![\"Planted:](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/8e94654a6a455ec7f74567df26bfdd80323a501d-91291467.jpg\")
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Planted: Rapid growth is followed by staff cuts <\/p>\n
Keystone-SDA <\/p>\n
Swiss meat substitute manufacturer Planted has reduced its workforce in recent months, particularly at management level.\n<\/p>\n
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April 21, 2026 – 14:48\n<\/p>\n
+Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox<\/a><\/p>\n The company is talking about measures to increase efficiency.<\/p>\n Several managers have left Federal Institute of Technology Zurich spin-off Planted in the past nine months. They include the former head of communications, the head of sustainability, the head of quality, the head of marketing Switzerland and the Swiss head of production, as LinkedIn profiles show.<\/p>\n According to former employees, this is no coincidence: \u201cDue to cost pressure, many experienced employees were replaced by young, inexperienced people or not replaced at all,\u201d one person, who wishes to remain anonymous, told the news agency AWP. One of the reasons for this is the high cost of a new factory in Germany, which was opened last year.<\/p>\n \n More<\/p>\n More <\/p>\n \u2018The meat industry is our main competitor\u2019 <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Dec 22, 2023 <\/p>\n With its plant-based alternatives to meat, Zurich-based start-up Planted is aiming for strong international growth. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Read more: \u2018The meat industry is our main competitor\u2019 According to the trade union newspaper Work, Planted currently employs around 150 people, 46 of whom work in production. At the end of 2025, the company said it employed 200 people \u2013 and by mid-2023, this figure had risen to around 240, meaning around 90 jobs have been lost over the last few years. The company has never reported a mass redundancy (10% or more of the workforce).<\/p>\n Structures reviewed<\/p>\n \u201cAfter several years of very rapid growth, we systematically developed our organisation further last year and adapted it to the next phase,\u201d said a spokesperson. Structures were reviewed and priorities sharpened.<\/p>\n \u201cThis also included personnel decisions that were not always easy for us,\u201d she added. The company is now \u201cmore efficiently organised\u201d and well positioned for sustainable growth. Demand for vegan products also remains strong.<\/p>\n + More people giving up meat in Switzerland<\/a><\/p>\n Since its foundation in 2019, Planted has received a total of around CHF115 million from investors. Its backers include entrepreneur Stephan Schmidheiny, Swiss national team goalkeeper Yann Sommer and United States investor L Catterton.<\/p>\n The company has been producing in Kemptthal, canton Zurich, since 2021. In June 2025, a second factory was opened in Memmingen, Bavaria. This should double production capacity and create over 50 new jobs. According to the spokesperson, the majority of employees are still based in Switzerland.<\/p>\n Planted generates half of its turnover in the retail trade and the other half in restaurants. The products are available in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, France and Britain.<\/p>\n \n More<\/p>\n More <\/p>\n Plant-based meat market in Switzerland set to grow to CHF361 million by 2030 <\/p>\n This content was published on <\/p>\n Jul 19, 2025 <\/p>\n Switzerland\u2019s market for plant-based meat alternatives has a potential value of around CHF 242 million this year, though it remains a niche market. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/b54f46a4b9188725c9bcccdb1bd1474d-planted_v1_019-data.jpg\")
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