a&o Hostels
“A colleague told me someone said after stocktaking: ‘That was actually fun.’ Honestly, I expected to hear, ‘It works well now.’ But fun? That was new – even for me.”
Janine Berger, Project Manager at a&o Hostels

The company
a&o Hostels is Europe’s largest privately owned hostel chain, with more than 40 properties in 11 countries. The company is known for affordable, urban travel, placing a strong focus on diversity, sustainability and digital innovation.
Further information
Janine Berger is Project Manager at a&o and has been with the company for 14 years in various roles. She shares how stocktaking with FoodNotify works, the benefits it brings to a&o Hostels, and why digital transformation has become essential for the company.
a&o Hostels uses
How a&o Hostels Saves up to 50% on Stocktaking Time
With over 40 hostels across Europe, a&o Hostels needs operational processes that run smoothly – and many of them already do. But what truly defines the company goes beyond efficiency: with the slogan 'Everyone can travel', a&o expresses its mission to make travel accessible to all, regardless of background, language, or budget.
This inclusive mindset applies not only to guests, but to their teams too. "There isn’t a single day when I go to work feeling uncomfortable or out of place. That just doesn’t happen,” says Janine Berger, Project Manager at a&o Hostels.
Their company culture is founded on values like teamwork, diversity and solidarity. These have shaped a&o into what it is today: Europe’s largest privately owned hostel chain with locations in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and other European countries.
11
European countries
40+
Hostels across Europe
6 million
Overnight stays per year
What daily operations at a&o Hostels used to look like
From self-check-in terminals to a mobile key app: before implementing FoodNotify, a&o Hostels was already working with a variety of digital tools. However, in the F&B area, many processes were still shaped by supplier-driven structures and long-standing habits.
“We took what the suppliers provided us with – that's the simplest way to put it,“ Janine recalls.
Orders were placed through supplier webshops – some of which were already well digitalized, while others still relied on more traditional methods such as email, Word documents, or even fax.
Inventory management was another complex task. Initially, a&o relied on an in-house solution, combining stock and filter functions. This was a smart interim step, but over time it became clear that the tool could no longer keep pace with growing operational demands.
Our in-house software crashed every now and then. Sometimes, we had to enter the same data twice and the results were often inaccurate because the POS wasn't connected. Aligning everything would have taken far too long.

Particularly in larger locations like the 2,000-bed Hamburg City hostel, stocktaking could take up to two full days. In mid-sized houses, it still required at least 8 to 10 hours – not including the manual entry of delivery invoices and post-processing.
“The lack of digital structure took a lot of time. Although it was technically possible, it was incredibly time-consuming.”
From that point on, it was clear: a&o Hostels needed more than a patchwork of tools. They were looking for an F&B management platform that offers clarity, minimizes complexity, and supports daily operations across all locations in a reliable and scalable way.

How a&o Hostels found the right fit
When a&o Hostels decided it was time to implement a professional ERP system, Janine Berger took the lead: researching vendors, reviewing demos, weighing all the options. Some systems were too complex, others didn’t offer what they needed. In the end, one solution simply fit best with how a&o works: FoodNotify.
“FoodNotify was the only platform with a truly user-friendly interface – that made it stand out right away,” Janine explains.
Ease of use was a top priority for the a&o team, especially since many employees, including students, only work a few shifts per month. Janine needed a tool that was intuitive – with no complicated onboarding process or endless questions. In addition to being easy to use, FoodNotify also stood out thanks to its features, which are tailored to the daily needs of the food and beverage sector.
Your software is incredibly easy to use – that was the most important thing. And then, of course, the features you offer. They just aligned with our operational needs.


Digital stocktaking: how it really works
After selecting FoodNotify, a&o Hostels kicked things off with a pilot project at one of their busiest locations: Berlin Mitte. In June 2025, a&o rolled out digital stocktaking with the FoodNotify App across all German locations – and it worked right from the start.
Janine had prepared herself for the usual rollout challenges: “I expected someone to call and say, ‘Something’s not working.’ But no one did – everything worked just as it should.”
One moment stuck with her – a piece of feedback from the team that surprised her and showed how much stocktaking has changed.
A colleague told me someone said after stocktaking: ‘That was actually fun.’ Honestly, I expected to hear, ‘It works well now.’ But fun? That was new – even for me.

What has changed at a&o Hostels?
The FoodNotify App brings much more clarity to the process. Storage areas can be mapped in the app exactly as they are set up on site – which means less jumping back and forth between products and a far more efficient stocktaking workflow.
Language barriers have also become less of an issue. Thanks to the built-in product images, multilingual teams can identify items more easily, which is a major advantage for a diverse company like a&o Hostels.
And Janine’s personal favorite? The ability to count partial quantities precisely – whether it’s GN containers or open bottles. Previously, quantities had to be rounded up or down, but now they can be accurately documented.
The app even keeps running in areas with poor Wi-Fi, like cold storage rooms. Its automatic offline mode ensures smooth operation without the need for a stable internet connection.
Before implementing FoodNotify, stocktaking at a&o Hostels could take between 8 and 16 hours, depending on the location. Now it takes just 4–5 hours, cutting the time spent on it in half.
We save up to 50% in personnel costs per stocktake. With over 40 hostels, that really adds up.

However, it's not just about saving time or money. It’s also about finally obtaining meaningful data. With POS integration on the horizon, a&o aims to identify the source of discrepancies, whether they’re due to recipes, miscalculations or inefficient processes.
“We want to understand where discrepancies, waste or shrinkage occur – and then fine-tune our processes,” explains Janine.
The improvements also extend to ordering. Rather than switching between multiple systems and channels, teams can now order from all suppliers through one central platform. This saves valuable time and brings clarity to the entire purchasing process. Over-ordering and empty shelves are now a thing of the past.

How a&o Hostels fights food waste
While stocktaking has recently taken center stage, a&o Hostels sees digitalization as a long-term strategy – especially when it comes to sustainability.
One particularly valuable tool is the FoodWaste Report by FoodNotify. With this feature, a&o's teams track what food is discarded and in what quantities, day by day. Especially in buffet settings such as the breakfast service, it helps pinpoint overproduction and areas for process improvement.
“We see exactly what’s thrown away and how much. It’s my favourite feature in FoodNotify.”
By continuously analyzing the data, teams can better calculate portions per guest, raise awareness among staff, and ultimately save valuable resources.
For a&o Hostels, it’s clear: digital tools don’t just make things easier – they help make a difference.
Why the shift to digital was worth it
Since implementing FoodNotify, a&o has not only saved time but also taken inventory, ordering, and data management to a new level. What used to be a manual, time-consuming process is now fully supported by smart digital tools.
For Janine, introducing FoodNotify wasn’t just a professional milestone; it was also a valuable personal growth experience.
Ten years ago, I never would’ve thought this kind of topic was for me – but today, I see it as a huge added value.

So what advice would she give to others in the hospitality industry who are still weighing up their options? “Let's be honest: it's unavoidable. You can resist for a year or two, but digitalization isn't going away. It's better to jump on the train now than scramble to catch up later.”
The story of a&o Hostels shows how rethinking everyday processes – even the unpopular ones – can turn challenges into genuine success stories.
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