Gelavena – 100% Swiss oat ice cream

Animal agriculture is a major driver of the climate crisis, while more and more people in Switzerland – especially in younger generations – are turning to plant-based alternatives. But a vegan ice cream made from Swiss ingredients? It didn't exist. That bothered Claudia, our founder.

Ice cream has always been more than a dessert. At Gelavena, it's a statement: plant-based, local, handmade – and with real impact. We are the first Swiss ice cream manufactory based on Swiss organic oat drink. Since 2023 we've been selling primarily in Zurich and Lucerne, have served more than 40,000 scoops, and work with restaurants, cultural institutions and events.

Now we want to grow. The demand is there: in 2025 we reached CHF 82,000 in revenue. In 2026 we are opening our first gelateria. But our current location is at its limits and can no longer keep up with volumes. With this funding round we are building our own production site with storage, office and test kitchen. On a solid foundation we can then expand into other food categories. Gelavena is only the beginning. As a shareholder, you carry our vision with us. Wetsch no meh wie en Schläck?

Our Solution

Conventional ice cream is based on cow's milk – and costs the environment up to four times more resources than necessary. Gelavena replaces cow's milk with the oat drink from the Gutsch cooperative, made from local Swiss oats. That saves around 0.58 kg CO₂eq per litre of ice cream – with no compromise on taste. Quite the opposite: flavours like «Sea Buckthorn x Carrot» or «Pumpkin Seed» delight where conventional alternatives bore. Sustainable doesn't have to be bland – it can be loud, colourful and seriously delicious.

Our ice cream is also climate-neutrally packaged and our packaging is 100% biodegradable – reaching our customers via two ice cream bikes, at events and through B2B. We are now stocked in 35+ shops. Mobile, fresh, sustainable – no compromises.

Competitive Advantage

What sets us apart from everyone else is a combination that doesn't exist elsewhere:

• Swiss organic oat drink as our base (from a local cooperative)
• Unusual flavours with real character
• A distinctive design by professional designers
• A share of profits channelled into social and ecological projects in Switzerland and abroad
• A story that moves people

We are not a copy of an international trend – we are a Lucerne and Zurich original that builds bridges: into the food scene, the cultural world and the Global South.

We are Switzerland's only oat-based ice cream manufactory. And the market confirms it: over 40,000 scoops sold, 35+ partner shops, 2 ice cream bikes in operation and CHF 82,000 in revenue in 2025. Now come the next steps: the Gelateria Orbicella, our own production site at a second location, and more products!

Market Figures and Potential

In the DACH region, oat milk is the most popular cow's-milk alternative, with steadily growing per-capita consumption. 

We have already sold more than 40,000 scoops of our ice cream. For 2026 we forecast CHF 580,000 in revenue, and break-even is planned for 2027/28.

The Team (incl. Board, Advisors, existing Investors) 

Claudia Schildknecht – Co-Founder & Strategist. Visual artist, tattoo artist and much more. Working in crisis regions since 2009, with multiple awards (Swiss Press Photo Award, VFG Young Talents, etc.). Initiator of Gelavena and the ideological head of the company. Strong international network across art, culture and gastronomy. Also leads marketing and conceptual strategy.

Ronny Wettmer – Co-Founder & Sales/HR. BSc in civil engineering, with a gastronomy background and metalwork experience. Involved from the start as an employee, co-founder since 2025. Communicative, reliable, well-connected.

Simon Liechti – Co-Founder & Motion Design. Freelance 3D artist with over 10 years of experience in advertising and film. Together with Claudia & Nora, responsible for the visual brand strategy and our unmistakable branding.

The wider team also includes Nora Zürcher (illustration & graphic design), Thierry Rechtsteiner (content creation & sales) and Maurizio Zulli (sound design). On top of that, we have a strong advisory team we draw on as needed: Dorian Ebneter on financial-strategic questions, India Demrici on scenography, Isabelle Scheuber as deputy ops and on botany, Sample+ on architecture and building applications, and Petra Stöckli on gastronomy consulting. Plus a growing network of artists, restaurateurs and collaborators.

Roadmap

2023/24 – Founding:

• First ice cream bike
• 28 points of sale
• 18,000 scoops cumulative since founding
• Financing through Alternative Bank Schweiz

2025 – Picking up speed:

• New production sites (CPI Zurich, TransFAIR Thun)
• Distribution partner Mundo AG
• Exclusive flavours for gastronomy partners
• Revenue CHF 82,000

2026 – Settling in:

• Gelateria in Lucerne (Neustadt)
• Operations management & second site including own production
• Expansion of ice cream bikes
• Customer acquisition across Switzerland
• Food-waste ice cream and further product developments
• Try-out in Cologne (August)

2027/28 – Growing:

• Gelateria Zurich
• Nationwide visibility (25,000 social media followers)
• Break-even target
• Gelavena DE & first try-out in Italy

2029/30 – Stabilising:

• Profitability
• Franchise partnerships

Business Model

Gelavena generates revenue through two main channels:

B2C – directly from the ice cream bike (CHF 5–7 per scoop) and in the planned gelateria (from 2026). Ongoing presence on the Limmat in Zurich and at events across Switzerland.

B2B – small cups (110 ml, CHF 3.20) and large containers (1,700 ml, CHF 43) for restaurants, cultural institutions and company canteens. Bike rental for events: Ø CHF 900 per booking.

We generate additional income through merchandise such as caps, T-shirts and posters. Production is outsourced: small cups are made at TRANSfair Thun, bike containers at CPI Kitchen Sharing Zurich, and soon at the new DasProvisorium in the former Stadtküche.

A fixed share of our revenue flows directly into social and ecological projects: CHF 0.10 per ice cream sold goes to the Wildlife Action Group Malawi, and CHF 1.00 per grape ice cream goes to the women's shelters in Zurich and Lucerne.

Gelavena is only the beginning! More products – alongside our delicious ice cream – are in the pipeline.

Reasons to invest

1. Unique product, unique moment. The most relevant competitor in the vegan segment is insolvent. The market is waiting for a strong, credible alternative – and it's ready.

2. Proven demand. Over 40,000 scoops sold, a growing B2B customer base, revenue up to CHF 82,000 in 2025 – without major marketing budgets.

3. Real impact. Every ice cream saves CO₂, and a share of profit is passed on with every scoop. This isn't greenwashing – it's built into the business model.

4. Strong brand. Original branding by Allink AG, CI by professional illustrators & graphic designers, and an Instagram that tells stories rather than advertising.

5. Positioned for growth. Gelateria, more bikes, nationwide retail – the growth stages are clearly defined and funded.

6. A team with attitude. Founders building not just a business, but a small movement.