Hospitality News & Business Insights by EHL

Corporate Gifts: The Success of Swiss Artisanal Products

Written by Morgane Dumollard | Aug 19, 2025 7:34:40 AM

The selection of corporate gifts in Switzerland reveals a quest for authenticity, with artisanal foodstuffs becoming a vector of cultural identity. A study by the Swiss Federation of Food Producers (2025) indicates that 78% of Swiss companies now favor local products for their business gifts, with a 23% growth in the market for local gift baskets since 2022.

 

Local gourmet must-haves

Whether you prefer gifting savory delights or sweet confections, options abound. Designed for sharing, these gourmet selections showcase the finest of Swiss tradition and taste.

Regional aperitif selections

Platters combining savory specialties and local spirits dominate 62% of corporate exchanges, according to Terre Vaudoise data. Their success is based on :

  • Cantonal diversity: dry sausages from the Valais, country terrines from the Fribourg, organic chips from the Vaud.
  • Social interaction: products designed for sharing (family size, tasting notes)
  • Flexibility: vegetarian or alcohol-free options on request

Flagship example: Le Coffret Pays de Vaud integrates sablés d'Agathe (Nyon), pain d'épices d'Éclair (Romanel) and Combe Marendaz wine, illustrating the quintessence of the region.

Prestigious chocolate treats

Confiserie Sprüngli redefines edible luxury with its tailor-made creations:

  • Logoizable pralines (patented laser engraving technique)
  • Anniversary gift sets including limited editions (e.g. Alpine saffron truffle)
  • Biodegradable packaging in corporate colors

A recent innovation allows each chocolate to include a microcapsule telling the company's story via QR code.

Emerging trends in 2025

In 2025, the fusion of experience, innovation, and purpose sets a new standard in gifting. Swiss artisans embody this evolution through refined kits and multifunctional delicacies.

Experiential culinary kits

HelvetiBox revolutionizes the concept with educational kits including :

  • Raw products to process (Ticino chestnut flour, raw honey to extract)
  • Virtual workshops with artisans (live bricelet making)
  • Interactive maps tracing the route of ingredients

Impact: +54% brand recall according to a CSD Ingénieurs study.

Dual-function foods

Swiss craftsmen innovate with hybrid products:

  • Firecracker" chocolates (smoked flavoring for virtual aperitifs)
  • Fermented jams that can be transformed into cocktails
  • Medicinal honeys with alpine plant extracts

These creations meet the Swiss requirement of multifunctional utility, while respecting the CHF 100 tax ceiling.

Strategic selection criteria

In the corporate gifting landscape, traceability, personalization, and sustainability are no longer optional, they're expected. Forward-thinking brands elevate every detail to meet evolving client demands.

Enhanced traceability

Companies now require :

  • Individual QR codes tracing provenance (e.g. Vaud apples in Ferme du Taulard juice)
  • Triple-loop certifications (local, organic, ethical)
  • Carbon impact reports for each product

Contextual personalization

Industry leaders such as HelvetiBox offer :

  • Sector-specific adaptation: energy kits for tech startups, wellness baskets for HR, etc.
  • Geographical synergy: product mixes reflecting the customer's area of activity
  • Digital integration: voice messages from craftsmen included via NFC

Innovative eco-packaging

Packaging becomes an experience:

  • Edible baskets made from dried bread dough
  • Recycled apple fiber ribbons
  • Plantable labels sprouting aromatic herbs

Exemplary case studies

When terroir is embraced, collaboration celebrated, and philosophy honored, leading Swiss companies rise to the occasion, proving how local products can embody both innovation and impact.

CSD Ingénieurs: terroir as proof of expertise

By offering a Vaudois boxed set with local citrus mustard and fizzy chocolate, the company demonstrated its technical know-how through culinary innovation.

IWB Basel: cohesion through local collaboration

The order for 1,000 baskets mobilized 12 regional producers and a sheltered workshop, generating 23% additional employee commitment.

JUST: product-value alignment

The choice of organic Aargau pasta and popcorn flour cookies reinforced the company's consistency with its philosophy of natural well-being.

Outlook for the future

  1. Food-tech identity: 3D printing of products in corporate shapes
  2. Circular subscriptions: packaging deposits converted into solidarity donations
  3. Augmented taste reality: activation of aromas via app during tasting

Swiss business gifts: between culinary excellence and local heritage

Swiss food craftsmanship redefines the corporate gift as a sensory narrative, where each mouthful becomes a page in the corporate story. This alchemy of tradition and innovation positions Switzerland as a global laboratory for strategic gifting.