also engages in culinary sponsorship and talent development, supporting competitions such as the Chefs Trophy and its own cooking contests, subsidising Euro-Toques, and hosting customer events such as "Campus for culinary friends" with lectures and workshops. The group publishes customer-facing materials including the Servisa magazine and seasonal product folders (for example autumn/winter, game season and Easter editions), positioning itself as a source of inspiration as well as supply for professional kitchens. Its brand promise centres on high-quality, authentic own brands, a family-oriented corporate culture, reliable partnerships and flexible solutions from a single source.

Service-Bund was founded in 1973 through the merger of several specialist food wholesalers serving gastronomy and communal catering. The original purpose of the association was purchasing-oriented — pooling the buying power of independent regional wholesalers — but from this alliance grew what is today a nationwide service organisation. The group's central office is located in Lübeck. Over the decades the group developed into a network of owner-managed companies. According to the German Wikipedia entry, it comprises 32 shareholder companies operating 43 locations nationwide. Larger shareholders mentioned include Omega Sorg, Flach, Schwalenstöcker & Gantz, Viktor Nußbaumer, Hefe van Haag and Troiber. This structure means Service-Bund is not a single centrally owned corporation but a cooperative-style group of independent entrepreneurial businesses operating under a shared brand and service concept. To serve large national customers, the group established the subsidiary Service-Bund National, which handles national key accounts such as hotel groups and system gastronomy operators. On the European stage, Service-Bund became a member of the European Catering Distributors (ECD) interest group and joined the Europe-wide trading and purchasing cooperation Markant, extending its sourcing and cooperation reach beyond Germany and Austria. Alongside distribution, the group built a service and marketing dimension. It offers marketing services and further training to its customers, publishes the Servisa magazine and seasonal product folders, and runs customer events such as "Campus for culinary friends" with lectures and workshops. It also invests in culinary talent and community: it sponsors competitions including the Chefs Trophy, which recognises commitment to nurturing young talent, runs its own cooking competitions, and subsidises Euro-Toques. Today Service-Bund presents itself as an independent group of entrepreneurial people supplying a flexible and comprehensive food service "anytime, anywhere," with high-quality authentic own brands, a family-oriented corporate culture, reliable partnerships and flexible solutions from a single source. Its own brands include Servisa, ServisaPrime, Rodeo Ranch Quality, Mermaid, Burger Craft, Salva D'Or, Sourcer and Gastrovinum, complementing articles from contract suppliers across fresh, frozen, dairy, dry and beverage categories.

• 1973

  Service-Bund founded through the merger of several specialist food wholesalers for gastronomy and communal catering.

• Central office established in Lübeck.

• Subsidiary Service-Bund National created to handle national key accounts such as hotel groups and system gastronomy.

• Joined the European Catering Distributors (ECD) interest group and the Markant trading and purchasing cooperation.

Independent group of owner-managed regional food wholesalers providing flexible, comprehensive food service to gastronomy, hotels and communal catering, with a family-oriented culture and strong own brands.

• Servisa

• ServisaPrime

• Rodeo Ranch Quality

• Mermaid

• Burger Craft

• Salva D'Or

• Sourcer

• Gastrovinum

1. 1SERVICE-BUND: Liefergroßhandel für Gastro, Hotellerie und GVservicebund.de
2. 2Service-Bund – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Service-Bund – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org