Meat is our passion
GVFI Ltd is the number one partner for meat imports in Switzerland. We serve as the hub to the global market for our more than 100 customers. Our success is founded on the trust built up over decades between all partners – from producers to consumers.
With great commitment and passion, we import first-class products from many regions around the world. At our head office in Basel, we coordinate joint sourcing through a worldwide network. State-of-the-art logistics processes and our wealth of knowledge guarantee nationwide distribution.
Further services include the fiduciary management of import quotas for customers and shareholders.
Board of Directors
From left to right: Peter Hinder, Michel Gerber, Peter Kofmel (president), Lorenz Wyss (retired as of 1 May 2024), Otto Humbel
Marco Tschanz (New Member of the Board of Directors of GVFI as of 1 May 2024)
Executive Board
Willem von Doorn (COO), Sam Sprunger (CEO), Alexander Matejcek (CFO)
"GVFI is the leading provider of first-grade meat in Europe. Based on more than a century of experience, GVFI coordinates joint sourcing through a worldwide network and applies state-of-the-art technology and continuously developing logistics expertise to ensure nationwide distribution."
Sam Sprunger
CEO
Consumption figures
As confirmed by the following figures*, we make an enormous contribution to the supply of meat in Switzerland.
| Imports | in tonnes | in CHF 1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 19,300 | 244,400 |
| Veal | 450 | 3,000 |
| Pork | 3,600 | 7,400 |
| Lamb | 6,000 | 88,600 |
| Poultry | 12,450 | 70,300 |
| Game | 550 | 7,200 |
| Horse meat | 350 | 5,400 |
| Animal by-products | 100 | 1,100 |
| Total | 42,800 | 427,400 |
* Consolidated figures for the GVFI Group for the 2023 financial year
Other exciting insights
Story Selection of Suppliers
Poultry farm in Brazil
We buy our meat from poultry farms located in the Brazilian back country between São Paulo and Porto Alegre. This southern region of Brazil has a good climate for keeping chickens in coops that do not have fixed walls.
A century of milestones
GVFI's story started at the beginning of the 20th century. To protect their freedom of trade and enterprise and to defend themselves against state interference, local livestock dealers founded the Association of Swiss Livestock Importers in 1902. During the next century and beyond, GVFI invested much work and passion into writing its own personal success story.
| 1902 | Foundation of the Association of Swiss Livestock Importers |
| 1947 | Foundation of the Cooperative for Livestock and Meat Trading (GVFH) with commercial imports as its main purpose |
| 1973 | Change of name to the Cooperative for Livestock and Meat Import (GVFI) |
| 1974 | Start of the commercial import business for quotas of cattle, veal and pork for Cooperative members only. Progressive diversification to include imports of lambs, lamb meat, US and high-quality beef and exports of surplus meat from Switzerland |
| 1989 | Diversification of the import range to include poultry, game and horsemeat |
| 2000 | Change of the corporate form to GVFI International Ltd |
| 2009 | Foundation of the subsidiary company GVFI Europe B.V. with head office in Rotterdam Takeover of the long-standing partner Myon B.V. with head office in Rotterdam |
| 2010 | Foundation of the GVFI Europe B.V. branch in London |
| 2014 | New corporate image for GVFI |
| 2017 | Sale of Myon B.V. |
| 2021 | Change of name to GVFI Ltd |
