YouthEmpowered

YouthEmpowered: Mentoring Program with GastroSuisse

Coca-Cola HBC Switzerland and GastroSuisse Launch Joint Mentoring Program for Aspiring Hospitality Entrepreneurs



As a partner of GastroSuisse, Coca-Cola HBC Switzerland is supporting the new “GastroSuisse Mentoring Program”. The two-stage program equips aspiring hospitality entrepreneurs with practical knowledge and connects them with experienced mentors from the industry.

Anyone looking to take over or open a hospitality business needs more than professional know-how – above all, they need first-hand practical experience. This is exactly where the “GastroSuisse Mentoring Program”, run in cooperation with Coca-Cola HBC Switzerland, comes in:

Stage 1: E-learning for Practical Knowledge

The program is built on the e-learning module “Abenteuer Betriebsübernahme” (Business Takeover Adventure), which covers everything involved in opening and taking over a hospitality business. It forms part of the G1 Gastro foundation seminar, GastroSuisse’s core training for aspiring hospitality managers.


Stage 2: Mentoring for Individual Guidance

Participants who have completed the e-learning module and registered for the G1 certificate exam can apply for the mentoring program from November 2026. Once accepted, they will be accompanied by experienced hospitality professionals over a series of one-to-one meetings as they take the step towards running their own business.

Ramon Nietlispach, owner of Meating Restaurant & Bar, knows from his own experience how valuable this guidance can be: “Opening a restaurant is more complicated than I imagined at the start.” His advice to aspiring hospitality business owners: ask for help, and don’t be too proud to think you can do it all on your own.
Karin Vollenweider, a federally certified workplace mentor, knows the challenges first-hand: “Aspiring founders need the most support with accurate costing, developing their leadership skills and understanding the relevant rules and regulations, so they can build a solid concept. That’s exactly what the GastroSuisse Mentoring Program is for.”


Together for a Strong Next Generation in Hospitality

Coca-Cola HBC Switzerland supports both stages of the program as part of its international “Youth Empowered” initiative. The program helps people around the world enter the world of work and has already reached more than one million participants – with a focus on practical, job-relevant skills and connecting them with experienced professionals. In Switzerland, Coca-Cola HBC is applying this approach specifically to the hospitality industry.

Johannes Lehken, Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Director at Coca-Cola HBC Switzerland, says: “A vibrant hospitality scene needs committed entrepreneurs. With the GastroSuisse Mentoring Program, we want to help aspiring hosts on their way to running their own business and strengthen their entrepreneurial know-how.”

The GastroSuisse Mentoring Program and the e-learning module “Abenteuer Betriebsübernahme” are available now.