A healthy alternative to canteens or takeaways for the lunch break: the Austrian start-up Schrankerl has set itself the goal of revolutionizing the way we eat at work and especially in an office.
The startup has developed a smart fridge system for the communal area, so that companies can offer their employees an attractive lunch break as an additional benefit and at the same time reduce their food waste by half compared to the usual lunch break meals from the supermarket. The idea has already convinced several investors to provide growth capital, and more than 60 CEOs are already making their employees happy with a Schrankerl at their offices. Now the young company is giving an insight into its ambitious plans and revealing why every office needs its own Schrankerl.
Advertisement
There are thousands of companies (in Austria and in the rest of Europe) that are unable to provide their employees with suitable catering for lunch. This usually leads to ready meals from the supermarket or takeaways from restaurants and snack bars being used, which are generally not very nutritious or can be quite a burden on the wallet, especially in times of high inflation – in the catering industry alone, this is set to reach a record level of 12% in 2023.
At the same time, more and more companies are finding it difficult to attract the right talent for vacancies, as their needs have changed in times of New Work, especially in terms of office presence. To counteract these challenges, the founding team Sara Mari-Strasser and Stephan Haymerle founded Schrankerl.
In line with the motto “It’s great food for busy people”, the start-up company offers an innovative solution for providing its employees with healthy meals without a great deal of effort, thereby helping to ensure that they enjoy coming into the office regularly again.
Healthy office catering as a service: Schrankerl wants to bring 500 smart fridges to Austrian companies
Schrankerl’s smart fridges are equipped with state-of-the-art technology that enables employees to access a wide range of fresh and healthy food options around the clock. Schrankerl cooperates with selected food partners (e.g. Karma Food, Rita bringt’s, Fresh or DoN), who adapt and continuously develop their most popular dishes for Schrankerl users in collaboration with nutrition experts.
To bring a Schrankerl into your own office, all you need to do is talk to the Schrankerl team, who will put together an optimal package for each company based on the number of employees to be catered for. Schrankerl also offers the option of arranging a test meal so that employees can get the best possible impression of the wide range of catering options offered by Schrankerl.
“Our aim is to help these companies to inspire their employees with culinary delights so that employees are happy and enjoy going to the office. With our concept, we want to install at least 500 Schrankerl next year and expand our pioneering role as the most successful office catering service. Life is too short for average food,” says Stephan Haymerle, co-founder of Schrankerl.
Lunch culture as an essential element of team cohesion
The last few years have turned the world of work upside down due to the pandemic, with working from home and digital meetings becoming the new normal. As many companies are currently struggling to get their employees back into the office, new approaches and solutions are needed. The lunchtime culture offers particular potential here, as having lunch together with colleagues can be an essential element for team cohesion.
A cupboard in the communal area not only provides healthy, fresh food during the lunch break, but also makes it easier to enjoy meals together as a team. This actively promotes a new type of lunch break, in which people eat individually but spend time together. If the lunch break can be fun, then employees will enjoy coming into the office regularly again.
By making high-quality, healthy food available in the workplace, companies make a significant contribution to the health and satisfaction of their employees – in short: a cupboard in the office makes employees happy.
Schrankerl offers fresh food from your favourite restaurant, only much cheaper, more sustainable and directly in the office
Thanks to the strong cooperation with food partners, Schrankerl can offer very high quality at a fair price, just a few steps away from the workplace.
From freshly prepared hot meals, protein-rich snacks and refreshing drinks to vegetarian and purely vegan products – the Schrankerl fridges are designed to cater to different needs and preferences. By integrating IoT technology, users can track the availability of products in real time via a smartphone app, resulting in an optimised office catering experience. What’s more, with average prices of around €6-10 per meal, the meals are within an affordable range, especially when compared to other healthy options. Schrankerl also helps companies to reduce their food waste, as the quantity and type of food and drink available is continuously optimised by an intelligent system and adapted to the actual needs of the respective company.
The current focus at Schrankerl is on growth, which should contribute to a sustainably successful company. Currently, 60 CEOs are already making their employees happy with a Schrankerl. In addition to Vienna, Lower Austria and Salzburg, the expansion is currently focussing on other hubs such as Linz and Graz. The plan is to place smart fridges in companies throughout Austria and thus make a healthier lifestyle accessible to more people.
“Our vision is to change the way people eat at work and promote health and well-being in the process. As we are convinced that better nutrition leads to increased productivity and satisfaction in the workplace and that Schrankerl does this in the best possible way, we believe that every company needs a Schrankerl,” says Sara Mari-Strasser, co-founder of Schrankerl.
Schrankerl is a young Austrian company on a mission to provide Austria’s most innovative and simple office catering. Under the motto “it’s great food for busy people”, the founding team Sara Mari-Strasser and Stephan Haymerle have developed an innovative way for companies to offer their employees fresh and sustainable catering. Healthy eating can thus be easily integrated into everyday office life, while at the same time promoting a shared lunch culture for teams.
The start-up provides a smart company fridge, “the Schrankerl”, which offers a selection of hot meals, cold snacks and drinks from various food partners (including top brands such as Karma Food, DoN, Rita bringt’s and Makava) using the “canteen as a service principle”. The range is constantly being expanded and adapted to the needs of users in collaboration with nutritionists. Schrankerl is ideal for companies that prioritize the well-being of their employees. Good, healthy food not only promotes more relaxing breaks and therefore better health, but also strengthens team spirit.
