The story and people
behind aleno
Our story begins with our restaurant. It was called the ‘Wirtschaft im Franz’, and it was born out of community. The first crowdfunded restaurant in Switzerland, it was a good place that brought together good people, all wanting to make a difference. We cooked seasonal, organic and sustainable food while paying fair wages. It was everything we believed in. It made us proud. But ideals don’t always turn into profit. We soon realised that all the tasks that come along with running a successful business – marketing, logistics, managing reservations – were drawing our attention and our revenue away from the things that really mattered. We wanted to spend less time on paperwork and more time with our guests. So we found our own solution – automation that actually optimised businesses.
Ivica Balenovic
CEO, Partner
For years, we were fighting with paperwork and repetitive tasks. We knew that we had to create our own digital system that could connect with other tools. We knew that restaurants deserved an alternative to booking portals that chipped away at their data and their profits. So we created it.
And it worked: aleno reduced our own workload and offered new opportunities. Most importantly, it was built with the same ideals as our restaurant: community, empowerment and integrity. That meant no advertising, no data theft and fair conditions.
Klaus Preisner
Content, Partner
aleno is made by restaurant
owners for restaurant owners
Since then we’ve been developing aleno in Zurich with innovative restaurateurs and programmers from all over Europe.
The result is an intuitive, flexible and efficient tool that serves restauranteurs and delights guests. Or as our customers describe it: the digital heart of their restaurant.
Olaf Kunz
Marketing, Partner